Good to the Last Drop | Sales Call Tips

Posted June 25, 2024 in Sales Brew

Perhaps this Sales Brew title has you thinking of a cup of Maxwell House coffee. Tradition holds that the phrase “good to the last drop” was said by President Andrew Jackson on October 21, 1907, at his Hermitage estate near Nashville, TN. Little did he know it at the time, but President Jackson gave some good advice to salespeople who want to make their first call count….by making that call good to the last drop.

There is no doubt that the most troubling part of the sales process is closing. But here is the rub – most people who keep trying to get better at closing are working the wrong end of the problem. What they need to do is to start working the right end of the problem which is the very first call with their prospects. If you want to be a better closer, then become a better opener.

So how do you make that first call “good to the last drop?”

Here are four sales call tips:

Make sure you have created and executed a pre-call planning strategy session. Know in advance the questions you are going to ask your prospect and consider how they will likely respond. Also spend some time pondering the questions the prospect is likely going to ask you and how you should respond.
Remember the direct relationship that exists between the quality of the phone call that sets up the meeting and the actual meeting itself. The better the phone call, the better the meeting. You must establish a business reason for the prospect to meet with you (just wanting to drop by does not count).
Conventional thinking would suggest that nearly all prospects have the power to tell you no on the first phone call. You would do well to make certain that you limit the number of meetings you go on with people who can only tell you no but can’t tell you yes.
Don’t forget to pursue clarity, meaning the meeting must end with both you and the prospect on the same page in terms of what the next steps are…or if there any next steps at all. Remember that hearing a “no” is in fact an acceptable outcome. Not every prospect is going to be qualified to do business with you. You are there to qualify them by making sure they have a compelling reason to make a change, that they have the capacity to make such a change and then the clarity of knowing that they will make a timely decision should you decide to provide a proposal or presentation.

Finally, remember that coffee is for closers. Here is hoping that cup is really good to the last drop.

Here are four sales call tips:

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