SKILL
Preparing to Call on Existing Customers LAINE EHMANN
The days when you could drop in unannounced at any customer’s office just because you were in the neighborhood are gone for good. Plus, even if your visit would be welcomed, an unscripted, “shooting the breeze” sales call is a waste of your client’s time – not to mention the waste of a perfect opportu- nity to renew and upgrade your relationship. So say goodbye to those days and move on.
Effective selling is about finding value for your customer, according to Norma Crane, a major account rep for a large industrial corporation. Rob MacKnight, a sales consultant, agrees: “You always want to build value into every interaction.”
Finding value means doing your homework. Here’s how to prepare for
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a call on an existing customer in order to get the sales ball rolling again. 1. Know the history. At your meeting, you want to be able to hit the ground running – not just review what’s happened so far. So, before you pick up the phone to make an appointment, use your CRM software to review the customer’s history. How
long has it been since he or she last ordered? Were there any problems with the last delivery or installa- tion? What types of products were ordered? Were there any upgrade possibilities? Do your homework so you know the hot spots before you sit down at the table. Also, remember where you left things the last time you spoke. Were you going to follow up at a specific time for a future project? Were you going to provide a proposal, data, or other information? What did you promise – and what can you do not just to meet, but to exceed your cus- tomer’s expectations? 2. Know the industry. Since last you visited, have there been any major changes to your customer’s industry or market? Have government or legal regulations imposed new standards? What industry changes have affected the way your customer and your customer’s audience do business? Think about how your cus-
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