CHAPTER 7
PLANNING THE SALES CALL
Outline of Chapter
I. Why plan the sales call
II. Obtaining Precall information
A. The prospect/customer as an individual
B. The prospect’s/customer’s organization
III. Sources of information
A. Resources within your company
B. The Internet and Social Media
C. Secretaries and Receptionists
D. Noncompeting Salespeople
E. Traditional secondary sources
F. The prospect
G. Other sources
IV. Setting call objectives
A. Criteria for effective objectives
B. Setting more than one call objective
C. Setting objectives for several calls
D. Buyers are setting goals also
V. Making an Appointment
A. The right person
B. The right time
C. The right place
D. Cultivating relationships with subordinates
VI. Telephoning for appointments
VII. Additional Planning
VIII. Selling Yourself
IX. Summary
Teaching Suggestions
(an alternative would be to use the PowerPoint slides provided with the text)
1. Start by saying the following:
“In your notebook take a few minutes and write down the objective you have for taking
this course. Spend time thinking about it first. Don’t worry, I’m not going to take it up
and grade it.”
After 5 or 6 minutes begin your lecture.
2. Talk about precall information needed about the prospect and his/her organization. Then
use an example to show that it is usually very difficult to learn this information. I usually
say:
“Okay, you’re going to interview with Microsoft (so Microsoft is your lead for a job).
Tell me the source you would use for each piece of information needed. ”
words they would use to ask for the information.
3. Describe the criteria for effective objectives (specific, realistic, and measurable)
Now ask students to look at what they wrote in their notebooks at the beginning of class.
4. Discuss the importance of setting several objectives for each call (primary, minimum,
and optimistic call objectives). Ask the students to go back to their objective for the
course and write out a meaningful minimum and optimistic objective for taking the
course.
Have several students share their revised list of objectives.
5. Briefly describe the importance of setting multi-call objectives.
Students can find a good example in Exhibit 7-3 in their textbook.
6. Discuss making appointments.
Ask students “Has anyone made an appointment with you lately (or scheduled a meeting
with you)?”
“How did they do it?”
7. Talk about responding to objections raised by someone you are trying to make an
appointment with. See Exhibit 7.4 for typical objections. Ask students if they can think of
8. Briefly note that the salesperson must do a good bit more planning for the sales call
(including how to build good impressions and credibility, how to further uncover the
9. Summarize what you’ve discussed:
Obtaining precall information
Criteria for effective objectives.
Suggested Answers to Ethics Problems
1. Suppose that during your information-gathering phase you identify a hostile influential
adversary named Dirk. You know that Dirk will do everything possible to see your
competitor get the business. In talking about this with your sales manager, she suggests
that you find some way to covertly strip Dirk of his credibility and thus cause him to be a
nonissue. Would you follow your manager’s advice? What kinds of things would you be
willing to do? What would you be uncomfortable doing?
2. During precall planning, you learn that an important prospect enjoys being treated by
salespeople to visit casinos, of which there are several in your area. Your firm doesn’t
have any policy about whether you can visit one of these with a client and you’ve never
visited one with a client before. How will these facts affect your planning for your
upcoming sales visit to this prospect? What will you do?
Student answers will vary. Hopefully they will realize the potential long-term negative
Suggested Answers to Questions and Problems
1. Think about either a best friend you have now, or one you had before. Assume that a
salesperson wanted to sell that person an important product or service. The salesperson
would like to find a good focus of receptivity for your friend. Whom would that be? Do
you think the focus of receptivity you just identified would cooperate with the
salesperson?
2. In Sales Technology 7.1 you were introduced to the concept of sales acceleration
technology. Using the Web, look up information about one such tool, name the tool, and
briefly report on it is how it is used.
Student answers will vary. One such example is Velocify (which works as an add-on to
%20prioritization&_bt=155744036851&_bm=p&_bn=g
3. This chapter listed a number of information items that a salesperson could find out about
a prospect/customer as an individual. Assume you are going to sell your instructor a new
iPhone. See how much information you can supply from the list in the text.
Student answers will vary, depending on a number of factors: has the student had another
4. Evaluate the following objectives for a sales call:
a. Demonstrate the entire line of 15 watches.
It is measurable, but probably not realistic unless the buyer has allotted a lot of time for
features of each watch).
b. Find out more about what the buyer has used in the past.
c. Have the buyer trust me.
It is specific and potentially realistic (depending on how long the buyer has known me)
d. Determine which service the prospect is currently using for office cleaning and how
much it costs.
e. Have the buyer agree to hold our next meeting at a nice restaurant.
Could be realistic and measurable but not very specific (what does “nice” mean?).
f. Get an order for a 20-month subscription to our R30 Service Contract.
A well phrased objective.
g. Reduce the buyer’s concern that we’ve been in business for only six months.
Specific and probably realistic, but not measurable. Better statement would be to add: “…
5. Think for a moment about trying to secure a job. Assume you are going to have your
second job interview next week with Fastenal for a sales position. The interview will take
place over the phone with the senior recruiter. You’ve already had one 30-minute
informational interview on campus, where most of the time was spent explaining what
Fastenal offers new job seekers. Most candidates go through a set of four interviews. List
your primary objective, minimum objective, and optimistic objective for your second
interview.
Lots of possible answers. An example:
6. In From the Buyer’s Seat 7.1 the buyer encouraged salespeople to learn about the culture
of the buying organization. List three ways in which a salesperson can learn about the
buyer’s organizational culture.
7. Evaluate the following approach for getting an appointment: Mr. Peters, I’m actually
going to be in your area next Thursday morning. Would it be OK if I stopped by for a few
minutes, say, sometime between 8:30 and 11:00 in the morning?
Very poor. It makes it sound like the only reason for visiting is because it’s convenient for
the rep (“I’ve not got any calls to make”). What’s in it for the prospect? Also no
8. Although there is no firm rule, list what you think to be the best time of day to call on the
following individuals:
a. A college computer/bookstore manager (to sell computer accessories).).
Probably early in the morning, since there is less traffic in a college book store then.
b. A manager at a glass installation and repair company (to sell a new tool to remove
broken glass shards).
Probably early in the morning before repair work begins.
9. For each of the individuals identified in question 8 identify the
worst time of year to call on each individual.
A college computer/bookstore manager (to sell computer accessories).
The start of each new semester or quarter.
A manager at a glass installation and repair company (to sell a new tool to remove
broken glass shards).
10. Suppose you have graduated, and that you belong to the alumni association of
your school. Your association plans to raffle off a number of donated items to raise funds
for a new multi-media center at your school. To be a success, the event will need many
donated raffle prizes.
a. Which sources will you use to identify potential sponsors?
Learn who had provided donated prizes in the past for raffles (from newspapers, work-
of-mouth, etc.)
The prospect you talk to may be able to identify other potential prospects even if they
can’t support it themselves (endless-chain-method).
b. What information do you need to qualify them properly?
Do they have a need (e. g. positive PR benefits) or want (e. g. desire to be helpful in
the university) to participate in such an endeavor?
Do they have the authority and can they be contacted?