In our article on the request funnel you learned that it can sometimes be more successful to call the potential customer instead of writing an email. Why? The customer can get to know you personally on the phone and ask questions directly. A personal phone call can arouse sympathy and open doors - much better than an email. No matter how well it is formulated.

Before you call, be prepared. Do a little research about the store and make notes on the following key points:

Once you know who you are contacting, think about what questions the store owner might ask you. Prepare important documents such as the price list and the product catalogue, as these are often the most frequently asked questions. You should also have important information about shipping costs, minimum order value, and delivery time ready.

On the call itself, just try to be authentic. Store owners are happy to meet the face behind the brand and are also happy to meet you in person. A conversation is allowed to develop naturally. You may also want to learn more about the store owner because the store excites you. Express your enthusiasm, of course only if it is genuine. Store owners are happy to have a nice conversation and a few kind words.

Despite a nice conversation, it's good to have an ace or two up your sleeve to convince the customer. Maybe you have a very special offer for the first order? A discount or free shipping for the first order? Or maybe you offer him a product sample first?

Because even if the customer is on fire for your brand, he/she may want to know if your product delivers what it promises. Holding a product in their hands is the be-all and end-all for them (read our article on the subject of product samples). If the customer still hesitates, give him/her time to think about your offer and ask him/her when you can call again. Everyone is happy for understanding at this point and no long-term business can be concluded under pressure.

You sit perfectly prepared in front of the phone, dial the number...and nobody picks up. Of course, it can happen that a store owner is not available. Then it's important to stay on the line and try a few more times. Either on the same day or on another day. If you still can't reach the store owner, it makes sense to write an email first. You can learn how to write the perfect email in our Request Funnel article.

We hope that we have been able to give you a few tips on the topic of "What do I pay attention to when calling my customer?" and we're keeping our fingers crossed for your next phone call!