How to Excel at Presales Calls in 8 Easy Steps

WordPress agency? Niche blogger? Door-to-door pizza sales? It doesn’t matter what business you are in, presales calls, or discovery calls, are a make-or-break part of getting new business. We’ll show you how to excel at presales calls and convert one-off buyers into loyal clients.

TL;DR: How to Crush Presales Calls & Convert Prospects into Fans

• Research & Prep: Know your prospect’s business and challenges.
• Set Goals: What do you want to achieve on the call?
• Craft a Strong Opening: Be personal, highlight value, and grab attention.
• Ask Insightful Questions: Uncover needs and pain points.
• Tailor Your Pitch: Make it all about how you solve their problems.
• Provide Value: Share tips, case studies, or relevant resources.
• Set Clear Next Steps: Outline what happens after the call.
• Follow Up Promptly: Thank them, reiterate next steps, and keep the momentum going.

Bonus: It’s about building trust and expertise, not just making a sale. It doesn’t matter what you do, you’re selling something – even if it’s yourself. This guide will show you how to excel at presales calls and convert prospects into loyal clients.

“If you’re just starting out trying to sell a #WordPress product, then you have zero reason not to do unscalable stuff:  1. Online Chat 2. Pre-sales calls 3. Support calls 4. Customer interviews 5. Office hours Q&A“

Justin Ferriman

Why Presales Calls Matter and How to Do Them Right

It’s a competitive world; presales calls matter. But they’re not just about making a sale; they’re about building trust, understanding needs, and laying the groundwork for long-lasting partnerships. 

Presales Calls:

• Establish Your Expertise: Showcase your knowledge – make a strong first impression.
• Help You Understand Client Needs: Gather the necessary information to solve problems.
• Build Rapport: Create a personal connection that sets you apart and fosters trust.
• Help Qualify Leads: Identify if the prospect fits your services well.
• Set the Stage for Success: Align expectations to ensure a smooth onboarding.

Ready to Sell? Here’s Your Checklist on How to Shine:

✔ Become an Expert: This might seem obvious, but understanding the intricacies of whatever you’re selling, the common pain points for users, and the latest trends is crucial. Deep product knowledge helps you tailor solutions and builds trust.

✔ Understand Your Client: Not all clients are created equal. Niche down on your ideal client (e.g., small businesses, nonprofits, eCommerce) and understand their specific needs and challenges.

✔ Focus on Value, Not Features: People don’t buy features; they buy solutions. Translate how your service solves their problems. Reference case studies and success stories from similar clients.

✔ Become a Trusted Advisor: Position yourself as someone who understands their business. Be their guide. Actively listen, ask insightful questions, and offer recommendations beyond just your products and services.

✔ Hone Your Communication Skills: Clear, concise, and helpful communication is key. Be able to explain technical concepts in plain language and tailor your message to your audience.

Remember: Preparation is Half the Battle!

“Every conversation has a clear objective and an underpinning strategy. It gives your call a sense of purpose, ensuring you and your potential client are on the same page.”

Hubspot

Selling is the Same as Building a Website or Writing Long Content

Sure, we get it. You’re building websites and writing copy – you’re not selling subscriptions. But both share a lot in common with presales calls.

Your website and its articles aim to engage potential customers, address their needs, and guide them toward a desired action. Sounds a lot like a presales call!

• In a presales call, you need to understand your prospect’s needs and pain points. Just like when building a website or writing a blog post.

• A successful presales call offers valuable information to the prospect. Websites and articles provide useful content that educates and informs visitors.

• Presales calls aim to establish credibility and trust with potential customers. Websites and blog posts achieve this through well-researched content, customer testimonials, and showcasing expertise.

• Presales calls help qualify leads by assessing their needs and fit. Websites and articles help qualify leads by attracting the right audience and encouraging them to take specific actions, such as signing up for a newsletter or requesting more information.

• In a presales call, you can demonstrate how your product works. Websites can include interactive product demos, while blog posts can provide detailed explanations or case studies.

By approaching website building and blog post writing with a presales mindset, you can create more effective, customer-centric content that drives engagement and conversions. And have something for them to read in a follow-up email. An educated customer is a customer ready to commit to a purchase.

How to Excel at Presales Calls in 8 Easy Steps

1.    Research and Prepare

Before the call, take the time to understand their industry landscape and the potential challenges they might be facing. This will enable you to engage in a more informed and meaningful conversation, demonstrating your genuine interest and expertise right from the start of the call.

Check out their social profiles: LinkedIn and X. What are they writing about? What are their challenges. How can you relate to them? Do you both follow the Toronto Raptors? 

Don’t Over Prepare!

“You don’t want to prepare too much … that can lead to you anticipating what your prospect’s responses are when what you should be doing is actively listening.”

Salesmate

2.    Set Clear Objectives

Before the call, clearly define your objectives. What do you want to achieve? Having a clear goal in mind will help you steer the conversation effectively, ensuring that you cover all crucial points while maintaining focus on the desired outcome.

3.    Craft a Strong Opening

When beginning the call, focus on establishing a positive connection. Outline the conversation’s structure to show you respect their time.

Hi Sarah, this is [Your Name] with [Your Company]. How are you doing today?

This is weak because it’s generic and doesn’t grab attention. It also doesn’t establish any value proposition or reason for Sarah to continue the call.

Hi Sarah, this is [Your Name] with [Your Company]. I came across your recent post on LinkedIn about the challenges of managing Yolo’s web presence. I wanted to see if you might be interested in a quick chat about how [Your Product] can help improve that process and save your team valuable time.

This is strong because it’s personalized, value-driven, and actionable.

4.    Ask Thoughtful Questions

You want to uncover your prospect’s pain points and goals, so ask open-ended questions that encourage responses. Listen and take thorough notes. This approach not only helps you gather valuable information but also demonstrates that you value their input and are committed to understanding their situation.

Take those insights back to the board room and the marketing team. Even small details that you notice will help your whole team produce the right messaging.

5.    Tailor Your Pitch

Based on the conversation, customize your pitch to address their specific needs. Highlight how your solutions can solve their problems and achieve their goals.

Leave Room for What Happens!

“While thorough preparation is essential … leaving room for spontaneity can allow the discussion to occur more naturally. … The conversation requires active participation from both parties. The buyer may have a list of inquiries to ask you as well, which can propel the conversation in a different direction.”

Indeed

6.    Provide Value

Provide immediate value. Share relevant insights or tips tailored to their situation. Are they having issues with their websites? You can recommend specific plugins that could enhance their site’s functionality. You might offer advice on improving their SEO strategy or optimizing their website’s performance based on your initial observations.

Sharing case studies of similar clients you’ve successfully assisted demonstrates your capabilities while building trust.

Have those links on hand to send during your follow up email.

7.    Set Clear Next Steps

Establish a clear action plan that outlines the next steps for both of you, before ending the call. This might involve scheduling a follow-up call or product demonstration to delve deeper into specific solutions or providing additional resources such as case studies or technical documentation to address any lingering questions.

Be precise about timelines for each action item and clearly define who is responsible for what. This approach ensures that both you and the prospect have a shared understanding of the next steps.

Is it okay if I call you at 11 am on Monday, Sarah? 

8.    Follow Up Promptly

After the call, send a follow-up email summarizing the key points discussed and reiterating the next steps. This shows you were listening and keeps the momentum going.

Let’s Wrap Up This Call

Mastering presales calls is a game-changer. You can turn initial conversations into powerful tools for growing your business and building lasting client relationships.

Remember, it’s not about the sale; it’s about building trust and expertise.

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