In 2012, SalesStaff scheduled over 5,000 B2B sales meetings for our clients and delivered over 7,500 leads. We maintain a strong feedback loop with our clients on the status of those meeting and, from that feedback, SalesStaff has been able to detect patterns and best practices around sales calls. Find out what these 8 best practices around B2B sales appointments are.

1. 8TipsforMaximizingReturnson
In2012,SalesStaffscheduledover5,000B2Bsalesmeetingsfor
ourclientsanddeliveredover7,500leads.Wemaintaina
strongfeedbackloopwithourclientsonthestatusofthose
meetingand,from thatfeedback,SalesStaffhasbeenableto
detectpatternsandbestpracticesaroundsalescalls.
Research
Knowledgeispower.Compilesomeinformation.ItpaystoknowsomeKnowledgeispower.Compilesomeinformation.Itpaystoknowsome
particularsaboutyourprospect,theirproducts,theircompetitive
position,andtheircustomerbase.
Muchoftheinitialresearchwillcomefrom ourdeliverabletoyou.InourMuchoftheinitialresearchwillcomefrom ourdeliverabletoyou.Inour
appointmentsettingprocess,wewillworktogatherasmuchinformation
aspossible.PartofourDiscoveryprocesswithyoursalesandmarketing
leadersistodeterminewhatinformationwillbemostusefultoyouduring
yourpreparationsforyoursalesappointments.Wealsoworktogather
informationontheprospect’sparticularpainsandchallengesthatare
specifictothesolutionyouoffer.Youwillreceiveafullreportincludingall
thepertinentlogisticsofthemeeting,detailedcallnotes,andgeneralthepertinentlogisticsofthemeeting,detailedcallnotes,andgeneral
informationaboutthecompanyitselftohelpyouprepare.
Confidence
Yourwords,yourbodylanguage,yourvoiceinflection… italltellsastory.
Haveconvictioninyourproductanditwillruboffonyourprospects.
GointoeverySalesStaffappointmentknowingtheprospectisexpecting
you,andwillingtolearnmoreaboutyoursolution.Alwayskeepinmind,
theseareintroductorymeetingsandtheprospectmaynothavean
activeprojectorbudgetinplaceatthistime.Ourgoalistoputyouin
frontofprospectsthatmeetyourtargetmarketcriteriaandhaveapain
orchallengethatcouldbesolvedbyyoursolution.Avoidquestionssuch
as,“Whydidyouwanttomeet?”or“Whatareyoumostinterestedin?”
sincetheprospectismorethanlikelystillveryearlyoninthediscoverysincetheprospectismorethanlikelystillveryearlyoninthediscovery
phaseandwascoldcalledforthismeeting.It’simportantnottoconfuse
theseprospectswiththehand-raisersthathavevisitedyourwebsiteor
reachedoutformoreinformation.
B2BSALESAPPOINTMENTS
©2013SalesStaffLLC

2. 8TipsforMaximizingReturnson
Time
Quitesimply,we’vefounditpaystoask.AstrongappointmentQuitesimply,we’vefounditpaystoask.Astrongappointment
confirmationprospectwillbeyourbestfriendwhenitcomesto
minimizingno-shows.Andwhenyougettothebigdance,youmight
say,“Iknowweallottedthirtyminutes.Ijustwanttomakesurethatstill
worksforyou."Identifyingthecustomer'stimeframehelpsyoudirectthe
flowofthemeeting.
SalesStaffwillsendameetinginviteforthedesiredtimeframe.WecanSalesStaffwillsendameetinginviteforthedesiredtimeframe.Wecan
evenconfirm adayortwoinadvancethatthetimeanddatearestill
good.Confirmingthetimeframeatthetopofthemeetingisagood
practicebutbeflexible.Wehaveseenseveralthirtyminute
appointmentsturnintohourconversationsoncetheprospectisproperly
engaged.
Goals
Statetheobjectiveofthemeetingearlyandclearly.YoumighttryStatetheobjectiveofthemeetingearlyandclearly.Youmighttry
somethinglikethis:
Thanksagainforsharingsometime.Thepurposeofthismeetingisto
learnmoreaboutsomeofyourneedsandchallenges.Perhapswecan
determineiftheremightbeafitforworkingtogether.Wedidsome
homeworkbutwe’dliketohearmoreabout[theirbusiness,their
processes,etc.].
SalesStaffappointmentsarequalifiedaccordingtoyourqualificationSalesStaffappointmentsarequalifiedaccordingtoyourqualification
criteria.Weadviseyoutoallow5-10minutesinthebeginningfor
additionaldiscoverysotheprospectcanexpoundoninformation
gatheredintheinitialcall.Engagetheprospectimmediately.
Listen
Theoldsalesadagethatyoushouldlisten2/3ofthetimeholdssomeTheoldsalesadagethatyoushouldlisten2/3ofthetimeholdssome
water.Forcertain,youcantalkyourselfoutofasale… youcan’tlisten
yourselfoutofasale.Haveprospectsexpoundontheiranswerstogaina
clearerunderstandingofthesituation.
Often,SalesStaffappointmentsarepositionedasadiscoverycall.TheOften,SalesStaffappointmentsarepositionedasadiscoverycall.The
expectationisthatyouwillgetthenecessaryinformationneededto
buildastrongbusinesscaseforyoursolution.Weadvisethattheend
gameofeverysalesmeetingshouldbetoschedulesomefollowupsales
activity.
B2BSALESAPPOINTMENTS
©2013SalesStaffLLC

3. 8TipsforMaximizingReturnson
Qualification
Thesalesappointmentshouldalreadybequalifiedagainsttheprimary
criteriabeforeyouevenstepintothemeeting.From there,youneedto
uncovermoreabouthowtheprospectbuys–theirtimeframe,budget,
authority.Mostimportantly,findoutwhetheryoucanprovidea
value-addtotheprospect.
YourSalesStaffsetappointmentsaregoingtovaryinsomeoftheseYourSalesStaffsetappointmentsaregoingtovaryinsomeofthese
areas.Wedofindprospectsthathavebudget,authority,needand
timeframe(BANT),butmostprospectsaresomewhereintheresearchor
discoveryphase.We’vefoundthatoftenaprospectmaynoteven
knowthattheyhaveneeds/inefficienciesuntiltheyareintroducedtoa
service/solutionthataddressestheirparticularpainorchallenge.Our
goalistoputyouinfrontoftheprospectsthathaveapainorchallenge
thatyousolve,andcanbuyorinfluencethepurchaseofyoursolution.thatyousolve,andcanbuyorinfluencethepurchaseofyoursolution.
OfferingaSolution
Youlistenedwellandhopefullyyouwereusingtheinformationtotweak
yourpresentationtoincludesomeoftheinformationyou’velearned
aboutthecustomer.Themostpowerfulvaluestatementsdrawonthings
yourprospectrevealedabouttheirsituation:"Youmentionedthat…
We'vemadeiteasyforyouby…"
SalesStaffworkstopositionyourofferingsasasolutiontosomechallenge.
Weadvisethatyoushouldalwaysschedulesomenextstepsbasedon
theneeds-gatheringyou’vedoneinthatinitialappointment.Thiswill
allowforrapportandtrustwhilebeingmindfuloftheprospectstime.A
presentationordemocanthenbepersonalizedtofittheneedsand
challengesofthisparticularprospectandincludeanyotherapplicable
partiesfrom bothsides.
ConcludingwithNextStepsConcludingwithNextSteps
"Whathappensnext?"
Aswealludedtoearlier,thegoalofthefirstsalesmeetingshouldalways
betoscheduleasecondsalesactivity–asecondappointment,demo,
face-to-facepresentation,a3-6monthsfollow-up.Getwhateveractivity
youchooseontothecalendar.Neverleaveituptotheprospecttoget
intouchwithyou.
B2BSALESAPPOINTMENTS
©2013SalesStaffLLC