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While I avoided sales calls for as long as I could, I quickly realized that as I raised my rates, I was getting pushback in email communication from potential clients. That’s when I started to realize just how important sales calls were. Potential clients needed to feel that connection, trust, and importance in my time by hopping on a sales call.
I truly understand the fears that come along with sales calls, especially as an introvert, but as I started to dig more into sales psychology, I realized that I needed to focus on how to plan for these sales calls.
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Using Sales Calls to Your Advantage
Sales calls are important tools that you can use to gather information and qualify your leads, but they need to have a structure. By creating a structure and knowing the questions I’m going to ask on the call, it creates such a huge difference in my preparation and in how the call goes. It ensures I’m not wasting their time and that I’m gathering all of the information I need.
Within Brand Strategy School, I share my exact sales call structure as a bonus for my students! You can check out more information on Brand Strategy School here.
Qualify Your Leads
Before you jump on a sales call, it’s important to qualify your leads. If your inquiries are hopping on sales calls but they’re not the best fit, you may not be attracting the right type of clients in your marketing or messaging. A few things to do to avoid this is include timelines, goals, and budget on your inquiry form. This will qualify them or open the door for you to send a referral to someone else.
Navigating Your Calls
Once you’ve qualified and jumped on the call with your potential client, we want to make sure you’re using the call wisely. Get to know the client and the project along with what they’re defining success by. This shouldn’t be where you try to sell your services, but rather help your potential client feel seen and heard. Once you’ve further qualified them and know if they’re a good fit, you can share a little bit about what you offer, but now you should focus on connecting the dots for them.
Connect the Dots to Transformation
Your potential client wants to know that you can provide them the transformation. Your work is the bridge to the desired destination, so you need to connect those dots for them. Then you can dive into the services and investments with them.
Believe in Your Offer
The last thing you need to consider is how you’re pitching yourself. They will know when you believe in what you’re selling and when you don’t. Only sell them on what you truly believe they need! When you believe in your services, your clients will trust you.
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Hi friend, and welcome to the brand strategy podcast. A show created to equip you with the inspiration, encouragement, and clarity. You need to build a brand of your dreams. I’m your host, Bonnie Bakhtiari, brand designer, strategist and founder of the Illume retreat from sustainable strategy to heartfelt encouragement. Each episode is designed to equip you with the tools you need to chase after your dreams, because you deserve a brand that empowers you to do what you love, connects with your dream clients and offers a deep sense of fulfillment along the way. So grab a cup of coffee and join the on this journey. Won’t you
Friends. Welcome back to the brand strategy podcast, where today we are talking about how you can nail your next sales call. If you are a graphic brand or web designer, then this episode is especially for you, but if you are any kind of service provider who uses sales calls, as part of your process to qualify leads and to book new clients, then this episode is going to be exactly what you’re looking for. Now, that being said, the reason why we’re talking about sales calls is because this is actually, uh, something that I hear come up a over and over and over again, inside my free Facebook community for graphic brand and web designers. It’s like, no, one’s favorite thing. It’s like, it’s a necessary part of the process, especially when you get to that point where you’re offering higher ticket services, right? Like I know when I’m about to invest thousands of dollars in working with someone, I make sure that I, that like we vibe that I trust them, that I believe they can help me.
Like I wanna make sure that my goals are actually a good fit for this program or this experience. So it’s only natural that your clients, especially when you start to get into that season of offering higher tickets services, that they’re gonna wanna actually chat with you. And if I’m being honest, I used to avoid this. I put this off for so, so, so long because I am an introvert at heart. And the idea of hopping on a call with a stranger was like, so anxiety inducing for me. But what I found is that by trading emails with a potential client or a lead that only can get you so far now, there are some really, you know, strategic ways that you can use that, that back and forth to, to seal the deal or, you know, people do this now they’re doing it in the DMS.
They’re doing it, you know, in their inboxes there there’s several ways is you can have that back and forth, but there’s, in my opinion, nothing quite like the ability to hop on a phone call or a video call with a lead in order to learn more about their goals, their vision, who they are and how your work can serve them well. But if we aren’t thinking about how to strategically structure our sales calls, then this can be an awkward exchange. This can be something that maybe isn’t the best use of everyone’s time. And so we want to make sure we’re going into this feeling prepared, especially if you’re someone who you’re an introvert like me, or you are new to sales calls, and you want to kind of like boost your confidence going into it today. We’re gonna be talking about some practical steps you can take that will help you feel more confident going into any of these qualifying conversations with leads and some steps that you can take in order to make sure that your calls are converting for you.
So a little bit of backstory here, like I said, I resisted the sales call for so long because I, I was nervous. I was anxious. I was shy and I didn’t wanna have to hop on calls and chat with stranger. And that was something that the more I started to raise my rates, the more I started to realize I’m gonna get so much resistance. I’m starting to see, um, you know, this, this resistance from people when we’re just trading messages back and forth via email, because, you know, we can’t exchange, we’re not exchanging voices, so can’t hear tone or inflection or the energy that’s coming through. We can’t understand, you know, more about each other because it’s just, it’s just like, you know, black and white words on a screen. And so I started to dive into more sales psychology, and I started to figure out if I’m gonna do this, how can I structure these calls in a way that gives me a sense of peace and gives me a sense of confidence as an introvert and ensures that I am using this opportunity in a way that is serving everyone?
Well, because the last thing I wanna do is invite someone on a sales call and for it to be a waste of our time, a few things that made a big difference for me, number one, having a structure for my sales calls, I know exactly the questions I’m gonna ask. And the, in the years, like, I mean, now I’ve been following this formula for gosh, like eight or nine years. Maybe probably like eight years. I have been doing this for or so long that it is just, I know it like the back of my hand and having that structure, knowing what kind of questions I’m looking for. And I’m wanting to ask this person makes all the difference. And it ensures that we’re having a really productive call. You know, fun fact, I actually share my exact sales call for my like four part sales call structure as a bonus inside the brand strategy school.
So if that’s something that you’re interested in, you can find that there, but, uh, with thinking about how we’re actually creating sales calls and how we’re actually guiding people through these conversations, there are a few things to keep in mind. And one thing to consider is how you’re qualifying your leads before you ever invite them onto that sales call. With that being said, every person has a different, you know, kind of process. But what I like to do, if you you’re a service provider, if you’re a designer and you are offering a higher level of service, so you’re charging more than $1,500, I think for your service, hopping on a sales call can be really beneficial and that can help you to gain so much more insight into what kinds of people are reaching out, what can kinds of leads you’re generating, and that can then help you adjust your marketing efforts accordingly.
So if you’re hopping on sales calls and you’re finding out that the people you’re chatting with aren’t really the best fit because they don’t quite match your ideal client profile, then that would tell me there’s something in your messaging that isn’t resonating with your ideal client. So you’re generating leads from on people who don’t match that ideal client profile. On the flip side, if you’re hopping on sales calls with people and they’re like dreamy ideal clients, they’re just the most amazing people. And you’re like, yes, please. I wanna work with you. That is affirming. That tells me that your messaging is working, that you’re attracting the right kinds of people. And this is a good place to start some simple steps you can take to better qualify your leads before you hop on a sales call, when they are filling out your contact form or your application, or however, you’re gathering this info from folks.
I really recommend having some, some spaces really where you’re asking more questions about their timeline, the kind of project they’re looking for, the goals that they have for this project, the budget that they have for this project, right? Because that, before you even invite them onto a call, that’s gonna give you so much insight into where they are, um, what they know about branding or what they know about design, what kind of budget have they’ve, you know, thought about for this project and things like that that also can help you identify if this person seems like a really fantastic person, but their project scope, isn’t your area of expertise. You can automatically send them to someone else in your network, like an industry or a colleague. You can send them as a referral so that this person is finding the right designer for their project.
And you are protecting your time by not hopping on that sales call. So for example, let’s say that you’re a show at web designer and someone reaches out and they’ve got a budget for $7,000 or a square space web project. Well, what you can do there is you could say, you know, I don’t actually do square space websites. This sounds amazing. And I’d love to work with this person, but this just, this isn’t for me. But my, you know, industry friend, she does fantastic square space design. So I’m gonna refer this person out. So by qualifying those leads you help to not only be generating inquiries from serious leads, people who’ve really thought about this and who are actually actively looking for a designer, but you also we’re able to assess what information you want to know before you invite them onto a sales call.
Okay? So after you qualified your leads and you’re making sure that you’re chatting with, you know, people that are exactly the kinds of people that you wanna be connecting with, you’re on the call. Okay. What happens on the call first and foremost, we wanna use this call as an opportunity to get to know this person, to understand their goals and to showcase how your work is the solution to, uh, what they’re wanting to experience that desired outcome that they want to achieve. So we don’t wanna use this as an opportunity just to list off your packages or like walk them through a PDF like that. Instead, I highly recommend asking them about their goals. Now, what we do here is we want to learn more about their goals for their brand or their website or whatever their project entails, because we wanna understand how define success this matters, because if you’re able to understand how a lead wants to define success, or is currently defining success, then you’re able to honestly say, yes, my services can do that for you or no, I’m not the best fit for you.
But this person over here is exactly who you’re looking for. When we’re asking a about their goals. What we wanna do here is set it up so that the lead is doing most of the talking. We, this is not an opportunity for us to like, just go on and on and on and get real chatty about, you know, ourselves and the work that we do. It’s an opportunity to make this lead feel seen, heard, and valued. Why matters is people who are reaching out to a service provider and they want to be guided through a higher level of experience. And, you know, the investment is commiserate with that. We want them to know that their priority, and we want to connect with them relationally in a way where they feel like they can trust us. And if we are giving them plenty of time to share about their project, to talk about their goals, to talk about their vision for the project, that gives us the opportunity to not only be taking notes as they share all that valuable info, but it also helps to position you as a thoughtful expert who asks really great questions and is an active listener that process of actively listening to your leads makes such a massive difference and the way that they feel, it’s very affirming to be talking with someone who is actively listening to you really cares about what you have to say and has a vested interest in ensuring that you are getting the support that you need to make those goals a reality.
So through that, you are learning about who they are, what they value, how they’re defining success with this project, what their vision is for the project. Now, now is when we start after we’ve heard all of that now is when we start asking about if they’re interested in learning more about your services and because they said yes to hopping on the sales call, yes, they wanna hear more about the work that you do. So at this point in the conversation, it’s important to start highlighting how you’re or work is the bridge to their desired destination. So probably at the beginning of the call, they were talking about, you know, I want a brand on a website that does, uh, you know, X, Y, and Z. For me, I want to have a brand that helps me connect with my ideal clients and raise my rates.
Well, if your and brand identity design work does just that for your past clients. And you can say that you can say, well, you know, based on what I heard earlier, it sounds like you’re needing a brand that does this, this and this for you. And I specialize in creating brands that do just that here’s a little bit more about my services, what they entail and, uh, what the investment looks like. So with that being said, this is where we’re starting to connect the dots we’re taking, how your work is the solution that will help your potential client experience, the kind of transformation or the kind of growth that they’re looking for. And as you’re talking about this, as you’re having this conversation with them, don’t forget that your energy flows through what you’re saying. That energy absolutely conveys in the words that are being exchanged.
So back yourself, believe in yourself, remember that you, your craft, remember that your work provides clear value and own that because our energy flows through the conversations we have. And because you can pick up on that when you’re on a sales call with someone, if you don’t believe in your offer, if you don’t believe that it is truly the, uh, the way that someone is gonna experience the kind of growth they’re looking for, or you don’t believe that your services can help them achieve their goals, or if you don’t believe in your pricing, that’s gonna come through. And so I always, always love to encourage designers to think through when you’re chatting with a potential client, when you’re on a sales call with a lead, always point them towards what will serve them best. And sometimes when you’re chatting with someone you might find, actually, I thought we were a great fit, you know, during the application process.
And we were trading a few emails and getting this call scheduled, but now that we’re chatting, I actually think that my mastermind friend could be a better fit for this person. Or you might find that, uh, actually this project is more than you wanna take on, right? So what that means is that means you have an opportunity to continue to serve this person, to continue to point them towards what they need, even if that’s not you. And so this is something that I like to think of when I’m chatting with a lead. My ego is not part of the equation because I want to help this person on their journey to experience the kind of growth that they’re looking for. And if I’m not the designer to do that, that’s, that’s okay. I know that the right designer for them is out there and I celebrate the opportunity to be able to those people together.
But whenever I’m chatting with someone and I know that I’m the right designer to help them. And I know that my services are exactly what they’re looking for. I allow that energy to really fill me, and I allow that energy to come through and to permeate the way that I’m speaking to permeate, the, the attitude that I’m sharing and to make it clear that based on what I’m hearing this person say, based on these goals, that my service can help them and can help them in exactly the ways that they’re looking for. And then from there talking through the specifics of what it looks like to work together, whether that is your walk through the investment and your earliest availability and the next steps to book, or if you put together a proposal and you walk through the next steps of how to do that, definitely on any sales call, you want those next steps to be, uh, very evident bonus points.
If you have it set up so that you can take the payment on the call, right? But the last thing we wanna do is the, we don’t wanna go through all this process of, of walking through your next sales call and doing it in a way where like, you’re totally nailing the back and forth and the dialogue and everything, but you don’t ask for the sale, every sales call, right? Because these are not coffee chats. These are not, you know, getting to know you little, you know, cute sea kind, the conversations we are business owners. This lead is someone who’s looking for a solution. They need help. They came to you because they’re ready to hire someone, maybe you to help them experience that, that solution to, to be the person who’s gonna help them so that they are able to, uh, really get what they’re looking for.
So don’t be afraid to talk about your work. Don’t be afraid to talk about your prices. Don’t be afraid to ask about their budget. These are conversations that need to happen in order for you to help them. And in order for them to get the support that they need. So with that being said, always at the end ask for that, that sale ask for, you know, their consent in continuing the conversation and sending a proposal or sending the invoice or taking the next step to, to accept that payment right there on the call, because that is how we continue to help people through the work that we do. And we are able to secure that money that helps us to continue to grow profitable design businesses. So friends, I hope that that’s helpful. All of that being said, like I said, my four part sales call process.
I actually documented and share that inside the brand strategy school. So if you wanna learn more about the brand strategy school, you can head on over to be for Bonnie design.com/brand strategy dash school. And you can learn more about this program for graphic brand and web designers who are ready to hit consistent 10 K months by leveraging brand strategy as their super power. With all that being said, I appreciate you tuning in to today’s episode, because I know that for so many of us sales calls are a crucial part of our process. It’s how we, uh, generate sales, but it’s not everyone’s favorite part of the process. It’s not something that we like you, you know, categorically love in the design industry, but it doesn’t need to be overwhelming. It doesn’t need to be intimidating. And it absolutely can be such an incredible part of the client experience.
That is the tipping point between someone saying, mm, I’m not so sure to saying, heck yes, take my money. Where do I sign up? I want to work with this person. I am so grateful for you tuning in today. Friends as always, if you have any questions about anything we covered, you can always reach me@bsforbonniedesign.com or you can head over to Instagram, which is where I love to hang out. And you, you can find me at Bonnie joy Marie, over there. If this episode was of use to you, if this content served you well, and you know, an industry friend who could use a little pep talk and a little strategy to prep for their next sales call, feel free to pass this link along because the more that we share, the more that we normalize these conversations, and the more that we talk about how we can create incredibly profitable and life giving businesses, the more that everybody wins. So as always, thanks again for tuning in. I can’t wait to see y’all again, next time. And as always, I’ll be cheering you on from Waco.
Thank you so much for joining me today, friend, before you go, I would be so grateful to receive your feedback on the brand strategy podcast. If you enjoyed this episode or the podcast in general has helped you grow your brand. I’d really appreciate it. If you left us a review in iTunes, your positive reviews enable the brand strategy podcast to you to grow and reach like-minded creatives. Just like you. Thank you for all your support and encouragement as together. We pursue building bra with purpose and intention until next time I’m cheering you on from Waco.
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