Still not cracked the art of how to make a successful sales call? The answer isn’t just about having the right pitch.
A successful sales call is about understanding when to call, how to engage, and what to say. But here’s the challenge: only 6.74% of sales calls result in a sale according to our Benchmark Report.
That means sales professionals face rejection more than 90% of the time – even seasoned salespeople face an uphill battle.
So, how can teams improve their odds?
A sales team can improve call success rate by combining strategy, structure, and equipping call agents with the right tools and technology. The best sales calls don’t happen by accident. And the reality is, sales professionals will struggle if they don’t have the data, insights, and automation to support them.
That’s where MaxContact’s AI-powered outbound call centre software makes the difference, helping teams optimise every stage of the sales call process, from connecting with the right prospects to closing deals faster.
1. Timing can influence the success of your sales call
Have you ever had a sales call at the worst possible time? Like during dinner or just as you’re about to rush out the door? Calling at the wrong time can ruin even the best sales pitch.
But how do you know the right time to call?
Successful sales teams know the right time to call because they don’t guess; they use data. Getting the timing of a sales call right is half the battle. Without insights into when customers are most receptive, your team risks wasting dials, frustrating potential buyers, and losing opportunities.
MaxContact eliminates the guesswork, helping agents reach prospects at the right time. Smart call timings increase answer rates, reduce wasted dials, and improve conversion rates.
Successful sales calls = smarter timings
Use call data to schedule outreach when customers are most likely to answer – bonus points if you use a dialler to speed up the process.
✔ Analyse historical call data to understand when peak response times happen. You can assess this by day, time, and customer segment.
✔ Use predictive dialling technology so agents only connect when a customer answers. This reduces wasted dials and gives the sales team more time on the phone.
✔ Identify optimal calling windows based on real campaign data, increasing connection rates and first-call close rates.
MaxContact features that help:
- Custom Reporting
- Predictive Dialling
- Success Intelligence
2. Build rapport with customers quickly
Getting the timing right is just one piece of the puzzle. But even if you call at the perfect moment, customers won’t buy from someone they don’t trust. That’s why the next step in a successful sales call is building rapport – and fast.
But building rapport over the phone is a tough task. Agents have seconds to establish trust. MaxContact’s Sentiment Analysis feature gives clearer insight into customer emotions and engagement signals during past interactions. This means agents can tailor their approach and make conversations feel more personal and authentic.
So, how do you build trust on a sales call?
✔ Personalise the conversation using customer data.
✔ Ask the right questions and actively listen to responses.
✔ Mirror the customer’s tone to create a sense of familiarity.
MaxContact features that help:
- Contact Hub. Provides interaction history to personalise conversations.
- Sentiment Analysis. Helps agents refine their approach based on customer tone and reactions.
- Success Intelligence. Identifies which rapport-building techniques work best.
“One of the fundamentals that gets overlooked is building the relationship. Don’t just talk about the ‘deal’, find out more about the customer and build trust from day one. That’s what every successful sale needs.”Richard Coward, Enterprise and Strategic Partner Director, MaxContact
3. Structure your sales call around customer value
Building trust is essential, yes. But trust alone won’t close a sale. Once you’ve established rapport, the next step is to clearly communicate the value of your product and how it solves your customer’s pain points.
The most successful sales calls will always focus on the problem the product solves for the customer – never about the product features by themselves.
✔ Lean on the customer’s pain points and position your product as the solution.
✔ Avoid generic pitches, they rarely work. Instead, tailor messaging to the customer.
✔ Keep the conversation structured, but be flexible and prepared to adapt as you listen to the customer.
MaxContact features that help:
- Sales Call Scripting. Provides structured yet adaptive call scripts.
4. Test & refine your sales call scripts
No sales script is perfect forever. The market, customer needs, and competitors change – and your call scripts should change too. That’s when testing and refining your sales call scripts comes into play.
TOP TIP: A/B testing your sales scripts helps to refine your messaging and check effectiveness.
How to optimise sales call scripts
✔ Test different scripts regularly to see what works best.
✔ Use real call data and base scripts on customer responses.
✔ Remember, scripts shouldn’t sound robotic; natural and engaging is the aim.
MaxContact features that help:
- Call Scripting & Analytics. Track script effectiveness.
Success Intelligence. Highlight key phrases that drive conversions.
5. Focus on active listening
Even the best script won’t make an impact if an agent doesn’t listen. A great sales call isn’t just about delivering a pitch. It’s about understanding the customer’s needs and adapting in real time.
So, while the phrase “gift of the gab” is thrown around to describe a ‘good’ salesperson, active listening is an overlooked necessity. Because when agents talk more than they listen, they miss customer concerns.
TOP TIP: Active listening is a skill that builds trust and improves conversion rates.
What does active listening sound like in a sales call?
✔ Resist the urge to interrupt or “talk over” objections.
✔ Paraphrase customer concerns to show that you’re listening and understanding.
✔ Silence is a strategy. Allow the customer to fill the gap and learn more about their pain points and objections.
MaxContact features that help:
- Sentiment Analysis. Measure how well agents respond to customer concerns.
- Call Monitoring. Help managers provide listening-focused training.
“Far too many times, salespeople want to fill the silence. But the statistics are clear; do twice as much listening as talking, and ask the right open-ended questions.”Richard Coward, Enterprise and Strategic Partner Director, MaxContact
6. Master objection handling
So, you’ve actively listened to your customer and you have gained valuable insight into what’s holding the customer back.
And now? It’s time to overcome the objection.
It’s important to remember that even the best salespeople can’t overcome every objection. But what they can do is learn from each call, and improve their approach over time. This is where call recording and data insights become invaluable.
Every great salesperson knows objections aren’t the end of the sale, they’re an opportunity.
MaxContact’s Success Intelligence (a feature of our speech analytics platform, Spokn AI, ) helps agents identify, categorise, and learn from objections, giving them the tools to respond with data-driven confidence.
TOP TIP: Objections are predictable; the key is preparation. Consider what objections your customer might have and have a plan to overcome them.
Common sales call objections & how to overcome them
“It’s too expensive.” → Highlight ROI & long-term savings.
“I need to think about it.” → Offer a compelling reason to act now.
“I’m happy with my current provider.” → Emphasise unique differentiators.
MaxContact features that help:
- Success Intelligence. Identify common objections & effective responses.
- Spokn AI. Helps teams refine objection-handling techniques.
“Every salesperson has a fear of rejection, which can lead to a lack of confidence. But confidence breeds belief from the customer. Don’t stop at the first hurdle, as many objections are just the start of the conversation, not the end. MaxContact’s Success Intelligence and Spokn AI help agents anticipate objections and respond with data-driven confidence—turning hesitation into opportunity.”Richard Coward, Enterprise and Strategic Partner Director, MaxContact
7. Don’t forget the follow-up
Most sales don’t happen the first time someone is contacted – even if you do effectively address their concerns. The sales process usually relies on multiple touchpoints, and a well-timed, personalised follow-up can turn a “maybe” into a “yes.”
TOP TIP: Don’t rely solely on phone calls – use multiple channels such as email and SMS.
How to make follow-ups effective
✔ Schedule when you will follow up immediately at the end of each call.
✔ Use email, SMS, or other channels if calls go unanswered and it’s compliant.
✔ Keep track of customer interactions and read the notes to help you personalise before you make contact.
MaxContact features that help:
- Automated Call Scheduling means no follow-up is missed.
- Omnichannel capabilities integrates email, SMS, or calls
“How many calls don’t have a follow-up or are left without a follow-up call being arranged? Many deals are lost simply because there’s no follow-up.”Richard Coward, Enterprise and Strategic Partner Director, MaxContact
8. Record & review sales calls for continuous improvement
While quality assessment is a compliance measure, tracking and recording sales calls isn’t just about meeting regulatory requirements. It’s also about learning what works and scaling success across call teams.
TOP TIP: Data-driven coaching can improve individual performance and overall conversion rates.
Use call data to drive sales success through training
✔ Identify top-performing agents, analyse their techniques, and replicate them across the team.
✔ Instead of using call scenarios for training and script refinements, use real.
✔ Have shorter feedback loops and flag any issues early, addressing performance gaps proactively before they escalate.
MaxContact features that help:
- Spokn AI & Success Intelligence provides personalised coaching insights to call centre managers.
- Call transcription & analytics keeps track of key success drivers.
Sales success isn’t about luck. It’s about timing, rapport, active listening, and data-driven decision-making.
By using MaxContact’s AI-powered call centre software, your team can optimise every stage of the sales call process, from connection rates to closing deals.
Want to see how MaxContact can help you optimise every sales call?
