What are the suggested practices in the telephone contact?
• Plan in advance what you will say: determined by objectives, have a calendar available to suggest and confirm appointment
• Politely identify yourself and the company you represent: use a friendly tone and impeccable phone manners to avoid being shut out by gatekeeper
• State the purpose of your call and explain how the prospect can benefit from a meeting: use a powerful benefits statement that gets prospect's attention for more information, present only enough info to stimulate interest
• Show respect for the prospect's time by telling the person how much time the appointment may take: once prospect agrees to meet ask if they have their calendar and be prepared to suggest a specific time
• Confirm the appointment with a brief note, e-mail, or letter with the date, time, and place of your appointment: enclose business card and any interesting printed info