Mastering the Art of First-Time Sales Calls: 8 Tips for Securing Meetings

In the world of business forms and industrial labels, building successful partnerships starts with an effective first-time sales call. Distributors seeking to secure meetings with potential clients must employ a strategic approach. Let’s explore seven proven tips to help you increase your ability to get through to decision-makers and set up meetings successfully.

1. Pick the Right Time.

If you are calling a prospect for the first time, you might be surprised to know that the best time of day to make that call is between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM their local time. Why? According to HubSpot, it’s because, at that time, most people are wrapping up their day and are more open to disruptions than at other times. They’re also more likely to be at their desks. What’s the worst time to make a call? Between 7 AM – 10 AM. This is because people are still straggling into work and may not even have had their first cup of coffee.

2. Conduct In-Depth Research

Before picking up the phone, do your research. If possible, get your hands on what the prospect is currently using and look for opportunities to improve on it. For example, you might discover that the company’s current business forms are leading to inefficiencies in data processing. Bring those samples to us and let us come up a personalized solution. Whenever possible, have ideas and solutions in hand before you make the call. This will set you apart from every other distributor merely trying to offer a better price.

(See how Wise helped one of our customers design a better unit set form for an automotive client.)

3. Offer Solutions for Streamlined Operations

Example: Businesses are investing heavily in workflows and processes that help them trim costs and streamline their operations. Often, they focus on software and hardware and may not realize that these efficiencies can be found in document workflows and labeling solutions, too. Surprise them! Say you’ve identified a supplier of medical supplies as a key prospect. Give examples of how specific solutions can save time, reduce errors, and optimize their supply chain management. Anyone can make promises. Only the best partners come prepared with ideas.

(See how Wise can help companies using returnable totes streamline their processes by using easily removable placard labels.)

4. Highlight Tangible Benefits Like Document Security, Improved Compliance, and Safety

Instead of focusing on cost, focus on solving real-life problems that these potential customers face every day. For example, want to sell forms to an educational facility? Emphasize the opportunities to strengthen their document security features. Stress highly effective combinations of features that have proven to enhance data privacy and security. This is one of our areas of expertise!

(See our case study, “Recapturing Revenue from Counterfeit College Transcripts.”)

5. Showcase Customization for Brand Identity

Printed forms are functional, but you can emphasize their power for branding, as well. Say you’re looking to land an account with a local law firm. The firm currently uses black-and-white letterhead printed on high-quality paper. Highlight the advantages of incorporating their logo and colors to reinforce their brand identity. You might even come prepared with statistics showing how the incorporation of color increases brand recognition and brand recall. (Did you know that separate studies conducted by Pantone and the University of Loyola both found that color can increase brand recognition by up to 80%?) Explain how you can tap the efficiency and productivity of your supplier (us) to add color for less than they might expect.

6. Utilize Case Studies and Testimonials

Buyers trust their peers more than they do companies trying to sell something to them, so tap the power of testimonials. Say you’re promoting industrial labels to a warehousing company. Share case studies or testimonials from satisfied clients who experienced increased efficiency and error reduction after implementing new RFID warehouse labeling. Concrete evidence of success will boost your credibility and give you the opportunity to ask for a meeting to review their operations and find unique solutions to any challenges they might have.

(Remember, you don’t have to be the expert. Your job is to build the relationship. Let us be the expert behind you. Read our case study on warehouse labeling here.)

7. Offer Free Samples or Demonstrations

There is an old saying, “Show, don’t tell.” Send samples before you make the call. This way, when the call comes in, they are already familiar with your work. This also taps into a psychological principle of “reciprocity.” When someone does something nice for someone, that person naturally wants to respond in kind. Sending samples in advance greatly increases the chances that they will pick up the phone when they hear it’s you.

8. Follow Up with Persistence

Initial sales call didn’t yield a response? Don’t be discouraged. Research has found that it can take up to eight “touches” before someone is willing to take a meeting. If the phone call doesn’t yield a response, follow up with emails, direct mail pieces, and even kits. Stay in front of them gently and persistently. You may have tried four or five times, but if it takes eight touches to get a response, you’ve still got at least three touches to go.

Sales calling requires a thoughtful and strategic approach. By conducting in-depth research, coming to the call prepared, showcasing real-life examples of success, and choosing the right times and days, you can increase your chances of prospects being willing to take the next step with you. Be more than the distributor who wants to save them pennies on their orders. Show that you want — and are prepared to be — a true partner that goes the extra mile to bring value to the relationship.