How Many Sales Calls?

by Dave Kahle

Question:  How many sales calls should a salesperson make?

A: In about one out of every two seminars that I do, I hear this question. It springs from a manager’s concern for defining what constitutes a “good sales day.” And salespeople want to know so that they have some ammunition to fend off unreasonable expectations of their managers. So, let me settle the issue once and for all: 

I don’t know how many sales calls any particular salesperson should make, nor do I have any idea how many calls a class of salespeople should make. Having said that, I do have some thoughts to share on the subject.

Variables

Why do I not know how many sales calls a person should make?  Because of all the variables.

     For example, if you are brand new in your territory, you should make more calls than someone who is well established.  If you have a compact geographical area, you should make more calls than someone who has a large, rural area.

     If you carry 20,000 items, you should make fewer calls than someone who sells three lines.  If you sell a non-technical commodity product, you should make more calls than someone selling a highly technical piece of capital equipment.  And so it goes.  The variables that define your specific situation dictate how many sales calls you should make.

     One of the reasons this question comes up has to do with a typical manager’s concern with making sure that the salesperson is working hard enough in order to be successful.  I prefer to think in two alternate ways instead of thinking about the number of sales calls.

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First, how many hours should a salesperson work? 

The most recent survey I’ve seen indicated that the average salesperson works about 49 hours a week.  That seems like a good standard to me.  Sales is not an 8:30 to 4:30, 40-hour a week job.  I’ve never worked just 40 hours.  So, let’s say that a good work week for a field salesperson is around 45 – 50 hours.

     Now, rather than look at how many sales calls should be made in that time frame, I’m more concerned that the salesperson is using those 45 – 50 hours most effectively.  To me, it’s ultimately about the quality of the sales calls rather than the quantity.

Quality, Not Quantity

There is a relationship between the two.  The greater the quality of the sales call, the fewer calls are possible.  The lesser the quality of the call, the more calls can be made.  I suppose that a salesperson could make 100 calls in the course of a week if each of those calls were in and out in five minutes.

      But would they be worthwhile?  Probably not.  When I was selling, on my best day, I made one call in the morning, and one call in the afternoon.  But those two calls to great accounts contributed about 50 percent to my total sales.

     To judge the quality of a sales call, you must first look at it from the perspective of the role this particular call plays in the penetration of the account.  For example, if the salesperson had created powerful business relationships with all the key people in an account, if the salesperson spent time understanding the customer at deeper... READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE