Turn visit reports into sales boosters: These 4 pieces of information should definitely not be missing!

Visit reports play a decisive role in sales. They are written summaries of customer meetings or sales appointments and are used to record important information. However, many salespeople do not see any direct added value in order to improve their sales results. But with the right information, visit reports can increase sales success by up to 34% — that's right, increase!

This blog post is for all sales people who want to spice up their visit reports with the right information and for all sales managers who want to properly train their employees.

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The information listed is listed as key points under”Visit report checklist“listed so that you can copy and save them. Let's get started!

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1. Information: Topics discussed

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Let's start with the basics: Visit reports should contain detailed information about the topics discussed. Which products or services were discussed? What challenges or concerns were raised by the customer? By recording this information, salespeople can adjust their sales strategies and better prepare for future interactions. By understanding the topics discussed, they can tailor their arguments specifically to the needs and interests of the customer.

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Visit report checklist:

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- Agenda items discussed

- Next steps

- Customers' comments

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2. Information: competitive information

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Visit reports provide an excellent opportunity to gather information about the competition. Sales representatives should record relevant details about the competition that arise during the customer meeting, such as which products or solutions they offer, what prices they have or what advantages they have over their own company. This information enables the sales team to highlight their own strengths and unique selling points and to develop targeted counterarguments against the competition.

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Visit report checklist:

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- Competitive products and services

- customer feedback on competitors

- Marketing strategies and trends in the sector

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3. Information: customer feedback

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Visit reports are also a valuable source of customer feedback. Salespeople should listen carefully and document customer opinions, concerns, or suggestions. This feedback can help improve customer satisfaction by identifying and addressing any issues or dissatisfactions. In addition, the feedback leads to the development of new products or the optimization of existing solutions in order to meet customer needs even better.

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Visit report checklist:

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- Customer feedback on the products or services

- Experience

- Challenges, concerns, and complaints

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4. Information: Sales opportunities

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Visit reports should also include information about sales opportunities that have arisen. Has the customer shown interest in additional products or upgrades? Were there opportunities for cross-selling or up-selling? By documenting such sales opportunities, sales representatives can pursue them in a targeted manner and generate further sales. The visit report then serves as a reminder and guide for further action.

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Visit report checklist:

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- Questions about new products or upgrades

- additional requirements

- Cross-selling or up-selling opportunities

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Conclusion

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Visit reports are more than just administrative tasks in sales. They are valuable tools that significantly increase sales success. Three things are decisive for profitable visit reports:

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1. Sales representatives must be properly trained.

2. The sales manager must communicate the added value of reports regularly and clearly within the team.

3. Visit reports must ultimately be written correctly with the correct information - after every single appointment.

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By containing important information such as discussed topics, competitive information, customer feedback and sales opportunities that have arisen, visit reports offer clear added value. The sales team can use this information to adjust their strategies, develop targeted arguments, and better understand customer needs. By effectively using visit reports, companies can optimize their sales activities and ultimately increase sales.

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