Any tips on mastering note taking?

It's been a challenge for me at times to take notes specially when the prospect is in a rush, I would love to hear some of your tricks.

🐱 Off-Topic
👑 Sales Strategy
📃 Procurement
25
msp_sales
Opinionated
9
Full Cycle Sales
Honestly, I just ask if I can record them (zoom, or on my phone when in person). I tell them that I want to be fully-present, and not focusing on catching the name of every piece of software they have every installed. In 5 years literally not one person has told me no.
uncorpse
Politicker
1
Sales Development
Thanks! I will definately do that more often. 
ragnarlothbrok
Politicker
1
Key account manager
this right here👆 I have just started doing the same, wish i had done this alot sooner 

InQ5WeTrust
Arsonist
1
No marketing, mayo isn't an MQL
This is it right here. 
Beans
Big Shot
6
Enterprise Account Executive
Use shorthand.

Always have a call plan, I can share a template if you want.


DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
2
Rolling 20's all day
You should make a post with your template
JC10X
Politicker
0
Senior Sales Manager
X2!
Beans
Big Shot
0
Enterprise Account Executive
I certainly can but a lot of my must knows will be very industry specific - and we're quite niche. 
uncorpse
Politicker
0
Sales Development
That would be lovely!
Adored
Executive
4
Sales Director
Buy Gong
Corpslovechild
Politicker
2
Inbound Sales Manager
Gong is honestly the best. 
uncorpse
Politicker
0
Sales Development
What are the best features that Gong has? 
Adored
Executive
1
Sales Director
- Searchable call transcripts (not always 100% accurate)
- Topic tagging i.e. you can customise what terms it listens for and then search for these in individual calls next steps, competitors, product names etc.
- Coaching w/in Gong - has some nice features around tips for running optimising your calls i.e. your reaction time, monologues, talk time v prospect

Gong fucks and if they ever need someone to run their UK team, they should HMU.
Corpslovechild
Politicker
0
Inbound Sales Manager
LOL 

Or their Tampa team... or any team just hmu.
NoSuperhero
Politicker
2
BDR LEAD
Yes, listen to the Kwik Brain Podcast with Jim Kwik for Skilling up on your Brain powers, including note taking.

Here's the spotify link for anyone that's interested
https://open.spotify.com/show/7BQZHMsYPInemu2GMVSYNH?si=D-P6etW0TG6pRV7enTnzlA&dl_branch=1
uncorpse
Politicker
3
Sales Development
Thanks man! 
NoSuperhero
Politicker
1
BDR LEAD
Most welcome!
JustGonnaSendIt
Politicker
2
Burn Towns, Get Money
Recording is a great option, as already mentioned.

I am a personal fan of hand-written notes. Somehow I retain things better that way. Also lets you easily draw pictures to explain things to yourself for future reference.

One of the most valuable note-taking exercises is creating a whiteboard drawing. Much harder to do with virtual meetings, but I love getting the customer to help me draw a future-state vision or current-state snapshot on a whiteboard. Then I snap a picture with my phone.

In tandem with my hand-written notes, that picture of the whiteboard really helps me with my recall.

I actually roll with several different colors of dry-erase marker in my bag, because any window can just as easily double as a whiteboard. 

Some people will hassle you for taking hand-written notes. I get told I'm too 'old-school' all the time by IT people, but then I shrug it off by claiming my notes are 'un-hackable' - Which usually causes some chuckles since I work in Cybersecurity.
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
I shorthand and color code. Also when I type the recap I always ask the client to please add what I missed.
uncorpse
Politicker
2
Sales Development
Big fan of color code!
willyR
Politicker
1
SDR
Make it fun for yourself honestly, there's not a perfect way to do it but just improving active listening.
Oboy77
Arsonist
1
Workspace Consultant
Following!
JC10X
Politicker
1
Senior Sales Manager
Use Notion, game changer!
uncorpse
Politicker
1
Sales Development
I have! It's great as well
CPfor3
Opinionated
1
Business Development Representative
I typically write as much content down as I possibly can then rewrite it in a neater format. Writing it down twice also helps me grasp the topic more
sales4lyf
Politicker
1
Business Development Manager
I tend to write the keywords down, the words that stand out most to me and then I can revert back and make the connections
uncorpse
Politicker
0
Sales Development
keywords really do help!
KendallRoy
Politicker
1
AM
Write shorthand, use dot points and indents, bold important points, review notes after the meeting to add things you missed. I can have 6 meetings a day, so I don't really have time to review 3 hours of recordings. 
Sheriff
Politicker
1
Sales Trainer
Create a template for yourself, have a process for how you run calls, if your prospect is in a rush then focus on the most important questions you have.
Incognito
WR Officer
1
Master of Disaster
yep. I record everything I can. even if it's just on my phone. I need it to reference later to make sure that I don't miss anything. 
uncorpse
Politicker
0
Sales Development
I should try using my phone more often, never done it for note-taking!
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
Use shorthand.
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
1
ISR
Always have a call plan, I can share a template if you want.
yer_blues
Opinionated
0
Sales Director
I have templates queued up in Google Keep for all call types. I do my pre-call to fill out as much as possible and then I use this info to confirm/ask leading questions and then really I'm just plugging in the info I need and I can always go back and reference it in case I forget a CRM note or something craps out.

I encourage my reps to also be present in calls. If you need to listen to the recording afterward to take better notes and ask better questions, then do it. 
EdTechSales
Politicker
0
Director of Sales
Google Keep is really useful!

uncorpse
Politicker
0
Sales Development
I use that one already! 
User1234567
Politicker
0
User1234567
Highly suggest an ipad for notes 
Onix0831
Good Citizen
0
SDR
Be neat and have a template.
MR.StretchISR
Politicker
0
ISR
I shorthand and color code. Also when I type the recap I always ask the client to please add what I missed.
Mr.Floaty
Politicker
0
BDR
But seriously anything to help you stay still on the phones, a fidget spinner or similar. Keeps me focused when I'm dialing.
Cyberjarre
Politicker
0
BDR
But seriously anything to help you stay still on the phones, a fidget spinner or similar. Keeps me focused when I'm dialing.
44
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Note taking tools

Question
105
Which note taking tool do you use?
105 people voted
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How do you take notes ? especially door-to-door sales

Question
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