How Inside Sales Reps Can Prepare for Weekly Client Calls
When we start working with a new client at AG, we establish a time for all parties involved to have a conference call per week. We like to check in with our clients once a week to make sure everyone is on the same page and all teams are aware of opportunities and pipeline. It is also a good time for questions to be answered if schedules are tight during the week. I’ve found that most clients like to use this time to ask us questions and give advice on certain accounts.
A lot of work goes into these weekly calls. As a seasoned inside sales rep, I have taken responsibility for creating the weekly evaluative report we walk through on each call for one of my clients. We create an Excel file that organizes all quality conversations for the week and displays a dashboard showing where we stand against goals for the month: leads, interested pipeline, and whatever else the client would like to track on a weekly basis. After running this report and updating it for the current week, I send it to all team members who will attend the conference call so they can review it ahead of time and have questions prepared.
I have noticed that one specific client takes the time to read the quality conversations tab on the report, then brings up important or interesting ponits that I hadn't included in my teleprospecting report. This is great to see, as we want our clients involved so we can work together and I can create ways for us to transition more quality leads to them. I have also noticed that some clients do not read the report before the call, so they let the inside sales rep take the reins and control the discussion.
On the inside sales reps' end, there are a few steps to take before speaking with the client team:
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Double check the report to be sure that all conversations and statistics match up with your current week.
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Pick out a few important quality conversations you would like to discuss on the call. Unless your client specifies, you don’t need to go through all your conversations.
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Have questions on your pipeline ready if there are things you have not resolved from the previous week’s call.
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Gather lead feedback from the sales reps or ask your client for feedback if they have spoken to sales reps regarding appointments that have occurred in that week.
I believe that conferencing once a week or once every other week helps keep everyone on the same track and forces clients and inside sales reps to work together and make the most of an engagement.