Call outlines are not scripts. They’re outlines of what should be covered on a telephone sales call by an inside sales representative. Organizations typically have 15 to 20 call outlines — with each one crafted specifically for your organization and including the following:
Call Objective — What is the goal of the inside sales representative for the call? What should they accomplish?
Call Opening — How to open the call.
Compelling Reason to Call — What is compelling for the customer to take the call from the inside sales representative and participate in the call. This is the most fundamental part of any call outline. What will be communicated of value in the first 20 seconds of the call?
Closed-Ended Questions — Closed-ended questions can be answered in just a few words. Which facts does the inside sales representative need to advance the sales process?
Open-Ended Questions — Open-ended questions cannot be answered in a few words. Instead, they uncover business issues and help build relationships.
Next Steps — What’s the next logical step after the call objective has been accomplished?
Business Proposal — This is the “call to action” and describes what the inside sales representative is asking the customer to do.
Close — A closed-ended question that, if answered yes, completes the call and accomplishes the objectives.