Friendly reminder: Click the blue text above “FMCG Distributor Professional Consulting” to learn more about marketing and distributor internal management. Even Napoleon, when speaking of war, once said: "I have been defeated? Yes. Surprised? Never!" This is why the importance of "basic work" is repeatedly emphasized. One of the most important (yet often overlooked) aspects is the importance of pre-call preparation. Sales pre-call preparation must never be underestimated. For every sales call (whether by phone or in-person visit), you should take time to prepare. However, some salespeople feel that "winging it" won't cause any problems. They are greatly mistaken. Pre-call preparation (before making a sales presentation) includes research, data collection, and a series of sufficient and orderly preparatory tasks that a salesperson must complete before making a sales presentation. To achieve sales success, you need not only practical preparation but also mental readiness. In this month's newsletter, we will delve deeper into the most basic elements of pre-call preparation. Of course, (at the very least) you need to know where the meeting will take place, who you will be meeting, and other similar information, but here we will discuss more of the elements that are commonly overlooked before starting a sales call. Listed below: Structure: What is the formal and informal organizational structure? Who has the final decision-making authority on whether to buy from you? What roles do people play regarding your solution? For example, one person may be using the product/service, while another will decide whether to purchase it in the first place. Current Situation: Identify what has been established or what is happening. For instance, what solution is your prospect currently using? How can you leverage your weaknesses in the competition? If you are dealing with a customer you have had sales interactions with before, what sales records/files do you have on them? What have they brought to you in the past? Knowing this information is crucial, especially if the person you are meeting with doesn't remember. Opportunities: For this specific customer, create a list of all possible opportunities. Ensure that the potential opportunities listed also include those that are not so obvious. In other words, the opportunity to meet with this customer may only be the tip of the iceberg. For example, are there other issues the customer is facing that you might be able to help solve? Be sure to consider all possibilities. Overall Situation: What is the attitude of the person you are about to visit towards your product/service? Is there anyone, for any reason, who might be opposed to you or your company? Take some time to consider what the general situation might be like. Materials to Bring: If there is a specific assurance material you must bring, don't forget to bring it. (For example) these materials might be warranties, test certificates, case studies, etc. Any Promises You Have Made: If you have had prior contact with this potential customer, have you made any promises to him/her that you need to fulfill? Don't forget (your promises)! (Otherwise) you will be seen as someone who doesn't keep their word, and (imagine) going into a sales meeting under such circumstances—it cannot end well. Leverage Resources: What resources or relationships can you utilize from your current customers or other resources that might be helpful for this sales call? Is there a way to leverage resources/relationships that you or your company have already developed to maximize the efficiency of the time you spend on this prospect? For example, have you already worked with this prospect's customers? How can you use that relationship to make the upcoming sales meeting the best it can be? Of course, the above list is not exhaustive. But the most important point is to remember that pre-call preparation needs to be "moderate." It's easy to get lost in planning and spend too much time preparing for a sales meeting. (In fact) it depends on you, as a professional salesperson, to ensure you have enough information to succeed without wasting too much time. One final extra tip: Remember to confirm your meeting (with the client) (to ensure it is still on schedule)! They (especially those super busy people) are likely to forget you or the appointment you made. There is nothing worse than spending time preparing for a sales meeting only to find that all your time and effort were wasted. --------------------------------------------