Why we over-prepare for calls

Or: Conversations are with people, not slides

I don’t know who needs to hear this. But some of us like to over-prepare for a sales meeting.

It’s me. I need to hear this. Guilty as charged.

But maybe you know it, too.

The consulting syndrome

It’s called the consulting syndrome: when instead of actual sales activity, we spend time doing background research or fixing PowerPoint slides. Anything but the actual thing. Like really important consultants, preparing for the delivery of the century.

Be aware that this can be pure avoidance. Like you know when student apartments are the cleanest just before a major exam. (Some say it’s the only time they are ever clean.) Don’t fall for this. Nothing good comes from endlessly adjourning a message, email or call. Either do it or cancel it.

Worst case: I have seen plenty of account managers doing hours of research on a potential customer, only to make a call and no one picked up. This weighs double heavy.

Differentiate between what you must know before you talk to someone (typically their name, their role and why you talk to them, but also anything that should be common knowledge, like how the economy is going).

And what you don’t need to know (the inner happenings of their home or work or every detail of their business).

You may have an idea what you are offering, but it takes two to tango, and it’s only in a dialog that you will truly understand another person’s situation, problems and needs.

Leave room for curiosity and spontaneity

Over-preparation can kill your spontaneity and your listening capacity.

Imagine you have 30 PowerPoint slides, two pages of notes and a 10-point agenda: now the dialog will basically be between the customer and your desk. You are just there to click “next slide” and look things up.

But conversations are between people. Where’s your brilliant brain in this?

Now a few notes and bullet-points can help. A game plan – sure!

But too much prep will slow you down and make the conversation clunky. Leave room for an interesting talk with curiosity and spontaneity.

The expert syndrome

The ugly step-sister of the consulting syndrome is the expert syndrome. This is when you are in a conversation and can’t stop talking. You just go deeper and deeper. Suddenly the meeting is over and you stare into very tired eyes.

I’ve inflicted my fair share of this on poor unexpected prospects. I’m something of an expert myself, you know… or at least I like talking about my area of expertise for extended periods of time.

If you are susceptible to the expert syndrome, remember your job is not to teach and preach, but to be curious, inquisitive and find something out. Be Sherlock (or Miss Marple or Kojak or whoever your favorite TV inspector is).

Make it a dialog, don’t overstrain your customer with lengthy explanations of your product or service.

Being not good at sales is your advantage

Based on my own (uncommon) journey, I'm encouraging indies and freelancers to sell their wonderful and innovative products - and to find their own method of selling. Not copy someone else's.

For example, if you are introverted, you probably have other strengths - expertise, listening skills and a sincere interest in the individual customer go a long way.

You can be extra credible by not being a salesperson. It's almost an unfair advantage. :-)

This is one of 24 free sales insights I'm sharing from my personal experience. If you liked it, sign up to my newsletter?to get all 24 tips in one email when they are out.

All tips are taken from my book?Sales Without Shame. It's short (but funny).

And by the way, I'd love to hear from you! No strings attached. We all should meet more people, break the ice, exchange our stories. Send me a PM and let me know: what's your sales challenge?