The first step in making contact is deciding who to approach. There are several potential contacts at the prospect company to choose from. Each prospect fits into one of these categories: 1) The Target Champion. This person will have the business and personal needs for your solution. They will have a track record of selling similar solutions internally to the business and can provide access to the economic buyer. 2) Influencers – These are stakeholders with an influence over the purchase. We know that value doesn’t only sit with the buyer of a solution; these stakeholders may be affected and may be for or against the purchase. 3) Misleaders – People who cannot say ‘no’ and waste valuable time because they have little influence and alignment with your solution. 4) The Economic Buyer. This is the person who has the ultimate sign-off and can say no when others can say yes. Once you’ve decided who to approach, you can plan how you’ll make initial contact. The GREAT introduction checklist will help you here: Do you have a concise and clear introduction? Do you have a valid reason for the call? Can you explain the value in their context? What’s the action or ask you’re looking for? And don’t forget to thank them and confirm your actions. When you know who you want to approach, It’s best to research the prospect first, and there’s information on the company website. Once you’ve done that, go to the reception. But please note that Gretta protects access on reception. Gretta will connect you with the person you ask for, but like any gatekeeper, be prepared to have a valid reason for the call. If Gretta puts you through, you can type or speak into the Voccatel messenger on the right of the screen below your prospect. The conversation can be restarted anytime, so don’t worry about getting anything wrong. If you get stuck, you can ask your sales coach questions. If you’re unsure how to start with your prospect, don’t worry; your sales coach can role-play with you as practice before you start the sim. They can play the role of either buyer or seller. The best sim examples get analyzed so your sales coach can show you the sales techniques your colleagues have found successful. You can then see how your colleagues are selling in this market, and you can feel what it’s like to be in the customers’ shoes. If you’re making initial contact and have not spoken to the prospect before, a revision module will help in the performance support area here: https://genoviabank.com/contact/. The module uses the GREAT introduction framework to plan your initial contact. There’s a coaching card to help you, too. Or ask Isaac to help you build your GREAT introduction!