When I think about the different types of sales calls, some initial terms come to mind, such as warm calls or cold calls. These are important terms, of course, but salespeople will not always call just to pitch potential customers – the role includes much more than that.
Sales professionals not only convert potential customers into buyers, but they also have the ability to negotiate, promote, and solve problems even after the initial purchase. In this article, I will guide you through the different types of sales calls and the purpose they serve to meet your customers’ needs.
What are the types of sales calls?
1. Introduction Call
This call is about introducing yourself and your company to the potential customer. You will provide a brief overview of your product or service and try to capture their interest.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call: “Can you briefly describe your company and its core activities?” “Can you tell me more about your role and responsibilities in your organization?” “How do you envision measuring success or return on investment if we decide to work together?”
2. Discovery Call
The purpose of discovery is to gather information about the potential customer’s needs, challenges, and goals. You will ask open-ended questions to understand their pain points and determine if your product or service is a good fit for them.
For example, you might conduct a discovery call with a potential customer to uncover their current marketing challenges and identify how an automation tool could help with that.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call: “What specific challenges or pain points are you currently facing in your role/industry?” “How have you tried to address these challenges in the past?” “What outcomes or goals are you aiming to achieve in the upcoming timeframe?”
3. Demo Call
In a demo call, you will provide a detailed presentation of your product or service to showcase its features and benefits. This call allows the potential customer to visualize how your solution can address their problems and meet their needs.
For example, if you are selling customer relationship management software, you might conduct a demo call to show the potential customer how your system can streamline their sales processes and improve customer relationships.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call: “What specific features or functionalities are you most interested in seeing in this demo?” “What key metrics or success criteria will you use to evaluate the effectiveness of this solution?” “What are your team’s main criteria for making a decision when evaluating a new product or solution?”
Professional Tip: Your customer relationship management system can make tracking a potential customer’s progress cleaner and easier. I personally recommend that your team utilize tools like HubSpot’s call tracking software to automatically log every call in your CRM’s contact record, make and log calls within your browser, and track their movement through customer lifecycle stages in one place.
4. Consultation Call
The consultation call focuses on providing advice and guidance to potential customers. You act as a trusted advisor, offering insights and recommendations based on your knowledge and industry experience.
For example, if you work for a financial consulting firm, you might conduct a consultation call with a potential customer to discuss strategies for optimizing their investment portfolio.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call: “What is the ideal timeline for implementing the solution?” “What factors do you consider when evaluating potential solutions or vendors?” “What are the key requirements or outcomes you are looking for in the solution?”
5. Objection Handling Call
During the objection handling call, you address any objections or concerns raised by the potential customer. You listen attentively, empathize with their concerns, and then provide the appropriate information to alleviate their doubts.
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For example, if you are offering a security software solution, you might conduct an objection handling call with a potential client who is concerned about data privacy issues or has recently experienced some kind of data breach.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call include: “Can we explore potential solutions or compromises to address your concerns?” “Is there any additional information or data you would like to see to alleviate your worries?” “What alternatives or competing solutions have you considered?”
6. Negotiation Call
This call takes place during the negotiation phase of the sales process when discussing terms, pricing, and contract details. You negotiate to find a satisfactory agreement for both parties.
For example, if you are selling advertising space, you might have a negotiation call with a potential client to determine the location, duration, and pricing of their advertising campaign.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call include: “What is the budget you have allocated for this solution?” “Are there specific features or services or terms that are important to you? Are there any non-negotiable terms we should be aware of?” “Can you help me understand the specific value or return on investment you expect to achieve with this investment?”
7. Upsell/Cross-sell Call
The upsell/cross-sell call is an opportunity to present additional products, upgrades, or complementary services based on the customer’s current purchase. Highlight the added value these offerings can provide to their business.
For example, if you work for a telecommunications company, you might conduct an upsell/cross-sell call with a customer who already has a basic phone line to upgrade them to a more advanced package that includes extra features.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call include: “How satisfied are you with your current solution or product?” “Are there any specific requirements or preferences you have for an upgraded product or solution?” “How will you measure success with an upgraded product or solution?”
8. Renewal Call
The renewal call is made with current customers to discuss the renewal of their subscription, contract, or service agreement. It highlights the value they have received from your product or service and addresses any concerns they may have.
For example, if you offer software as a service, you might conduct a renewal call with a customer to discuss continuing their subscription for another year.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call include: “Have you achieved the goals or objectives you set for yourself with our product/service?” “Are there any financial considerations or budgetary constraints that could impact your renewal decision?” “Is there anything we can do to make the renewal process smoother and more convenient for you?”
9. Follow-up Call
The follow-up call is a post-sale touchpoint to ensure customer satisfaction and address any additional needs or concerns. It helps build relationships, gather feedback, and identify upsell or referral opportunities.
For example, if you work for a printing company, you might make a follow-up call to a customer to see if they are satisfied with their recent order and if there are any other printing needs you can assist them with.
Questions to ask during this type of sales call include: “How has your experience been since our last interaction?” “How satisfied are you with our customer support and the overall level of service you have received?” “What additional features or improvements would you like to see in our product/service?”
10. Loss Analysis Call
This call is made when a deal is lost to analyze the reasons behind the potential client’s decision. It gathers feedback to understand areas for improvement and gain insights to enhance future sales efforts.
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For example, if you sell software solutions and the client chose a competitor, you can conduct a loss analysis call to understand why they made that decision and identify areas where your product can improve.
The questions to ask during this type of sales call are: “Thank you for your interest in our product/service. Can you share the main reason you did not proceed in the direction we proposed? Were there any elements in our proposal, contract, or pricing that you found unattractive or unclear?” “Did you encounter any challenges or concerns during the evaluation process that we could address better?” “If you decide to consider our product/service in the future, what improvements or enhancements would you expect or hope to see?”
The Importance of Different Types of Sales Calls
Understanding the different types of sales calls is crucial for sales professionals to adapt their approach and maximize success. Knowing the purpose of each call and its techniques allows for better targeting and customization to meet the potential customer’s needs. Remember, the context and nature of each sales call can vary significantly depending on the industry, company, and product/service being sold.
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