STEPS OF AN EXPLORATORY CALL IN INBOUND SALES

The exploratory process it the stage of the Inbound Sales methodology that requires you to take the right approach, the right attitude, and offer the right thing for the prospect. The steps of exploratory call in inbound sales include challenges, goals, plans, timeline, consequences, implications, authority, and budget. You ask these difficult questions in the best interest of the prospect to consider. On any exploratory call, the following might happen: determining a fit and getting buy-in for next steps, determining it’ll never be a fit, determining it’s not a fit right now. They explore which challenge is most pressing and why. They understand the perceptions the buyer has of one product/service vs. another, as well as which type of products might be best for their needs. The structure of the phone call looks like this:

1. Build rapport: Based on the challenges you’re facing and your interest in the insights I just shared, would you like to set up a call to explore how I might be able to help you? It helps to make a list of all of the challenges you solve most frequently. For each of the personas, industries, or roles you sell to, so you can prompt your prospects. Send prospect to website http://www.globalsocialmediamarketing.com/social-media-marketing-services/. 
2. Recap what you learned and shared from previous conversations: They need help with Facebook and Instagram. Mention we are Facebook blueprint certified which demonstrates our expertise in Facebook Marketing. You can also mention any previous brands we have worked with.
3. Set an agenda for the call: Friday phone call at 11 am to discuss social media goals and challenges
4. Focus on their challenges: Need better numbers in terms of followers on FB and Instagram. Need more engagement with fans not centered around giveaways. Active listening process: Truly listen to the prospect, feedback the content and feeling of the prospect’s words, confirm you heard the prospect correctly, ask a relevant follow-up question to further clarify your understanding of their situation. How does your firm manage social media marketing and social selling?
5. Connect challenges to goals: How many new followers? How much more engagement? How much of an increase in the website, leads, or sales because of an increase in followers/engagement. How have they been achieving these goals in the past? If we were to fast forward to a year, what goal will you have accomplished? B2B products/services help a company do one of the following: make more money, save money, avoid risk. The goal of your conversation is to determine how much money they stand to gain or save.
6. Understand the prospect’s plans: What are the social media team of 2 years plans for 2018? Is this an internal or external team? Do they have a social media marketing plan? What are your overall sales and marketing goals? How many websites leads do you need for 1 client? How many leads do you need to generate in a year for sales from social media marketing?  What have you tried doing in the past that didn’t work? Do you have any other goals?
7. Understand timeline and urgency: When do they need more fans and engagement by? Other important events this year on the calendar to drive these numbers for? Focus not on when they must sell their product, but when they must achieve their goals.
8. Discuss negative consequences: Current social media results vs. social media goals. Competitor social media numbers that are performing better. Plan conversation by determining the cost of the alternative plans. What are you doing to get more traffic to your website?  can you blog more frequently?
9. Discuss positive implications: Increased brand awareness, engagement, website traffic, and sales.
10. Cover authority: Only decision-maker or multiple?
11. Confirm Budget: How much money does she have to try this for a month or a plan?
12. Getting buy-in and commitment: Ask about any other concerns or questions and if they would be interested in social media plan to start or month of service based on budget.
13. Send Follow-up: Review of a phone call and then a blog article or our FREE Facebook Marketing Course that has solutions to their challenge

STEPS OF AN EXPLORATORY CALL INBOUND SALES: