Sales & Marketing Policies, Procedures and Forms Bizmanualz.

com

Document ID Title Print Date

SL10301030 SALES CALLSSALES CALLS mm/dd/yyyy
Revision Prepared By Date Prepared
0.1 Preparer’s Name/Title mm/dd/yyyy
Effective Date: Reviewed By Date Reviewed
mm/dd/yyyy Reviewer’s Name/Title mm/dd/yyyy
Approved By Date Approved
Final Approver's Name / Title mm/dd/yyyy
Applicable Standard: N/A

Policy: The Company shall maximize the benefits of sales calls and to achieve
defined sales goals through professional conduct and implementation of
best practices.

Purpose: To outline the procedure for conducting sales calls for new and existing
clients and closing sales.

Scope: This procedure applies to all sales calls.

Responsibilities:
Sales Management shall train and direct the professional sales staff
according to the SMP. They shall also review lead and sales data, and
lead and sales goals, to determine the effectiveness of marketing and sales
efforts.

Sales Administrators shall provide information about leads to Sales Staff

and Sales Management.

Sales Staff shall conduct sales calls in accordance to the best practices
defined in this procedure, and provide information about sales and
prospect/customer status to Sales Management. The Sales Staff shall
complete the SL1030-1 SALES PLAN and the SL1030-4 – CUSTOMER
CONTACT WORKSHEET.

Definitions:
Sales Cycle – The average or typical period of time it takes to close a sale
from the initial sales staff contact until agreement to purchase. The sales
cycle can vary from an hour to several months, depending on the
complexity and cost of the product or service and the industry standards.

Customer Database – Information from customer contacts, and for next

customer contact.

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Order Database – Information for order entry, order tracking, and order
history.

Sales Pipeline – The typical of average numbers needed at various stages

of the lead and sales process to reach sales goals (i.e. number of leads,
number of qualified leads, and number of sales calls)

Procedure:
1.0 PLANNING SALES CALLS
1.1 The Sales Staff shall plan sales calls in accordance with the defined sales cycle to
meet periodic sales goals specified in the SL1010-1 – SALES MANAGEMENT
PLAN.
1.2 Each Sales Staff member shall document the plan for conducting sales calls in the
SL1030-1 – SALES PLAN, including the following:
 The required number of sales calls to be conducted in the sales cycle time
frame;
 A method for prioritizing sales calls based on probability of closing, closing
time frame, and potential volume/value of sale; and
 The status of each client in the sales pipeline.
1.3 Sales call appointments can be made by the Sales Administrator or the Sales Staff.
1.4 The Sales Staff shall document sales activities and results on the SL1030-1 –
SALES PLAN and the SL1030-4 – CUSTOMER CONTACT WORKSHEET for
presentation to Sales Management prior to the weekly (or regular) sales staff
meeting in accordance to the SL1010-1 – SALES MANAGEMENT PLAN
2.0 CONDUCTING SALES CALLS
2.2 Prior to every sales call, the Sales Staff shall complete the Pre-Call section of
SL1030-4 – CUSTOMER CONTACT WORKSHEET.
2.3 The Sales Staff shall arrive at sales call appointments on time and in the proper
business attire as defined by Sales Management or in accordance with Paragraph
4.5 APPEARANCE AND BELONGINGS of Section 510 EMPLOYEE
HANDBOOK in Bizmanualz Human Resources Policies, Procedures, and Forms.
2.4 The Sales Staff shall interview leads to determine desires and needs in order to
gain the information necessary to propose appropriate products and services. Best
practices include:
 Ask open ended questions: Have the prospect describe in their own words
what problems they are having, how they would like to improve their
situation, and their satisfaction with current providers
 Actively listen: Listen closely to responses to determine needs and desires

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 Build Rapport: Ask detailed and meaningful follow-up questions; learn about
specific problems that need to be resolved or specific area for desired
improvement
2.5 The Sales Staff shall analyze the information attained during the interview in
order to recommend products or services that match the client’s desire for
improvement or solutions:
 Determine if the prospect being interviewed is the decision maker, or
influences the decision maker, if not attempt to identify the decision maker
and set an appointment with them;
 Determine the severity of the need (i.e., how immediate is the need, how
serious does the prospect seem about using the product of service);
 Determine the most important criteria for this prospect (e.g., price, reliability,
delivery, service, installation); and
 Suggest the next step in the sales process.
2.6 If the information cannot be analyzed sufficiently for proposals or quotes to be
completed during this sales call, then the sales staff member shall make a follow
up appointment with the prospect within a two week period for presenting
proposals or quotes. (Typically determined by the complexity/expense of product
or service and the defined sales cycle; i.e. how many sales calls are usually
needed to close a sale.)
2.7 Present proposal or quotes for product or service.
 Present proposal or quote as the way to improvement or problem solution
(assume the role of consultant by describing the ways in which products or
services provide an important benefit).
 Control the pace and scope of the presentation. Redirect the presentation in a
friendly manner back to the proposed subject matter should the prospect lead
the discussion to tangential or non-related issues.
 Avoid answering questions with simple negative responses. Instead respond
with follow up questions, however, insure that the prospect receives a clear
answer to the question.
2.8 Close the sale by asking specific closing questions; for example:
 Do you feel this product or service meets your needs?
 This approach really makes sense to me. What do you think?
 Can I schedule delivery for this week?
2.9 Immediately after the sales call, the Sales Staff shall complete the Post-Call
section of the SL1030-4 – CUSTOMER CONTACT WORKSHEET, and update
the SL1030-2 – CUSTOMER DATABASE within one working day.
2.10 If the sales call resulted in a closed sale, the sales staff shall update SL1030-2 –
ORDER DATABASE and shall complete and distribute the required forms as

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determined by Sales Management or as specified in procedure REV101 SALES

ORDER ENTRY of SECTION 430 REVENUE PROCEDURES of the
Bizmanualz Accounting Policies, Procedures, and Forms.
3.0 MONITORING SALES CALL EFFECTIVENESS
3.1 Sales Staff shall review the SL1030-5 – CUSTOMER CONTACT WORKSHEET
after each sales call to determine how effectively each sales call appointment was
executed and to determine future or next steps with the prospect, and ensure this
information is noted in the Comment section of the worksheet.
3.2 At the end of each week (or more frequently as required), the Sales Staff shall
submit to Sales Management the status of the prospect in the sales cycle (i.e. a
closed sale, a likely sale, a potential sale, an unlikely sale, no sale).
3.3 Sales Management shall, in a timely manner, shall review the SL1030-1 – SALES
PLAN, the SL1030-4 – CUSTOMER CONTACT WORKSHEET, SL1030-2 –
CUSTOMER DATABASE, and SL1030-3 – ORDER DATABASE and calculate
quantitative measures such as sales pipeline conversion rates, and to access
qualitative attributes such as:
 Are interviewing methods resulting in collecting the appropriate and needed
information?
 Is the information being gathered then converted into approaches to present
and propose products or services?
 Are forms, reports, and databases being completed in a complete and effective
way?
 How effective is the qualifying process in providing the Sales Staff with high
potential prospects?
 Are the lead generation, qualifying, and sales calls resulting in reaching sales
pipeline goals?
3.4 Sales Management shall monitor which lead sources and lead generation
techniques leads to the highest number and highest percentage of closed sales, and
report this information to Marketing on a regular basis.
4.0 ADJUSTING THE SALES CALL PROCESS
4.1 During the weekly sales staff meeting (in accordance with SL1010 – SALES
MANAGEMENT PLAN), the Sales Staff and Sales Management shall compare
closed sales in relation to defined sales goals and sales pipeline conversion rates
on a timely and regular basis in order to assess the effectiveness of the sales call
process.
4.2 If sales goals are not being reached, Sales Management and Sales Staff shall
evaluate and modify the sales call forms, process, or goals as required, such as:
 Sales Staff training methods and timeliness;
 Sales call interviewing, presentation, and proposal techniques;

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 Product or service pricing, delivery, reliability, and service compared to

competitors; and
 Sales Pipeline methods (i.e., are useful leads being generated, does the
qualifying process identify quality prospects, etc…).
4.3 If sales goals are not consistently being reached or exceeded, then Sales
Management shall evaluate and determine how to adjust or improve sales pipeline
goals.
5.0 SALES ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE
5.1 After closing a sale, the sales staff member shall create a plan to maintain and grow
sales with the client in the future through completing the SL1030-5 – SALES
ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE PLAN.
5.2 The sales staff member shall document account maintenance activity and planned
account maintenance activity in the SL1030-5 – SALES ACCOUNT
MAINTENANCE PLAN.
5.3 Goals of account maintenance include the following:
 Identifying additional product and service lines that meet customer needs or
requirements;
 Learning of forthcoming expansions or changes that could create sales
opportunities; and
 Continually build customer relationship, including identifying problems and
opportunities for improvement.
Effectiveness Criteria:
 Reach sales goals more consistently
 More consistent and measured sales pipeline conversion
 Identify opportunities for expanding sales with existing customers

References:

A. Sales & Marketing Executives' Manual

 Section 5.3.4 – "Sales Calls"
Additional Resources:
A. Schiffman, Stephan, Sales Don’t Just Happen, Kaplan Business (2002).
ISBN-10, 0-793154-63-4 (ISBN-13, 978-0793154630).
Forms/Records:
 SL1030-1 – SALES PLAN
 SL1030-2 – CUSTOMER DATABASE
 SL1030-3 – ORDER DATABASE

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 SL1030-4 – CUSTOMER CONTACT WORKSHEET

 SL1030-5 – SALES ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE PLAN

Revision History:

Revision Date Description of changes Requested By

0.0 1/1/2007 Initial Release

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SL1030-1 – SALES PLAN

Completed by: Date:

Targets:

No. of Qualified Prospects: Daily/Weekly/Monthly: _____ No. of Sales Calls:

Daily/Weekly/Monthly:_____
No of Presentations/Proposals: Daily/Weekly/Monthly: _____ No. of Closes:
Daily/Weekly/Monthly:_____
List of Qualified Leads:
P/
Contact Info (Name, Co., Address, Phone, email) Appt? Date % $ Date % $ Close? Date $
Q?

% Prospect Conversion Rate ____% _____% _____%

% Appt Conversion _____% _____%
% Proposal/Quote Conversion (*P/Q = Proposal/Quote) _____%

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SL1030-2 – CUSTOMER DATABASE

Columns:1

Customer ID

Customer Name

Street Address

City

State

Postal Code (Zip)

Country

Phone1

Phone2

URL

E-mail address

Contact name

Contact title

Line of business

NAICS (or SIC) code

Years in business

Annual sales ($)

1
Not intended to be an all-inclusive list; the Company has to make the determination of what information
does and doesn't belong in its Customer database.

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SL1030-3 – ORDER DATABASE

Columns:2

Order ID

Order date

Product 1 ID

Product 1 amount (number of units)

Product 2 ID

Product 2 amount (number of units)

.
.
.

Shipping address different from billing?

Shipping address

Internal address (mail stop, box number, etc.)

Street address

City

State

Postal code (Zip)

Country

How ship? (express, two-day, regular)

Mode of transport (surface, air)

Carrier ID

Customer ID

2
Not intended to be an all-inclusive list; the Company has to decide what information does and doesn't
belong in its Order database.

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SL1030-4 – CUSTOMER CONTACT WORKSHEET

Pre-Call Section

Completed by: Date:

Prospect Name: Title:

Company:

Contact Information:

Prior Sales Calls Dates and Results: ___________________________________________________

Goal of this Sales Call:

Lead Generated by source):

Date of Inquiry/Lead: Date of First Contact:

Reason for Inquiry:

Competitors for this Customer:

Research Resources:
____ Other Sales Staff
____ Company Literature (Brochures, Annual Report)
____ Personal Contacts
____ Media Coverage (Ads/Articles in local or national media, trade/industry journals)
____ Internet (Company Web pages)

Required Materials:
____ Catalogues ____ Samples
____ Demonstration Software or Video ____ Price Sheets
____ Business Cards ____ References
____ Other:

Prospect Information:

Products or Services:

Clients or Customers:

Competitors:

Number of Employees: Annual Sales:

Products or Services of Interest:

Reason for Interest:

Previous Business Relationship:

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Post-Call Section

Completed by: Date:

Prospect Name: Title:

Meet with:
Name Title
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)

Current Sales Status:

Closed sale Comments:

Expect to close sale by: Percent likely to Close:
Sale unlikely but possible Comments:
No sale expected Comments:

Number of previous calls and dates:

If Not Closed:

Did you meet with or determine the decision maker?

Is budget/capital allocated?

Is there a time frame in place for purchase?

Appointment scheduled for proposal/follow-up?

Products or Services to be proposed/quoted:

Objections:

Comments:

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SL1030-5 – SALES ACCOUNT MAINTENANCE PLAN

Completed by: Date:

Company/Customer:

Account Number:

Primary Contact/Phone:

Products/Services Bought:

Sales Volume: $ month/quarter/year

Sales Call Frequency Goal: month/quarter/year

Sales Increase Goal: $ month/quarter/year

Additional Products/Services Used:

Additional/Secondary Contacts:

Comments/Objectives/Goals/Notes:

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Activity Sheet for Customer

Last Sales Call: Next Sales Call:

Notes:

Last Sales Call: Next Sales Call:

Notes:

Last Sales Call: Next Sales Call:

Notes:

Last Sales Call: Next Sales Call:

Notes:

Last Sales Call: Next Sales Call:

Notes:

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