Better Questions, Better Sales Calls

There are sales calls, and then there are better sales calls. What accounts for the difference? One health tech company used generative artificial intelligence to assess hundreds of transcripts of sales representatives’ phone calls. Reps were sorted by quota attainment, and a sample of calls was analyzed based on the questions reps asked to discover customers’ needs and priorities, as well as reps’ behaviors in gathering information, talking about value, and committing to follow-up.

Not surprisingly, the analysis showed that better discovery and better sales behaviors lead to better outcomes. However, an unexpected insight was that top-performing reps did these things much more consistently, regardless of whether the deal progressed or not. Success in selling does not mean winning every deal but rather being in position to strike when the right opportunity arises. Top reps display a discipline that allows them to stay in the game longer and eventually close more deals.