Planning The Sales: The Preapproach

Effective, successful sales representatives take the time to map out their sales plans. They plan their interviews and sales strategies in advance so that they can tailor their presentations to the needs of each prospect. In brief, the good sales person plans the interview in advance, just as a coach formulates a game plan. The entire presentation becomes tailored to a specific prospect. This could not be done without a careful preapproach.

The preapproach has six objectives:

(1) To provide additional qualifying information.

(2) To gain insight into how best to approach the prospect.

(3) To obtain information around which the presentation can be better planned.

(4) To keep the sales representative from making serious errors.

(5) To give the sales representative more confidence.

(6) To impress the prospect that the sales representative is hard working and professional.

Although the salesperson may believe that certain people or organizations are prospects, closer examination of the situation may disclose that such is not the case. A number of situations could be present. They may already...