Avoid these common mistakes when opening your next sales call

Sales representatives often assume there is a set of effective icebreakers that are clever and easy to remember to open a call.  There are no magic words for opening a sales call, so you cannot memorize a good opening.

Your sales leaders should help reps plan opening statements tailored to each call because each call has a unique customer and should have a special purpose.

The key to opening is not about breaking the ice. It’s about gaining agreement from the customer on a customer-focused purpose for the sales call.

Unfortunately, too many salespeople use the opening as a way to ask a question or two that set the stage for talking about their product. Beginning a call with a question like, “I wonder if I could have a few minutes to talk about our new inventory software …” is an example of what not to do –a classic trap! Why?

No matter what happens next, you are probably in trouble. The research is clear – buyers talk more than the sellers in successful calls, and sellers ask more questions.  If you start by talking about your product, regardless of how compelling the start, the sales call will likely evolve into a product pitch or the "technical tell."

A more effective approach is to open a sales call with something like, “I thought we could begin by talking about the inventory problem you mentioned the last time we met.”

This is a better opening for two reasons:

1. You are asking a question that allows the customer to talk from the beginning of the call.
2. The call starts by discussing something of genuine concern to the customer.

One overarching rule to remember is – one size does not fit all. Opening statements must be targeted to each individual and each call. There is no list of great opening statements to memorize and keep at the ready.

Opening statements require your sales leaders to insist on solid pre-call planning. Remember, "Great selling requires great coaching."

• Turn your frontline sales leaders into masterful sales coaches with the Level Five Selling Coaching System, available from Advantage Performance Group.
• Get more sales coaching tips from John Hoskins in his Coaching the Coach podcast.

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