Sales Call Prep Checklist: 15 Minutes Before a Call
In short
- Good preparation fits in fifteen minutes: five on research, five on the plan, five on logistics.
- Decide the one outcome you want from the call before it starts.
- Write three questions and the two objections you expect.
- Know the next step you will propose before you dial.
To prepare for a sales call, research the person and company, decide the single outcome you want, write three questions and two likely objections, and choose the next step you will propose. That takes about fifteen minutes, and it is the difference between leading a conversation and reacting to one.
The fifteen-minute checklist
Minutes 1-5: research
- The person: role, how long they have been there, anything they have published or posted recently.
- The company: what it sells, to whom, roughly how big, any recent news (hiring, funding, a launch).
- Your history: earlier calls, emails and notes. Never ask something they already told you.
- People like them: one similar customer or situation you can refer to truthfully.
Minutes 6-10: the plan
- The outcome: one sentence. "By the end, we have agreed a second call with their finance lead."
- Three questions you most need answered. Ideas in open-ended sales questions.
- Two objections you expect, with your answer to each. See how to handle sales objections.
- One insight worth their time even if they never buy.
- The next step you will propose, with two possible dates.
Minutes 11-15: logistics
- Meeting link opens; camera and microphone work.
- The right screen or document is ready to share; everything else is closed.
- Notifications are off.
- Water, notes, and a way to write things down.
- Your opening sentence, including the agenda. See the up-front contract.
A one-page call plan
| Field | Fill in |
|---|
| Who | Name, role, who else is joining |
| Why now | What prompted this call |
| Outcome | The one thing you want agreed by the end |
| What I know | Three facts from research and earlier contact |
| What I need to learn | Three questions |
| Likely objections | Two, with answers |
| Proof | One relevant example you are allowed to cite |
| Next step | What you will propose, and when |
Preparation by call type
- First call: research and questions matter most. See discovery call questions that qualify.
- Product walkthrough: the three things to show, in order. See how to run a sales demo.
- Proposal review: who decides, what they will object to, what you can and cannot change.
- Follow-up: what each side promised last time, and whether it happened.
What preparation cannot do
It cannot predict the question you did not expect. That is what practice, a good set of battlecards and, increasingly, live tools are for.
Crack Sales reads the rep's Google or Microsoft calendar before a call, listens during it on the rep's own computer with no bot in the meeting, and shows answers from the company's Sales Brain when the unexpected question arrives. It is free to use and starts after a 15-minute intro call: book a demo.
Frequently asked questions
How do you prepare for a sales call?
Research the person and company, decide the one outcome you want, write three questions and two likely objections with answers, choose the next step to propose, and check your technology.
How long should sales call preparation take?
About fifteen minutes for a typical call: five for research, five for the plan and five for logistics. Larger meetings deserve longer.
What is a sales call plan?
A one-page note prepared before a call that lists who is attending, the outcome you want, what you know, what you need to learn, expected objections and the next step you will propose.
Try it on your own calls
Crack Sales is free to use on your own sales calls, and it starts after a 15-minute intro call. Book a demo.
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