On my way home from the airport the other night, my son, Michael, called and said, "Dad, there is a mouse in your office." My first thought was I hope he sleeps through the night because it's 1:00 AM and I am not dealing with this until morning.
Then I asked myself: How did he get in? Why is he here? How do I get rid of him? It got me thinking about sales. Of your last 10 sales calls, how many of your prospects were asking the same questions? Are you establishing, on the phone call, a reason for the appointment? Is it your reason for meeting or theirs? How often do you begin your sales call with a discussion around "Why am I here?" Do you agree to outcomes that are mutually acceptable?
When you get invited out to a sales call to discuss specific issues that are on the prospects mind you avoid being the "uninvited" guest. Make sure your sales calls are "by invitation only."