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The Importance of Taking Great Notes

Daily Nuggets | | Nick Fellers

The Memo for the Record is an important mechanic in our sales process. (See last week’s post on the importance of Follow-Up.)

“Nothing so much assists learning as writing down what we wish to remember.” Cicero

I’m constantly amazed at how often salespeople don’t take notes! A great Memo for the Record is composed directly from your notes – Notes you took on the visit.

A great Memo for the Record should:

  • Record what happened on the visit. Someone on your team should be able to pick-up the memo and continue the conversation.
  • Use quotes. THIS IS IMPORTANT!!!! The best message in the world is the one that comes from the prospect’s mouth. Capture words and exact phrases used by the prospect(s); put them in quotes.
    • Bad: Prospect seemed to like our program.
    • Good: “The after-school program is a huge priority for me.”

    This will:

    • Help you LISTEN. Read Vocabulary Wars.
    • Help others on your team LISTEN (even though they weren’t there).
    • Make life so much easier when you pull out the call report in six months.
  • Use bullets. Easier to read. Easier (faster) for you to download.
  • Be as long as needed, but completed within 36 hours of visit. This memo should capture all the key points that you would need to remember in six months, but shouldn’t take you all afternoon to compose.
  • Include follow up for you, your organization and the prospect. I would encourage you to dictate these notes IMMEDIATELY following the visit. Don’t wait. (I carry a dictation device and transcribe the call memo in my car – minutes after the visit.)

You can  download a call-memo-template to help you get your notes organized, quickly.