If they do result in a lead or appointment then you want to be able to recall the phone conversation and its key points so you can ‘pick up where you left off’ when you meet in person, this means you can re-visit topics or issues that were mentioned when you attend the appointment.

• If your product or service is not relevant to their business then find out why - Are they with a competitor, under a contract, no money left in the budget? 

Ask open ‘probing’ questions to get them talking so you can gain a better idea of their business situation.

You do not want to ‘close’ a prospect purely because you did not ask the right questions to determine whether or not they could become a future lead instead.