• [00:00:13] Intro jingle, podcast presentation
• [00:01:07] Inbound vs outbound meeting
• [00:01:28] Difference between inbound and sales prospecting
• [00:01:50] Should these meetings be handled differently?
• [00:02:00] Key differences and trust
• [00:03:34] Understanding inbound requests
• [00:04:21] Common mistake about trust
• [00:05:24] Trust level depending on the channel
• [00:06:45] The 4 levers to build trust
• [00:08:18] Adapting your posture to the prospect’s profile
• [00:08:57] The importance of the first seconds
• [00:09:19] The role of time in the relationship
• [00:09:31] Confusion between interest and trust
• [00:10:25] Finding the right sales pace
• [00:11:11] Creating attention in prospecting
• [00:11:24] Establishing priority with the prospect
• [00:11:41] Differences in sales mindset
• [00:12:04] Defensive selling in inbound
• [00:12:29] Opposite excess in prospecting
• [00:13:03] Sensitive topics often avoided
• [00:13:54] Addressing budget, decision and commitment
• [00:14:35] Structuring the sale without skipping steps
• [00:14:46] Sales as a staircase, not a straight line
• [00:16:16] Summary
• [00:17:07] Episode closing

Intro jingle, podcast presentation

[00:00:13] Stéphane Depaepe: Hello and welcome to this new episode of the podcast "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" produced by PHCom in the "transforma bxl" studio, with technical support from "The Podcast Factory Org"

[00:00:23] Nadia Ben Jelloun: The "Performance, Harmony & Commercial" podcast is designed for marketing and sales managers, as well as company executives taking on commercial roles.

[00:00:32] Stéphane Depaepe: Every month, we share best practices in finding new clients for companies active in business-to-business.

[00:00:38] Nadia Ben Jelloun: You can find each episode on the PHCom dot be website: P.H.C.O.M, and also on all major podcast platforms.

[00:00:48] Stéphane Depaepe: You can support this podcast and boost its visibility by sharing it with as many people as possible via a like, a comment, or a share.

[00:00:55] Nadia Ben Jelloun: The answering machine is always active so you can leave us a message; we will answer it with great pleasure.

[00:01:00] Stéphane Depaepe: You can also book an appointment directly with Nadia or Stéphane by visiting phcom dot be.

[00:01:06] Nadia Ben Jelloun: See you soon.

Inbound vs outbound meeting

[00:01:07] Stéphane Depaepe: Hello Madam Harmony.

[00:01:08] Camille de Meeûs: Hello Mister Performance.

[00:01:10] Stéphane Depaepe: Today's topic: Handling an inbound B2B appointment versus a hunted appointment, what differences should be taken into account? We have talked a lot about hunting in the context of prospecting, and it is clearly our profession!

Difference between inbound and sales prospecting

[00:01:28] Camille de Meeûs: Now, it's important to discuss the proactive approach of reaching out to target companies and contacts as well. There is also what we call inbound, which is making these people or companies come to you.

[00:01:41] Stéphane Depaepe: As a result, we end up with two types of appointments to handle: an appointment made from an inbound request and appointments that were hunted down.

Should these meetings be handled differently?

[00:01:50] Camille de Meeûs: That is exactly today's topic. How to handle each of these appointments? Knowing that they are made in different contexts and that therefore, in principle, their treatment must also be different.

Key differences and trust

[00:02:00] Stéphane Depaepe: We are going to talk about these differences, but differences in needs, specific requests, techniques, treatments, timing to manage the relationship, but also mindset, closing systems. And above all, we are going to talk about trust.

[00:02:15] Camille de Meeûs: Perhaps we will start with these appointments made from incoming requests, what is called inbound marketing.

[00:02:20] Stéphane Depaepe: So we are not going to describe all the means to attract these people, it is clear that communication is key. There are many advertising solutions, mailing, social networks, distribution networks too, or even resellers. A well-referenced website, recommendations made by AIs: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini.

[00:02:42] Camille de Meeûs: It works, and it's quite comfortable to receive requests, and to be able to process them. We could talk about all these means in a future podcast perhaps?

[00:02:48] Stéphane Depaepe: Yes. So, let's stay on today's topic, what difference in treatment to apply to these inbound appointments, or to those you have been hunting for? Let's start with inbound appointments. Sometimes you have to call them to get the appointment, sometimes there are appointments that come directly into your calendar, as you said, it's super comfortable. Some problems arise nevertheless. What I hear mainly from salespeople is the incoming flow of requests is not sufficient, I don't have enough. The incoming flow is too important, we can no longer keep up. Or again, the incoming requests are not of quality, in fact the people who call me back to set an appointment, it's nice but they are not interesting at all. Or the appointment that was made, it's not interesting at all.

Understanding inbound requests

[00:03:34] Camille de Meeûs: Ok, I hear your point, and let's talk about these famous appointments precisely, which I understand are not always well qualified. If we want to handle these appointments in good conditions, we must start from the mindset of someone who calls you. I suggest two scenarios. One, you are called by recommendation. Two, through communication, people come to you like: thanks to your well-referenced website, thanks to ChatGPT, Perplexity, or another artificial intelligence that recommends your company. Or maybe you were a speaker at an event, where you were seen at a trade show, or your mailing is bearing fruit. In both cases, a first positive filter has already taken place, someone or something said for you "Hey, it's worth a look!"

[00:04:15] Stéphane Depaepe: Exactly. These two scenarios already make it possible to define at what level of trust the relationship starts.

Common mistake about trust

[00:04:21] Camille de Meeûs: And that is where many salespeople are mistaken. They think that trust is already 100% there, 100% established, when in reality it is a variable, a capital, something that is built, consumed, and sometimes has to be regained.

[00:04:34] Stéphane Depaepe: Indeed, and therefore this capital is not always the same. So in B2B, the sale never starts at zero, but neither does any start at 100%. That is why we often talk about a higher trust threshold for appointments by recommendation, not because the prospect trusts you blindly, but because they give you upfront credit. And in fact we could place this threshold around 30 out of 100, sometimes more, if the recommendation is very strong or if your positioning is very, very clear, you can gain a few more points. That is to say, the prospect has clearly identified your products, your services and if they call you it is because it could meet their demand. But beware, this credit is fragile, it can melt away very quickly if the salesperson adopts the wrong posture.

Trust level depending on the channel

[00:05:24] Camille de Meeûs: And if the appointment comes via social networks, or a mailing, a website, is there the same level of trust?

[00:05:29] Stéphane Depaepe: So there, I would immediately drop the trust threshold down to 10, 20? Insofar as he has already made a decision, and that's good, but he doesn't really know you.

[00:05:42] Camille de Meeûs: Okay, let's finalize the picture. What do you estimate the initial trust threshold to be in a cold appointment?

[00:05:49] Stéphane Depaepe: Below ten. In any case very low, sometimes close to zero, sometimes even negative, if an appointment is forced. In fact, the prospect doesn't know you, and wasn't expecting you; they agree to talk to you not out of trust, but because they have a little bit of openness or curiosity. Be careful, this can also happen if you haven't been clear in your communication, if you cast too wide a net with ads that are just too catchy. There, in that context, you can have appointments where the trust threshold is well below ten. So, in a cold appointment, your role is not to capitalize on existing trust, but to make up for a deficit.

[00:06:29] Camille de Meeûs: And it's clear that this is a crucial nuance. In one case, we manage capital; in the other, we invest to create it. That clearly changes everything. The way of speaking, questioning, proposing. In fact, you are building a relationship and you must instill the necessary dose of trust.

The 4 levers to build trust

[00:06:45] Stéphane Depaepe: I suggest four elements to build trust. And actually, it's not so much me suggesting these four elements, it's really the synthesis of the feedback from companies I've had the opportunity to support over time, when I asked them the question 'How do you build trust?'. So the first point is openness to others, being outward-looking, listening to them, understanding them, and making sure they feel it. A second point is authentic intent, meaning being genuine in all circumstances, honest, transparent, and having a real intention to help them succeed. It's not about imposing, but building and proposing.

[00:07:24] Camille de Meeûs: That really is the position of a life coach, the one who is ready to listen to help, and it's a contract made beforehand between both parties. The coachee and the coach, we're going to move forward together, hand in hand.

[00:07:36] Stéphane Depaepe: Third point, proven professionalism, meaning the provision of real added value based on skills and expertise.

[00:07:44] Camille de Meeûs: In fact, it's simply about being credible by demonstrating our mastery in different ways. Using the right words, accurate words, knowing how to explain case studies, using undeniable truths, such as statistics, shared assertions, etc. etc.

[00:07:59] Stéphane Depaepe: And finally, a fourth point: an appropriate attitude, meaning the way you act, smile, look at them, your behavior, your self-image, your company's image, respecting commitments, arriving on time, honoring an appointment, submitting an offer at the right time, saying what you are going to do... And doing what you say.

Adapting your posture to the prospect’s profile

[00:08:18] Camille de Meeûs: In fact, that is clearly knowing how to play the mirror effect, and there are plenty of little techniques for that. Adapting your offer according to purchasing motivations. Do you remember SONCAS? Adapting to their way of functioning according to an R.A.M.I. type model. As a reminder, people who are more inclined to favor relationships or more oriented towards action or working methods, or even always ready to build new ideas. In fact, it's the chameleon salesperson.

[00:08:44] Stéphane Depaepe: Yes. It is really about being congruent, too, in form and content. Your whole person must be in tune with what you are saying; to be convincing, you must be convinced.

The importance of the first seconds

[00:08:57] Camille de Meeûs: Clearly, clearly in a prospection meeting, you must keep these four points in mind, and also, be very careful to, on the one hand, perfect the first 20 seconds of the initial contact: eye contact, smile, posture, first words, and above all always remain consistent throughout your first meeting and in the repetitiveness of contacts as the relationship is built.

The role of time in the relationship

[00:09:19] Stéphane Depaepe: So parallel to this question of trust, we must talk about time, because this relationship is built over time and it is a matter of managing the level of trust over that time.

Confusion between interest and trust

[00:09:31] Camille de Meeûs: In fact, in an inbound meeting, the prospect is already in motion. They made a move, they clicked, they called, they filled out a form or accepted a recommendation. In other words, they have activated something in their mind, and it is rarely completely clear, but they are already mentally engaged. They compare, explore, evaluate, and often they feel like they have the upper hand, they have the feeling of controlling the pace. And that is where the salesperson needs to be very sharp in this famous time management.

[00:09:56] Stéphane Depaepe: In fact, the salesperson often confuses motion with trust. Just because someone comes to you doesn't mean they trust you, it just means they think you are worth evaluating. As we were saying, the trust threshold is higher than in pure prospecting. Maybe 20 or 30, but certainly no more than that. If you accelerate too fast, you will burn through the trust capital. If, on the other hand, you don't move fast enough, you risk losing their attention and interest.

Finding the right sales pace

[00:10:25] Camille de Meeûs: Everything is actually a matter of balance. Often, some salespeople accelerate too fast, they propose, they quote, they promise, they clearly skip steps. For various reasons, because they are afraid, afraid of losing the lead, afraid to tackle less mastered topics, or because they think the sale is already closed, or because they feel superior to the requester.

[00:10:43] Stéphane Depaepe: In an outbound meeting it is different, time is not structured the same way. In fact, the prospect does not visualize how long it will take them, how far they will go, how far they will be taken. The prospect wasn't expecting you, you are an interruption, a solicitation, and so your first mission is not to sell, but to create a timeframe and a frame of attention. Your mission is to help the prospect tell themselves 'This subject deserves some energy'.

Creating attention in prospecting

[00:11:11] Camille de Meeûs: In other words, you have to help your contact tell themselves that this subject deserves their time. In fact, you don't create an urgency, you establish a priority. This heavily involves tackling certain topics in the first meeting, and managing the agenda well.

Establishing priority with the prospect

[00:11:24] Stéphane Depaepe: And so that is the essential question for every salesperson. Do you adapt your pace depending on the origin of the meeting? Outbound or inbound? Or do you always apply the same cadence at the risk of losing either attention or credibility?

Differences in sales mindset

[00:11:41] Camille de Meeûs: So we also talk a lot about the prospect's mindset, but very rarely about the seller's. And yet it changes profoundly depending on the type of meeting. In an inbound meeting, the seller tends to switch into reactive mode, wanting to answer quickly, do well, be pleasant, and sometimes becomes too accommodating. They listen, yes, but they no longer dare to direct; they respond to the request, even when it is poorly formulated.

Defensive selling in inbound

[00:12:04] Stéphane Depaepe: That's what we call defensive selling. In fact, we put ourselves in a subordinate position without realizing it. Conversely, in an outbound meeting, the seller is often more structured, or at least they should be. They have prepared their pitch, they know where they want to go, but they can fall into the opposite extreme. Too much caution, too much restraint, too much patience, they wait for the prospect to open all the doors... when it is precisely their role to open them.

Opposite excess in prospecting

[00:12:29] Camille de Meeûs: True mastery is remaining consistent in one's posture, being both attentive and directive, benevolent but always guiding. Whether the meeting is inbound or outbound, you are there to guide, not to undergo.

[00:12:41] Stéphane Depaepe: The worst I've ever heard is actually starting a prospecting meeting by asking the question, "What do you expect from me? Why are we meeting today?". In fact, you can be almost sure you'll get shot down. Remember the good technique: whoever asks the questions leads, you know where you want to go, so take the right paths to get there. Don't try to teleport directly to the destination.

Sensitive topics often avoided

[00:13:03] Camille de Meeûs: So let's recap. We've talked about trust, we've talked about timing, we've talked about the seller's posture. And I now propose a fourth point which is fundamental: the topics we avoid.

[00:13:13] Stéphane Depaepe: Indeed, in an inbound meeting, many salespeople don't dare to challenge the request. They take the brief as is, they execute. As I was saying, a submissive posture. However, an inbound request isn't always a mature request; it's sometimes vague, misguided, or dictated by bad past experiences.

[00:13:33] Camille de Meeûs: And conversely, in an outbound meeting, it's often the budget, the decision, and the commitment that cause minor problems. We postpone topics, we tell ourselves it's not the right time yet, but by constantly avoiding them, we build a real sales journey that becomes wobbly. The key is not to say everything too quickly; it's to say the right things at the right time, depending on the level of trust.

Addressing budget, decision and commitment

[00:13:54] Stéphane Depaepe: At the same time, what I advise is to approach your outbound prospect directly with a very high business level posture. We don't have time to lose, we get straight to the point. If you've made a good introduction, if you've captured enough attention, if you've created an atmosphere conducive to discussion, you can afford to quickly identify who is around the table, and what the decision-making or influencing powers are. Validate the timing: is it right to discuss this or that topic? And even why not, if budgets might exist in this perspective, that's part of those famous life insurance questions, meaning: if you don't address them quickly, there's a high risk of losing your sale on one of them.

Structuring the sale without skipping steps

[00:14:35] Camille de Meeûs: A question often comes up: is sales a linear journey or a mechanism that can go from point A to C without passing through point B? The important thing is not to skip steps.

Sales as a staircase, not a straight line

[00:14:46] Stéphane Depaepe: I see reality more as a staircase that we climb. The goal is to reach the top, meaning the space where you enter the negotiation phase under good conditions. But at the same time, you have to check all the boxes which are not always aligned with each step of the staircase. In fact, at the top of the stairs, there are still exit doors for your prospect, loopholes that will make you lose the sale, but at least you have made it there. You have made it there because you have earned all the trust points. You haven't gone too fast, nor too slow, you've covered all the topics you feel your counterpart needs to understand, and you've gathered all the information you need to ensure you know exactly what should be sold and how it will be sold. Actually, these checkboxes for an inbound meeting or an outbound meeting are not the same.

[00:15:36] Camille de Meeûs: If you sell IT services or if you provide cleaning staff, or if you support companies in their financial organization, do you really need to have your checklist to reach the top of the stairs?

[00:15:45] Stéphane Depaepe: Yes. You must define which information must have been perfectly understood and accepted. What objective information do you need to have before moving on to the next step? But also, what is the mindset of your counterpart at each step? What are the trust points earned? This work is preliminary, and must be done as much for handling inbound meetings as for outbound or prospected meetings.

Summary

[00:16:16] Camille de Meeûs: Ok great, thanks for this technical tool. Ultimately, regardless of the origin of the meeting, inbound or outbound, the fundamentals always remain non-negotiable. Good preparation by clearly differentiating the two scenarios, managing trust with the four points we've already discussed, openness to the other, authentic intention, professionalism, attitude, time management, timing, and content in building the relationship. A beautiful mechanism, in fact. Or a beautiful journey, or both together?

[00:16:45] Stéphane Depaepe: These are different starting points towards the same destination, so it's a journey. Because a map or a GPS is welcome, but also a mechanism since everything is linked and intertwined. And like any beautiful mechanism, it needs to be oiled, and the salespeople need to be fueled with content training, technical training, or even attitude training.

Episode closing

[00:17:07] Camille de Meeûs: Well positioned to sell the PHCom service, the goal here is always the agreement between both parties, we go further together. Thank you Mr. Performance.

[00:17:15] Stéphane Depaepe: Thank you Mrs. Harmony

[00:17:17] Stéphane et Camille ensemble: See you very soon for the next episode of PHCom