The power of a checklist: A smarter way to sell

In the fact-finding call phase, we focus on understanding the client’s objectives and identifying what we can deliver to help them achieve their goals. A solid first move on a sales presentation would be to revisit and re-examine those goals.”

Jeff Sleete, a 50+ year broadcast industry veteran

There are a couple of movie scenes with checklists that I always get a kick out of when I see them ...

One is from the character Elwood Blues, in the 1980 film “The Blues Brothers,” spoken late at night and running from the law, just before he and “Joliet” Jake Blues (related as “blood brothers,” raised together as orphans) begin their infamous road trip to Chicago:

Elwood: “There’s 106 miles to Chicago, we’ve got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it’s dark out, and we’re wearing sunglasses.”

Jake: “Hit it.”

The other is from the Christmas season classic “Home Alone.” After rushing all morning to catch their flight to Paris and running through the airport, Mom and Dad McCallister finally settled into their first-class seats and said, “Hope we didn’t forget anything.”

Kate McCallister: Did I turn off the coffee?

Peter McCallister: No, I did.

Kate McCallister: Did you lock up?

Peter McCallister: Yeah.

Kate McCallister: Did we set the timers on the lights?

Peter McCallister: Yeah.

Kate McCallister: Did you close the garage?

Peter McCallister: That’s it. I forgot to close the garage. That’s it.

Kate McCallister: No, that’s not it.

Peter McCallister: Well, what else could we be forgetting?

Kate McCallister: ... KEVIN!!

There’s another kind of checklist that can make your sales presentations more successful.

First off, you are only ready to make a formal sales presentation to a client when you can answer:

• “What are these folks trying to accomplish?”
• “What will my presentation help them to achieve specifically?”

If you can’t answer those questions, then you are still in a qualifying, info-gathering stage with the prospect and need to do some more fact-finding.

When it does come time for a presentation, the natural tendency is to “spray” it. To sell, tell and pitch your ad medium far too early in the meeting. It’s a typical psychological trait for pumped-up sellers to do this. It is, however, always better to kick things off with questions.

In the fact-finding call phase, we focus on understanding the client’s objectives and identifying what we can deliver to help them achieve their goals. A solid first move on a sales presentation would be to revisit and re-examine those goals.

A ‘to-do’ checklist opening 

Give a printed copy of the presentation to the client(s) with a pencil, noting, “Let’s start things off by working together to get something accomplished.” On the cover page, include an actual checklist with boxes to mark off, preceding any title.

“Mr/Ms Client, let’s go through this together.”

“You said you wanted to increase customer traffic by 10-15% a day. Correct?” Nod. “Ok, let’s check that off.”

“Next, you said you wanted to ...”

Then repeat the process. Even include the budget you are working with in that list. Once you and the client have agreed on most of the details, you can begin your presentation.

Here’s what’s happening with this method of presenting ...

• Your client understands that your presentation isn’t about your particular media outlet.
• It’s not about you.
• You are setting yourself apart from other media vendors they have seen by establishing new “rules” for sales presentations, where all parties clearly understand that this is all about you helping them to get something specific accomplished.

You, in turn, become recognized as an ad pro who can help them — one whose interests are in “What-Is-In-It-For-Them.” You spin things around from a relationship where you must prove that your medium works or justify the cost. That’s all put to the side by your apparent desire and subsequent ability to help them solve their problems. Everything then becomes a collaborative, team effort.

If you adopt this presentation style as a standard, you will likely see your hit ratios improve significantly. You’ll also watch client ROIs increase and renewals occur more frequently. 

Jeff Sleete is a 50+ year broadcast industry veteran — sales manager/GM/corporate sales head. He most enjoys helping sales departments position themselves as “mavens” (experts) of business to be more successful at selling advertising. Fundamentally, Jeff is a salesman. Through his media sales consultancy, Sleete Sales Script, he provides a daily road map for sellers of any media outlet type to be more consultative in their approach to their clients and set themselves apart from all their competition. Learn more about Jeff at https://www.sleetesales.com/. Or reach him at  jeff@sleetesales.com.