How To Formulate Your Sales Call Planning Strategy For Success

Another day, another call, another challenge.

You've already learned the 3 critical elements of a clear sales call objective.

Now you'll see the whole landscape of the call strategy which completes your Call Action Plan. I salute you for having such vigor to continue your daily tasks. Not every soul on earth got what it takes to do what you do. Keep it up!

Well, here I am with another 'how to.' Don't you sometimes feel like throwing up simply because you've taken in 'countless' how to's, online and offline, which promise you heaven and earth?

I know I do and if you feel the same, trust me... I understand.

So, why put another 'how to' then? What's the difference this time?

I'll share a secret with you here (and of course it's no longer a secret once I share it). The strategy I'm about to share with you 'is utilized by one of the biggest pharma company in the world.' Top 5. Logic will tell you if the biggest pharma company is using this strategy, what will happen to your sales performance if you used the exact, same approach?

Surprise yourself.

Here's the complete strategy or your sales call planning:

Describe the customers current situation. Take note of what she's prescribing for what treatment. What her patients demographic like? Which competitors show traces of their presence? And other relevant info. The more explicit, the better.

Recognize your opportunity. Go back to your goal. What are you trying to achieve here and how fast you want it to happen (immediate, short term, long term)? How to best position your product offering to the customers.

Your call objective. Are you transparent with it? If not, you can always refer back to the relevant post. Just remember to make it specific, result-oriented and realistic.

Your call strategy. Which key messages and tag line you'll be using? How are you going to approach the customers? Any visual aids? Third party support?

Your call opening. We haven't covered this one yet but just imagine how are you going to attract your customer's attention. That should do the trick.

Your handling objection strategy. Picture in your mind detailing to the customers or do self-assessment... what objection you have for 'you'? How are you going to handle them (you want to read my previous post on handling complaint ;)

Your questioning strategy. Don't overlook this strategy. It has already made or break sales to many pharmaceutical sales rep out there. This happened to be my personal interest, and I'll cover it in details soon.

Gaining commitment. If you're not comfortable with the label, use 'closing.' But it makes a world of difference from a customer's perspective.

Improve. What is not perfect yet? Ask this question, always, after every call or at the end of the day and prosper.

Basically, that's it. Final note: don't try to improve everything at once. Take it to step by step. One strategy at a time. Focus. That will bring the result faster and better than 'all-at-once' approach.