Have you ever jumped on a sales call only to realize your prospect seems distracted, disengaged, or even completely unprepared? Maybe they forgot about the meeting, are scrambling to recall who you are, or are multitasking while half-listening.

Few things are more frustrating in sales than speaking to a prospect who isn’t fully present. When this happens, you waste valuable time trying to rebuild rapport, reintroduce yourself, and regain their attention—instead of focusing on the sale.

The reality? You’re not the only thing on your prospect’s calendar. People are busy, overwhelmed, and constantly shifting between tasks. If they don’t have you at the forefront of their mind before the call, you’ll have a harder time building trust and closing the deal.

The Solution: A Simple Text Before the Call

Instead of relying on your prospect to remember the call and be mentally present, take control of their attention. Send a short, friendly text message before the call:

“Hey, Jim, it’s Paul Martinelli with XYZ, looking forward to our call in a few minutes.”

This simple but powerful message does three things:

• Reaffirms your appointment, reducing no-shows
• Reintroduces your name and company, making you more familiar
• Humanizes the interaction, shifting you from “salesperson” to a real person.

Why This Sales Methodology Works

Psychologically, familiarity builds trust. When you see or hear a name frequently, your brain subconsciously associates it with credibility and importance.

Think about it—when you get a reminder text from a doctor, dentist, or service provider, doesn’t it make you more likely to show up and engage? The same principle applies in sales.

By putting your name in front of your prospect right before the call, you eliminate the awkward “who is this again?” moment, making them more engaged, comfortable, and receptive to the conversation.

How This Fits into a Winning Sales and Marketing Strategy

In sales and marketing, every touchpoint matters. The more strategically you engage with prospects, the better your chances of closing deals. Here’s how this small habit improves your overall sales training approach:

• It reduces resistance: Prospects are more receptive when they recognize your name.
• It builds consistency: Repeating this technique with every call ensures a strong first impression.
• It enhances sales performance: Conversations start on a positive note, leading to better outcomes.

This simple tactic integrates seamlessly with your broader sales strategy, making each interaction more effective without adding extra effort.

Sales training doesn’t have to be complicated. A single text message can dramatically improve your sales calls, build better relationships, and boost your closing rate.

Try this before your next five sales calls and track the difference in rapport, engagement, and success. Your calls will start more smoothly, your prospects will be more prepared and engaged, and you’ll close deals faster.

Small adjustments lead to big results. Start using this technique today, and I guarantee you’ll see an improvement in your sales process.

Curious what kind of closer you really are? Take my Ultimate Closing Persona Quiz—it’s quick, insightful, and designed to help you close more deals with less friction.

Connect with Paul on social media:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paulmartinelli/ 

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PaulMartinelliOfficial Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paul.martinelli/