A Complete Guide To Mock Sales Call With Process And Best Practices
Mock calls are one of the best ways to prepare reps for interacting with prospects and customers.
Sales is a dynamic business process. It is a subjective process between people. Every prospect you encounter will be a source of one or the other issue.
While this cannot be taught or controlled There are some skills that you can study to address the most common issues of customers. One way to learn how to handle this is through simulation sales calls.
As a salesperson, you won’t intend to enter an interview blindly, particularly if you’re brand new to the game. Thus the importance of mock calls is paramount. How do I practice mock calls? Let’s find out more about it.
Table of Contents
How Do I Practice Mock Calls?
How do I practice mock calls? To practice mock Calls It is necessary to have several scenarios and scripts to run through. Which scenario will test veteran reps? Which one will assist in training new reps? What’s going too far?
These mock calls are a good way to provide a range of scenarios for training to help your sales team get ready for the real-world.
1. A Simple Cold Call For New Sales Reps
Best for: Ideal for teaching new reps the basics of sales talk tracks, or for an interview with sales. When you’re preparing new sales representatives, a basic phone call that doesn’t have any strong objections from your customer is a great place to begin. It can help them become familiar with the basic call structure, as well as the guidelines your company employs.
Things to be touched on:
- Introductions and greetings
- Get to the point quickly
- Dealing with minor objections
2. Overcoming The Gatekeeper Sales Call Script
Best for: Helping novice reps to mid-level reps reach the most appropriate person. While this kind of person won’t be able to direct you to a purchase but they are the gatekeeper to those who are able and you must get the gatekeeper’s attention for access.
The following points should be mentioned:
- Make them feel valuable (because they are)
- Explain what/who you’re looking for
- Make yourself sound important (so they don’t brush you off)
- Ask (nicely) for a connection
3. The Prospect Who Wants Off The Phone Call Script
Best for:The best option is for low to mid-level reps who need to know how to handle annoyed or impatient customers who need to be put off of the phone.
People don’t always treat salespeople nicely. If sales reps are in touch with a person who is just looking to end the call, be sure that they are able to manage the conversation. Be friendly and make sure to get the most important details across as soon as you can, in case they abruptly end the call.
Things to be touched on:
- Get important info out as quickly as possible
- Empathize with them
- Try to get contact info so you can follow up later
- Know when to close the call
4. The “Give Me A Discount” Prospect
Best for: The best way to teach reps to navigate the prospect who insists on discounts or lower prices by insisting on the value.
Certain prospects request discounts right off the start. This is the type of prospects that require representatives to convince them and concentrate on the value that your company can provide prior to discussing the price.
This kind of mock sales calls can help reps improve their sales abilities and helps them to understand your value offer. What is the reason they should pay to purchase your service or product? Reps should be equipped to communicate your value proposition.
Things to be touched on:
- Focus on value-based selling
- Explain why the product is worth the cost (what value it brings to the customer)
- Consider offering a sample/trial
- Have stats/case studies ready to go
5. The “Send Me That Info In An Email” Lead
Best for: Helping early-to mid-level reps close the deal for less-enthused leads.
We all have our own schedules. It’s essential to be considerate of a rude customer. This sales mock-call ensures that reps respect the prospect’s time, while emphasizing the significance of the sales call.
Accept their request and then make sure to ask questions that will engage them. If you can instill an atmosphere that there’s a sense of pressure (if it’s a time-limited offer, for instance) it is possible that you will be able to persuade people to stick with the line.
Things to be touched on:
- Ask open-ended questions you can bring up in later conversations
- Focus on the most important information
- Get contact information so you can follow up in email
- Agree and ask follow-up questions
- Create a sense of urgency
6. The Hesitant Prospect
Best for: Learning how to overcome the objections of people who feel your product will not satisfy their requirements or are reluctant to change from the industry standard. One of the most fundamental skills in sales is knowing how to get past objections.
Reps may hear “Other competitors are better,” or “I’m not sure this solves our issue.” If you’re using a SaaS product, representatives often encounter the phrase, “It’s too hard to implement.”
Create a plan with the reasons your product is the best choice: a higher price, better features and better customer service and a dedicated onboarding team and so on. Make sure that reps test the script.
Things to be touched on:
- Why your product/service is better for them than your competitors
- Ask why they like their current supplier to gain insight into what features/value might change their mind
- Finding their pain points and explaining how you could help
7. The C-Level Lead Mock Sales Call Script
Best for: Sales reps with experience dealing with leads at a higher level or are looking to advance their sales career.
Being in contact with those at the top of a business with all the authority can be daunting. This call-in aids reps to adapt their sales pitch to be more appealing to the top executives and appear confident. Reps must pay focus on the body language and tone of voice because these types of leads aren’t able to respond to fear.
The following points should be mentioned:
- Be confident
- Empathize with the challenges they face
- Make powerful statements (don’t undermine your own authority)
- Convince them that you’re worth their time
8. The Worst Person In The World Mock Call Template
Best for: Ideal for junior sales reps that are susceptible to being spooked by angry prospects.
Like every experienced rep certain prospects may swear and scream at sales reps on the phone. Certain calls can’t be salvaged, but others could be just having an (very) poor day. These calls are designed to test the limits of your most effective sales representative.
It’s hard to prepare for these calls, however in the long run, as long as reps maintain themselves in check, they’ll perform excellently. The following points should be mentioned:
- How to keep your composure
- Get key points out, if possible
- Try to obtain alternate contact information
- Know when to throw in the towel
- Establish a “bad call recovery” ritual
What is a Mock Call?
The mock calls, in plain English, are calls that are conducted by the manager of sales. They are a component of the reps’ training session, in which they interact alongside their team’s trainers talking as if on a sales call.
Mock calls are a necessary element of sales training that has been in use for many years. In addition they have been demonstrated that they can improve the performance of your sales representatives. They aid sales reps in understanding the future and how they can deal with common problems as they occur.
How To Conduct Mock Calls?
- Choose a persona then commit it to.
- Complete the call without interruption.
- Record the phone call.
- Be sure that the level of difficulty in the call is in line with the reps’ previous experience.
| Determine a character and commit to it. |
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Your mock calls have to be done with intention and direction. You have to have a clear goal in mind when conducting these exercises — that means choosing a character that’s appropriate for the specific type of call you’re conducting and committing to it. Who are you supposed to be? What’s your position? What specific challenges come with your industry and role within it? What does your day-to-day look like? Answer these questions — and any others that would shape how you approach a sales call — and act accordingly. Once you have those factors ironed out and start your call, commit to your character. Don’t break — no matter how uncomfortable or strange it might seem. Ultimately, these exercises are for your reps and their professional development. If you don’t take them seriously and completely engage in them, you’re undermining their growth as salespeople. |
| Conduct the full call without interruption. |
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These calls have to be as realistic as possible if you want to get the most out of them, so you can’t stop every now and then to offer pointers, compliments, or critiques. Let every call run its course. See how your reps react to getting flustered or being put on their heels. Again, these calls are for them to gain experience and develop professionally. They won’t have you looking over their shoulder offering real-time insight every time they conduct a real sales call. Give them space to naturally excel or make mistakes. You’ll have time to give pointed advice after exercise is over. |
| Record the call. |
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Both you and your reps stand to gain a lot from recording the call. When you offer your praise and criticism, it helps to have the actual content of the call in front of you. You don’t have to base your assessment on memory or take extensive notes throughout that might interfere with the flow of the exercise. It can also help reps to have a definitive reference for where they have the most room for improvement. It’s constructive for them to explicitly see the most effective language they used, questions and topics that made them stumble, and what they shouldn’t say when talking to actual prospects. |
| Make sure the degree of call difficulty is in keeping with your reps’ experience. |
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I know I keep saying it, but these exercises are for your reps’ professional development — and that process is incremental. Make sure these calls are relevant to the rep’s responsibilities and in keeping with their experience. You don’t want to throw a new SDR into the deep end by conducting a mock call as a combative C-Level executive, and you don’t want to go over a mild-mannered cold call with a seasoned AE. Your mock calls should become more challenging and high-stakes as your reps continue to refine their skills and take on new responsibilities. Keep that trend in mind because over- or under-selling a rep’s abilities with a mock call don’t do much to help them grow. As I mentioned earlier, reps at any level can get a lot out of a mock call, so they can be used to simulate almost any scenario. Here are some of the most common ones they can be applied to. |
What Happens During A Mock Call?
- In the beginning, the facilitator will hand you an item of paper. It’s your Product Knowledge. It has the details of the product you’ll represent during the call.
- The facilitator will give you approximately 10 to 15 minutes to study and absorb the Product Knowledge.
- Don’t worry about the mock call, you’ll still be able to access information from the Product Knowledge. However, the more you take in and become familiar with yourself with the Product Knowledge, the better chances you have of passing the mock test.
- The facilitator or interviewer will tell participants to respond to the phone by phone or headset when it calls. Then the simulation commences. You’ll play the agent at the call center, and your interviewer/the facilitator will be acting as the caller.
What Are The Benefits of Mock Calls?
The practice calls enable sales professionals to test call strategies and plan for any eventual scenario so they don’t get blanks when they are actually on the phone. Sales managers may also make use of mock calls to determine strengths and weaknesses and show reps how to overcome typical objections. Here’s the reason why the use of mock sales call is essential in the sales department
- Make sure your team is prepared to face the real world. With realistic mock calls, your salespeople go through challenging situations in a relaxed setting without risking losing the loss of a sale.
- Try to overcome objections in a methodical manner The most common issue sales reps are faced with. The best way to become skilled at dealing with them is to put your sales reps in the position.
- Learn new techniques or strategies It doesn’t matter how long you’ve worked in sales. There are always new ways to master and test.
- Learn how to self-analyze Making and listening to your own calls help reps identify areas where they can improve and improve their self-awareness.
- Monitor changes through time: Using old recordings of mock calls can help reps understand where they came from which can be a major confidence boost.
- Reduce stress and increase confidence Increase confidence and reduce stress: The more your team is practicing call scenarios the more comfortable they’ll be, and the more smoothly sales calls will be.
While they might feel a little awkward at first, mock calls are a staple in coaching and sales training and can drastically improve sales rep efficiency.
How to Do Well on a Mock Sales Call?
Although they may seem awkward initially, the mock calls are a common tool in sales and coaching, and could dramatically increase the efficiency of sales reps.
- Prepare and Research
Similar to every other job interview, make sure to be prepared and do your study prior to your interview. Review any information that the employer has provided you about the sales environment including the buyer, competitive landscape and. Make sure you know the company and its products since it is possible that the manager who is hiring you will require you to market an existing offering. Get familiar with the site of the business and read more about the product’s fundamental features, benefits, and competitors.
- Treat the Mock Sales Call like a Real Sales Call
While the hiring manager may not expect that you know as much about the company’s product or service as a seasoned sales rep It is nevertheless essential to conduct the sales call in the same way you would on a real sales call. Do not lie or create facts to answer questions or concerns. It is essential that you know the basics of the products offered. Be sure to be truthful and honest. Explain that you’re unsure of the answer, but will be back to the customer at a later date. Make sure you are consistent and maintain a degree of professionalism and poise throughout the phone call.
- Qualify the Buyer and Ask Questions
One of the initial steps in a sales call is to assess the potential buyer. This will ensure that the person calling is interested and eager to purchase. Make sure you ask basic questions to determine the needs of buyers and link these to what that you are selling. Know details about the buyers process of decision-making as well as the challenges and timeline. Be careful not to get caught in the trap of rushing into selling. It is crucial to discover the most possible about your buyer through asking questions and developing relationships, eventually creating an even stronger relationship and allowing you to be more likely to complete the deal.
- Prepare for Objections
It’s almost a guarantee that the person you interview with objections, and you will need to know how you respond. Learn about typical sales objections and learn how you can best respond. They could include the fear of change, price and trust as well as timing. Be sure to allow the customer to speak up and figure out the best way to address them.
- Close and Follow-Up
Be prepared for rejection. Be sure to request the closing at the end of the call should it be appropriate. If the buyer isn’t sure to follow up, you can schedule a follow-up call or a different time to contact them. In asking for additional details like the prospect’s address or email address in order to provide additional information, you’ll impress the hiring manager with the initiative and determination required to sell. In these sales calls, it’s also not unusual to have the hiring manager provide you with a second opportunity with a different scenario, so make sure you’re prepared.
Example of Mock Call Script in Call Center
Below are some of the sales call scripts for your reference. These scripts will turn out to be the most helpful ones.
1. Outbound sales call script: Overcoming the gatekeeper
“Good morning! This is Claire from Xeno company, may I know who am I speaking to?”
“Hi, this is Susan. Assistant to Mary Thomas.”
“Hi Susan, I need to talk to Mrs. Mary. Is she available at present?”
“I need to check. Can you help me know what this call is in regards to?”
“It’s in regard to our latest offer, where we are letting our selected prestigious customer upgrade their annual plan for free.”
(Give a gist on the topic, so that you don’t have to repeat the whole thing twice)
“I see. She seems to be occupied with another call at the moment. Would you like to leave a voicemail on the same?”
“It would be better to talk directly to her. So, can you help me know if she’ll be available anytime soon?”
“I am not sure, let me know if I can convey her things.”
“Actually, it’s a limited-time offer and is only for selected customers. Hence, I don’t want her to miss out on this. I don’t mind waiting for five or ten minutes.”
“Sure. Let me check with her, hope she’ll be available soon.”
“Great. I’ll wait for her”
Here, Priya (salesperson) overcomes the gatekeeper and manages to connect with Mrs. Mary Thomas. Here, as a salesperson, you have to be polite, and patient and create urgency along with emphasizing your topic to discuss for you in order to complete the task.
2. Outbound sales call script: Cold call
This is a cold call script that you can use while conducting your mock calls. It is simple and easy to implement.
“Good morning! This is Claire from Xeno company, may I know who am I speaking to?”
“Hi, this is Susan. Assistant to Mary Thomas.”
“Hi Susan, I need to talk to Mrs. Mary. Is she available at present?”
“I need to check. Can you help me know what this call is in regards to?”
“It’s in regard to our latest offer, where we are letting our selected prestigious customer upgrade their annual plan for free.”
(Give a gist on the topic, so that you don’t have to repeat the whole thing twice)
“I see. She seems to be occupied with another call at the moment. Would you like to leave a voicemail on the same?”
“It would be better to talk directly to her. So, can you help me know if she’ll be available anytime soon?”
“I am not sure, let me know if I can convey her things.”
“Actually, it’s a limited-time offer and is only for selected customers. Hence, I don’t want her to miss out on this. I don’t mind waiting for five or ten minutes.”
“Sure. Let me check with her, hope she’ll be available soon.”
“Great. I’ll wait for her”
Final Thoughts
When executed correctly If done correctly, a mock-call is an extremely efficient exercise that produces significant results as well as improving the sales abilities of your reps and self-confidence. Whatever the size of your company or the size that your staff is, you can greatly benefit by guiding your employees through these types of calls. If your sales reps are making calls to prospective customers They must practice making mock calls. They are one of the best venues to do this.
Frequently Asked Question
Do Mock Calls Have Scripts?
Sure, the mock-calls do have scripts. Sales calling is an “practice makes perfect” skill set. This is why scripts are one of the most important tools used by sales representatives. The sales call that is approached blindly is a shot in darkness. The use of scripts provides sales representatives the opportunity to test different opening techniques, closing strategies and to overcome objections.
