Have you ever reviewed your sales people call notes? Don’t look at what they put into the CRM look at those raw notes they captured during the conversation, the raw footage. The importance of capturing information is so valuable, and one of the most underdeveloped traits that a salesperson or even many support staffs have.
In studies, it has shown that you remember seven times more after you write information down. Now this study is geared around the old fashion way of taking notes…pen and paper. However, I still have yet to seen a better way. Technology isn’t always the solution. When you are on the floor (in action); a quick note, a circle and arrow for association, and underlining a phrase is invaluable. 
In this short video, How to take Great Notes, they discuss a 3 step process. Step 1 is to take what is saying and write it as a question, provide the answer and the evidence. Step 2 is to use colored pens and step is to review.
The most popular note-taking method many of us were taught in school is the Cornell Note taking method (A short video, How to take Cornell notes). It is a good example of how important review is providing the cue column built into the left hand side of the page. Those moments after you walk out of the building for a salesperson or right after you hang up the phone is the most important time you have in organizing and resorting your information. If you take time later in the day to do once again, you can provide not so much more information but more clarity to the information.
I have traditionally used mind maps for much of my interviewing process but found that foreign too many sales people and organizations. In most that I work with, we develop some sort of form that will assist salesperson to prepare, use during the call and review afterwards. I encourage people not to start with a blank piece of paper.
This one incorporates the Bain’s RAPIDTM framework example. RAPID is an acronym to explain the roles people play in a given situation: and also a short flow of a Sales Pitch from Pitch Anything: An Innovative Method for Presenting, Persuading, and Winning the Deal.
I have yet to create a sales call form the same for any one organization. However, I try to capture a place in the document for preparation, participants, review and a lot of white space to draw. The white space allows for the information during the conversation to take place and is the most valuable. Having structure to your sales process in this way adds a tremendous boost for both the novice and seasoned salespeople. If you are weak in any one area, for example the novice, you can make up for it in preparation and review. Technology isn’t always the solution.
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