1. Coaching the Pre-Call Strategy & EPAS
SME Immersion Virtual Meeting #1
Coaching the Pre-Call Strategy & EPAS
Close more business, more quickly through improved preparation for every call
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2. Good, Bad & Ugly Pre-work for Today:
Complete 2 WBTs: Coaching the Pre-Call and Coaching ESS with EPAS
Come prepared with 1 important upcoming 1st call pre-call plan and one EPAS completed from your sales team – ready to discuss.
You should have copies of all the pre-call forms.
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010

3. Pre-Calls On Your Calendar?
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
8 AM 9
1 on 1
Huddles 10
Recruit 11
Sales Meeting
Client Mtgs
12PM 1 2
Observe selling 3
Situation Room 4
Office Hrs. 5
If you don’t plan, they won’t get done
If they are not planned and they get done, they won’t get done well
If they are not done well, your sales person is at a disadvantage to win the business
Simply stated, plan our month in advance for these sessions to take place the same day the same time for that month. Certainly you may change from time to time but consistency is the key to your success.
If you don’t plan… read the text on the side
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010

4. Execution of Pre-Call Sessions
Questions you will ask (conversation starters)
Their responses
Questions they will ask
Your responses
Curve balls anticipated
Your response
Ok so we’ve heard what is going on with pre-call sessions. Let’s go through a quick role play of what the ‘near perfect’ pre call meeting should look like, sound like and act like. What we’re trying to demonstrate is the Model that you should be shooting for and coaching to when working with your teams.
Make sure that the questions that they ask are pain inducing and broadbased like: how does this specific problem, issue you have impact other parts of your business.
Certainly 2 of three questions have to be: why am I here? And two: Do you want to fix the problem. Normally other question that always has to be asked is about their current banking relationship.
I would go to great lengths to help them understand that they are going to have all the ‘banking questions’ around their toolbox of solutions – our primary focus today is to make sure we are asking the very specific questions from a ‘sales execution perspective. Having said that make sure that your field champion does demonstrate questions they will ask specifically to uncover needs related to bank solutions (in the bubbles – though we aren’t calling it the bubble discussion) Now we could have some fun with the new name by using the ‘formally known as the bubble discussion)
Role Play
Initial question
Drill down
Business problem and product questions
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010 4

5. You Must Role Play Quick Review: The Must 3
What would make this a great meeting?
Incumbent
Do you want to fix?
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010

6. Coaching the Pre-Call Strategy Checklist
Item
Y/N
Comments
Have a compelling reason for this meeting
3 sales strategy questions ( why am I here, incumbent, do you want to fix)
3 questions to identify potential issues, compelling motivators
Anticipated responses covered
Anticipated prospect/client questions with appropriate responses (e.g. help me understand the question better)
Has appropriately researched and prospect fits profile
Curveballs anticipated and ready to deal with effectively
Role played the call
Group shares specific pre-call plans they have brought to the meeting, and coaching opportunities for significant calls.
Make sure people have scores for those that role played. Discuss challenges in executing each of the step. The point here is to have people execute this process initially ‘exactly’ as it is being taught.
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010 6

7. EPAS – What It Does What is working What isn’t working Why
Focus coaching
Get movement
The epas process will give you a glimpse under the hood or each sales person sales vehicle. Once inside you will figure out what is working, what isn’t working, why it works or doesn’t. Ultimately this insight will allow you to focus your coaching on very specific skills and behaviors within the execution of your sales system and combined with immediate action items get movement within the pipeline
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010

8. 3 Stuck Deals in Pipeline
Rep: Joe Smith
3 Stuck Deals in Pipeline
Sales System Steps
ABC Co.
DEF Co.
XYZ Co.
Score
1st
SMA personal 1 3
Value attached 2
Incumbent eliminated
Have to fix
2nd
Agreed to invest
Talking to right $ person
Have a “due” date
3rd
Met decision makers
Agreed to decide
Rehearsed return of incumbent
Score as % completed
40%
70%
100%
Are They Real? - EPAS
EPAS – emergency pipeline action session:
Taking a look at Joe Smith’s EPAS report we immediately see three execution problems – and one serious problem concerning a ‘sure thing” 100% probability of closing opportunity that hasn’t closed
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010

9. Coach: Getting to “No”- Cleaning Out The Pipeline
Identify the problem
Demonstrate the right behavior
Role-play with your rep
Deal with anticipated prospect responses
Give direction – Take action
Agree to report back
“It may not be the case here, but normally at this time I hear “Yes, let’s do business” or “No, let’s not do business.” When I don’t, one of three things have happened. May I share those with you?
Either the problem went away, the problem was fixed using someone else, or they were skeptical about my capabilities. May I ask you a question? Which one is it?”
It has been my experience that most sales managers are better at telling than asking. They tell people what is happening – report the data, or tell them what they have to get better at – run faster.
How much more effective would a coaching session be if: Ask questions, Listened to understand, did not allow excuses, got to the real cause of the failed execution, agreed to ultimate outcomes, got commitment, demonstrated effectively, actually practiced skills, had an on-going process to refine and improve.
What would happen if you and your team had that as part of your sales culture
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010

10. 3 Stuck Deals in Pipeline
Rep:
3 Stuck Deals in Pipeline
Sales System Steps
Score
1st
SMA personal
Value attached
Incumbent eliminated
Have to fix
2nd
Agreed to invest
Talking to right $ person
Have a “due” date
3rd
Met decision makers
Agreed to decide
Rehearsed return of incumbent
Score as % completed
Group shares specific EPAS they have brought to the meeting, and coaching opportunities for significant calls.
Are They Real? - EPAS
EPAS – emergency pipeline action session:
Taking a look at Joe Smith’s EPAS report we immediately see three execution problems – and one serious problem concerning a ‘sure thing” 100% probability of closing opportunity that hasn’t closed
SME Pre-Call Strategy ©ACTGLLC 2010

11. SME Immersion Curriculum
21/2 Day In Person Workshop
1 Hr. Virtual Workshop – Coaching Pre and Post Calls
I Hr. Virtual Workshop – Coaching with Huddles & Success Formulas
YOU
Pre-Work for Next Virtual Workshop
Complete 2 online WBTs: Coaching the Success Formula and Coaching with Huddles
Have Your Manager Complete Your Sales Leader Coaching Skill Development
John review curriculum 11