1 Test your knowledge
- Why is a precall planning worksheet completed?
- Why are customer demographics important in B2B selling?
- What is the best source of prospects?
- What is the role of trade journals in researching your prospects?
- What are some important pieces of information you should learn when you are researching a prospect?
- Should you filter your ideas during the brainstorming process? Why or why not?
- Name two techniques of effective brainstorming.
- Create a general benefit statement to use if you were selling Starbucks coffee to your friend.
- What do the letters SMART stand for? Write a SMART objective for your first meeting with a prospect during which you want to learn who is the decision maker.
- Name at least one thing you should do to prepare for your presentation to a prospect.
- It is an organized way to research and learn about your qualified prospect. It is the information gathered there that helps you plan your approach and presentation and the questions you want to explore.
- B2B selling requires understanding your prospect as well as their customers, which usually include the end user.
- Existing customers.
- Trade journals can give you insights about trends in the industry, your prospect’s company, and even the prospect themselves.
- About the company: demographics, financial performance, company news; about the company’s customers: demographics, size of customer base, what customers are saying about the prospect; about the current buying situation: type of purchase, competitors and current provider, current pricing; about the contact person: title and role in the company, professional background, personal information, essential problem your contact needs to solve, prospect’s motivation for buying,
- During brainstorming, it’s best not to filter ideas in order to generate as many ideas as possible. Then, the ideas should be prioritized and modified in order to be implemented.
- Know your problem or opportunity; generate, don’t evaluate; push beyond the wall; use strategic stimuli.
- I have an idea that will refresh your mind and give you a different environment to work in. Does that sound like something you would be interested in? Specific, measurable, actionable (or achievable), realistic, time-bound
- Learn who is the decision maker and who are influencers for the buying decision at this account by the end of the first sales call. Prepare. (or Prioritize, Personalize, Practice—any of the 4 methods).
