How well you navigate your customer interactions can make or break a sale. 

When you communicate well with your customers, you convey the value of your products persuasively. You're able to address any customer concerns empathetically and build rapport. 

The better you are at tailoring communication, the more likely you are to close the deal. 

One way sales teams can help reps refine these skills is through mock call exercises. These are simulated sales calls that allow sales teams to practice, hone their skills, and learn how to navigate potential challenges. 

Let’s explore the role of mock calls in sales.

A mock call is a training exercise that simulates a potential real-life interaction between a sales representative and a sales prospect. During mock calls, participants engage in various role-play scenarios. 

Sales representatives may work with their peers to take on either role. Often, however, trainers and facilitators will take on the role of the prospect in order to present challenges. The trainer might present a difficult situation for the sales rep to navigate (a prospect who is really not interested and wants to hang up, for example).

No matter your industry, mock calls are great training tools. 

Even with online sales, the chances are you still have call centers with reps closing deals. Mock calls put them through an entire sales call while allowing them to test new strategies, practice skills, and improve time management.

Your sales team might have all the best sales enablement tools, but if reps aren’t great communicators, they may not reach their full potential. 

Successful sales interactions require effective sales communication. The outcome of every conversation impacts the bottom line. Mock calls allow sales representatives to focus on a range of key areas:

• Improved verbal communication

This is the main way you convey information. They also build rapport and persuade prospects. When you refine your verbal skills with mock calls, you are better at articulating value propositions. You can also address customer concerns and navigate conversations with ease. 

• Improved listening skills 

Communication is a two-way street. Active listening is an important component of successful sales interactions. To understand customer needs, it’s vital you practice your listening skills. Through active listening techniques, you can tailor the conversation to individual callers. 

• Improved body language

The average salesperson talks 81% of the time in a sales meeting. To avoid talking too much youshould follow the 70/30 rule and let the customer do 70% of the talking. Make them feel at ease by having your body language on point. Sit up straight, open up your body, and keep eye contact. But not too intense!

Listen to the informative Outside Sales Talk podcast episode with body language expert Mark Bowden to learn how you can leverage body language for sales success!

• Improved questioning techniques

By asking the right questions at the right time, you can learn key information about your prospects. By using open-ended questions, you can encourage dialogue and engage prospects.

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If a sales representative is confident, they can navigate conversations with poise. 

Not only that, but you can inspire trust in prospects. It takes time to build confidence, and experience is important. Mock calls are an ideal way to get that experience. This process allows you to develop your confidence in several ways.

Even experienced sales professionals can feel apprehensive about engaging with unfamiliar prospects. Mock calls can be used to practice confronting anxieties to help reframe mindset. They’re useful for inexperienced sales reps or those who have had a knock to their confidence.

Even when it comes to dealing with sales objections, mock call exercises can allow you to anticipate common objections and develop persuasive responses. Through this, you learn to embrace objections as opportunities and develop the confidence to navigate these objections with conviction. 

Mock calls can also be great for developing a more persuasive tone and style. A tone that’s confident and convincing instills trust and credibility. If you’re hesitant or uncertain, this undermines your message. Mock calls can be a great practice to learn how to sound authoritative to secure more sales conversions.

Check out this Outside Sales Talk podcast episode with best-selling author Shari Levitin to discover how you can sell with authenticity and build trust with your customers!

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Knowledge is power, as they say. 

When you understand your products and services inside out, you’re better able to sell them. 

Mock call exercises allow you to become more familiar with your company’s offerings. This is also an opportunity for you to understand where your knowledge is lacking so you can develop this further.  

These days, prospects have usually done their research. According to HubSpot, a whopping 96% of buyers do their own research before speaking to a sales rep, so be sure to come equipped to your sales meeting with engaging insights and thorough research when you reach out.

Customers often have questions before they buy. Through mock calls, you can practice responding to a range of inquiries. This helps you to be prepared for potential queries during real sales interactions. 

One sales tool that can ensure you are coming fully prepared to your next sales meeting is Badger Maps.

Badger Maps is a route planning tool that helps you plan, route, and maximize your time in the field, cutting down driving time by 20%. 

With core features such as route optimization, lead generation, map visualization, and automated data gathering from the field, Badger Maps helps field sales teams save time on their daily planning, maintain better relationships with customers, and get organized.

Sales teams have reported that they sell 22% more and drive 20% less when using Badger Maps, in fact, the average team of 10 reps sells $936k more the year they start using the app.

Badger Maps also allows you to mobilize your CRM, providing instant access to important customer information as you work in your territories. You can sync and leverage data in your CRM, all from your mobile device. 

You can also enable a two-way, real-time native integration with the most popular CRMs such as HubSpot, Salesforce, Zoho, Microsoft Dynamics, Insightly, NetSuite, and many more. 

Additionally, field sales teams increase their CRM usage by 50% when using Badger Maps.

Badger Maps reduces sales reps’ average drive time by 20% and frees up an average of 8 hours a week.  

Sign up for a free trial today or schedule a demo to see how you can benefit from this route-planning app!

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Your sales pitch can make or break your sales interaction. 

The most successful sales representatives deliver polished and persuasive pitches. They capture the prospect’s attention and convey the value of the products or services. In doing so, you can secure more deals and become more successful as a rep. 

Mock call exercises allow you to refine your pitches and perfect your approach. You learn to:

• Use compelling openers that grab attention and pique curiosity. 
• Tailor your pitches to different types of customers while understanding and appreciating that they may also have existing knowledge.
• Master closing techniques and follow-up strategies. 
• Use the BANT sales process. This is a proven framework for guiding prospects through the sales funnel. With BANT, you can assess the prospect’s Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline, and tailor your approach accordingly.

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One of the best skills you can develop as a sales representative is the ability to adapt during a sales conversation. Customer preferences and expectations are always evolving. You must be able to adapt to individual needs but also evolving ones. 

Being adaptable means understanding different customers, their needs, and their pain points. 

Sales pitches that worked 12 months ago might not be so relevant now, not to mention that technology itself is constantly evolving.

Check out our guide that will help you identify your prospects' pain points!

Feedback is one of the most effective ways for you to enhance your skills. Mock calls provide a safe way for you to get feedback to identify areas for sales growth. 

This constructive criticism often feels ‘safer’ because it isn’t a criticism of your actual work. The feedback should also include positives. This way, you can understand – and can feel confident about – your strengths too.

The invaluable skills acquired through mock call activities extend beyond the training room. 

These skills can be transferred to real scenarios in many areas of your work and ultimately, increase sales efficiency. 

By applying communication strategies, you can engage in conversations more confidently and are more adaptable. You can be better able to adapt on the fly in a range of different scenarios.

For sales teams in every corner of the globe, communication is the most important tool in the box. 

When you navigate conversations with ease and finesse, you have power. 

You’re able to articulate your value prospects and persuade customers through the effective addressing of concerns, ultimately increasing your sales efficiency. 

And you can do this all while building lasting rapport. Mastering these skills is essential, and mock calls are powerful in your ability to refine them.

Mock calls are more than a training exercise: they are an excellent tool for everyone in sales, regardless of experience. Customers’ expectations and experiences are ever-changing. By regularly practicing with mock calls, you can stay ahead of your competition and provide more value to your customers. 

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