I remember when I was first getting into sales, I made a cold call expecting to get my prospect’s voicemail. When he unexpectedly answered the phone, instead of asking qualified questions that would have allowed me to take control of the interaction, I spent the entire conversation answering his questions. This allowed him to take total control of the sale, or as I should say, the non-sale.
Whether you’re making a cold call or giving a sales presentation, it is absolutely critical that you are prepared. Even over prepared. This means having all relevant information at your fingertips, including pricing, testimonials, samples and a list of questions you need to ask to direct the sales conversation. I suggest creating a checklist of all of the information you will need, and reviewing it before your call or presentation.