What is a Sales Call and How to do it: Everything You Need to Know

Updated: December 19, 2021

A sales call is a conversation between two or more people to persuade or negotiate an exchange. It's often the first meeting where you get to know the person you're talking with and find out how they can help your business. The goal of a sales call is to make it easy for people to say yes to your offer. Here are some things you should do before, during, and after a sales call that will ensure it's successful.


What Is a Sales Call


A sales call is a conversation between two or more people to persuade or negotiate an exchange. It's often the first meeting where you get to know the person you're talking with and find out how they can help your business. The goal of a sales call is to make it easy for people to say yes to your offer.


Here are some things you should do before, during, and after a sales call that will ensure it's successful.


Before the Call


It's important to prepare before you get on the phone with someone. Do your research about who you are speaking with, what you're going to say, and what the goal of the call is.


During the Call


The most important advice is to be yourself. Show your personality, be friendly, and be confident. People buy from people they like and trust, not from robots or sales people.


After the Call


So what happens when the call is over? Make sure you leave them with something they can take away from the call, whether it's an action step, a next step in the process, or information about what next steps they can take. This will ensure that you maintain your connection with them even when the call is over.


How to Prepare for a Sales Call


Preparation is key to a successful sales call. Before the call, make sure you know what your objectives are and who you want to talk to. Then, during the call, keep the conversation focused on the benefits of your product or service. After the call, follow up with a thank you email or letter to help solidify the relationship.


It's important to be prepared for a sales call before you even dial in. If you don't know what your objectives are when you call, you're more likely to lose focus during the conversation. Or worse yet, you might not even know what you're talking about.


The same thing goes for when you're on the phone with someone. Keep the conversation focused on your product or service and the benefits it offers. Don't get off topic with questions like "What do you like to do in your free time?"


After the call, follow up with a thank you email or letter to make sure they remember who you are. You want to make it easy for them to say yes to your offer.


The Basics of the Phone Call


Before the call:


The first important step before a sales call is to find out as much as you can about the person you want to talk to. You want to make sure your product or service can solve their problem.


Before a call, you should do a little research on the person and the company. It takes a lot of time to make a good sales call, so the more you know about them, the better.


If you're not sure what to ask, try asking questions like: What are they trying to accomplish? What is their timeline for this project?


During the call:


The next step is making your pitch. You should be prepared with a good introduction and follow-up.


It's important to be clear and concise on what your company does and how it can help them. A good rule of thumb is to speak at a rate of 150 words per minute and focus on one idea or concept at a time.


Create a list of questions they may ask and have answers prepared in advance. This will help you stay on track and answer their questions quickly.


After the call:


You want to end the call on a positive note. You don't want it to feel like they're being


Effective Telephone Communication


If you are planning to do a sales call, you should know that you are likely to have a conversation with someone who's never met you before, so it's important to keep in mind these three things when on the phone:


Be polite and courteous. If you're rude, your prospect just might hang up.


Speak clearly and succinctly. You don't want to go into too much detail during the call.


Be prepared for this person to ask many questions. If they want more information, tell them they can email you back.


Best Practices on the Phone


Sales calls are an essential part of any sales process. If you want to make it easier for people to say yes, there are some best practices to follow when on the phone.


For example, you want to make it easy for your prospects to understand your offer. When you’re talking on the phone, make sure you use clear and simple language. It’s also helpful to use a lot of visuals and to keep listeners engaged by asking them questions.


Keep your tone friendly and upbeat to match the mood of the conversation. You should also make sure that you’re not distracted by anything else going on around you. Make sure you have a pen and paper handy to take notes during a call, and ask the person to repeat certain portions of the conversation if it’s difficult to understand what they’re saying.


What to do After the Sales Call


Reflecting on your sales call is crucial for future success. You want to think about what went well, what could have gone better, and what you learned.


One way to do this is to keep a journal. Jot down what you did well, what you could have done better, and what you learned. If you think about it, there are times where you can't do anything better. But if you jot it down, you’ll remember it for next time.


And, after the call, you should send a thank-you note to the person you spoke with. This is one of the simplest ways to make a good impression and show that you care about your customer.


Follow up with a thank you note and phone call


After the call, it’s polite to follow up with a thank you note or a phone call. This will show that you appreciate the meeting and that you’re willing to do what it takes to make your business successful.


After the call, send a thank you note to the person you spoke with. This will show that you appreciate the opportunity to meet with them and it will make them more likely to remember your company.


It’s also important to follow up with a phone call. Asking for the sale at this point makes the call more personal and beneficial for both parties. You can tell them how much your product or service will help them and how great it would be if they could use your company for their business.


If you don’t get a yes, ask why they cannot buy your product or service. If the answer is that they don’t have the budget, offer them an alternative that meets their needs and is within their budget.


Reflect on your sales call and make changes accordingly


There will always be something you could have done better. That’s why it’s important to reflect on your sales call and make changes accordingly.


For example, you can think about what went well in the call. Was the person you were talking with interested in what you were saying? Was their body language open or closed? How did they respond to your offer?


Then, think about the negative aspects. Were there any objections? Did they seem to be distracted? How did they react when you offered them your product or service?


After you have these thoughts in mind, take the time to reflect on your sales call. You can then identify any areas that need improvement. You can then prioritize what needs to be changed for the next call.


One way to do this is by using the S-C-R-U-T-E system.


S stands for Situation—how was the call set up? Were there any surprises throughout the call?


C stands for Call—what did you do well in the sales call? What could you have done better?


R stands for Review—what are your goals for the next call?


T stands for Timeframe—how much time are you giving yourself


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