⚡ Today’s Skill In A Sentence ⚡
The framework to build momentum in your follow-up call
Today’s Skill: Mastering The Follow-up Call
When I talk with Founders who struggle with sales, “I don’t know what to do on calls” finds it’s way near the top of the list on things they are challenged with.
Given the nuance that can come from every different lead source, type of buyer, problem/need, timeline, etc., I’m not surprised. It can be overwhelming!
I’ve written a lot about discovery calls and ways you can build rapport and ask the right questions over the past year. (here’s a refresher on how to crush that call)
Today, I want to put a deeper focus on Call #2 (or beyond) as those become pivotal moments where the wheels keep turning or it all falls off the track.
Discovery vs Deeper Call
Anyone can work their way through a discovery call by asking a handful of questions and nodding and agreeing your way to another call.
But, calls beyond the first discovery call are where partnerships are formed.
It’s different than the discovery call because:
You’ve likely qualified them as a potential client.
You already have some relationship from a prior call.
They’ve shown up again, which means there is interest.
Now is the time to truly evaluate the fit, scope and timeline.
You are feeling the pressure to make an impact and close the business.
Plus, the buyer has higher expectations because they’ve sat with this problem between calls, have done more research and are eager to find a path forward (whether with you or someone else) or they have created more “stories” in their head about potential concerns.
To help you rise to those expectations, I created a simple framework to give you confidence and direction on these calls.
I think it’s pretty rad, I hope you like it. 😊
The “R.A.D.” Framework
The Rad framework stands for:
R - Recap
A - Assess
D - Discuss
Step 1: Recap Prior Knowledge
In this step, you recap what was covered in the prior call, what you’ve agreed on and where you feel like things currently are.
→ This is your chance to lead the conversation.
It might sound something like:
“So Tom, I know on our last call we uncovered that your main (problem(s) / need(s) / issue(s) / want(s)) were X, Y, and Z and that you were looking to find a (solution / vendor / partner) to get started in the next 60 days. Today, I know we wanted to confirm that fit further and make sure you understood what a partnership looked like as well as potential costs. Did I capture that correctly or miss any key details?”
Then, you let them talk and add insights to either back-up what you’ve said or correct and share an alternative perspective.
→ It’s okay if there is a back-and-forth with questions to confirm everything. The point is to flush out everything discussed prior and be on the same page.
As much as confirming the recap is important, assessing where things are at currently is critical.
Step 2: Assess Current State
We need to understand where we are right now especially if it’s been 1-2 weeks or longer since we spoke to them last.
A softball question to start the discussion is…
“Give me an idea of what’s happened since we spoke last. Any updates to share?”
And you can layer even deeper with:
What convos have happened since we spoke last?
What have you given more thought about related to this project?
How have priorities shifted, one way or another?
Have you done any more research or learned more?
What questions have come up since the last time?
What are you still unclear or uncertain about?
And, likely, they need to be more specific than above.
Did you get a chance to talk with Tammy about X?
Was there any update from your current vendor on the contract?
How did the demo go with the other vendor you were looking at?
Were you able to find out more info about _______ ?
Did the budget conversation with Mike go as planned?
You need to assess which questions are better to ask based on the situation you’re in.
Bottomline, this is where you gather details that support where you came from and will inform where you are going.
Step 3: Discuss A Future Focused Initiative
Everything that is discussed for the rest of the call is now based on Step 1 and 2.
You shouldn’t be guessing.
Now, the dialogue, presentations, proposals, etc are all tied to those specifics. You keep looping back to what was discussed, confirmed and agreed on.
It’s not: “Here is this widget that does X, Y and Z”
It’s: “You shared that X is extremely important to this project. Let me show you how that works so you can achieve Y result.”
→ ICYMI: Here’s a simple approach to demoing a product: Sales Presentations 101
→ If you are speaking about costs…
It’s not: “It costs _____ for this project, what do you think?”
It’s: “You mentioned that X and Y was critical to have to make this project a success so I’ve included it in this proposal to reflect those needs. The total cost for this project, which includes both X and Y, is ____. Are there any questions on the scope and costs for either of those items?”
→ If you are answering an objection…
It’s not: “No, we aren’t able to do that.”
It’s: “Earlier, you mentioned that getting X completed was the best approach based on your budget. What you are asking would take you in Y direction. Has something changed or can you share more so I make sure I understand?”
Final Thought:
Most sales are lost because of a loose understanding of the problem someone has and why they need to (and will) solve it now.
As a seller, we should always be gaining new information and re-evaluating throughout each call and making sure we are hitting the mark.
Don’t assume. Ask!
Get their buy-in along the way and make them a part of the process.
At the end of the day, they are the ones that need to be confident to make the purchase.
Your Action Item:
Start with Step 1. Most miss the recap and it throws the entire call off.
Get great at recapping and getting the “buy-in” from the start.
Once you have this for a few calls, add the rest.
I want this to become engrained in how you perform deeper sales calls every single time.
That’s all for today! If you wanted to say hello, reply to this email or catch me over on Linkedin
The best way you can support me is by passing this newsletter along to a fellow founder or shout it from the rooftops on your socials!
until next week!
just get started,
Brian
How did this week’s performance land? 🎭
Someone forward this to you? I got you…Subscribe here
