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June 14, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Recently, I was speaking with a salesperson who was embarrassed to say she was going to practice for a call to a dream client. She was relieved when I told her I write and rehearse all of my important calls to ensure I achieve the outcome I need.
Thoughtful people rehearse for important conversations. It’s far more effective than winging it. If you need to have an important conversation, deciding on your desired outcome, preparing the points you want to make and choosing the right words in advance can make a huge difference.
What is your desired outcome? Your choice of questions, statements and words are all going to depend on the outcome you desire to achieve from the conversation. Start with determining the outcome so you can make good choices about the content.
Do you want your client to give you an opportunity? What will they require from you to obtain that outcome? Do you want a dream client contact to give you access to other stakeholders within his or her organization? What do you need to say to get him or her to say yes and let you pass?
What points do I need to make? Write your desired outcome on a piece of paper. Now brainstorm the key points you will need to make to achieve that outcome. You will need to make statements and ask questions to achieve your objective. What are those statements and questions?
Write down the statements you need to make. It’s important that you start with a strong opening statement that describes what you hope to get from the conversation. Next, make a list of bullet points you will hit during your conversation.
