Latest / Sales Leadership with Fexingo: Quota Carriers, Sales Managers, and Revenue Teams / How Top Reps Turn a Reference Call into a Renewal
Transcript
- Lucas: Luna, I keep coming back to something a VP of sales at a cybersecurity company told me last month. He said his team closes more renewals with a single reference call than with an entire quarter of feature presentations. Luna: That's a bold claim. But honestly, I've seen it work. What's the specific play? Lucas: So the play is simple on the surface. When a renewal is coming up, instead of the usual business review or the internal champion trying to justify the spend, they schedule a live call between the current customer and a happy reference customer. Same industry, same role, similar pain. Luna: And the current customer gets to hear from a peer, not from the vendor. That's powerful. Lucas: Exactly. And the key is in the setup. They don't just say 'hey, talk to our customer.' They prep both sides. The reference knows what the current customer's biggest concerns are, and the current customer gets a list of questions to ask. Luna: So it's not a casual chat. It's a structured reference call. Lucas: Right. And the sales rep's role is almost like a facilitator. They introduce the call, set the ground rules, and then they get out of the way. The magic happens when the reference starts talking about real results, not just features. Luna: I remember a case where a manufacturing company was on the fence about renewing a quality management platform. The reference call with a peer in the same industry turned it around. Lucas: What did that reference say that made the difference? Luna: They talked about cutting audit prep time from two weeks to two days. That specific number resonated more than any benchmark we had in our deck. Lucas: That's the thing. Numbers from a peer carry more weight than numbers from the vendor. It's social proof, but it's also practical proof. Luna: And it works because the current customer is already halfway through the renewal process. They have a relationship, they see the product, but they need that final nudge. Lucas: So let's talk about the anatomy of one of these reference calls. What does a good one look like? Luna: I'd say it's about forty-five minutes. The first ten minutes are intros and context. The middle twenty minutes are the reference sharing their journey, the challenges, the results. The last fifteen minutes are open Q&A. Lucas: And the sales rep is there to keep things on track, but they don't dominate. The reference should be doing most of the talking. Luna: Exactly. And if the current customer goes quiet, the rep can prompt with a question like 'What was your biggest concern before you bought?' or 'How did you measure ROI?' Lucas: That's where the rep earns their keep. Also, you want the reference to be candid about challenges, because if it's all sunshine, the current customer gets skeptical. Luna: Right, a reference who says 'the first month was hard, but we pushed through' is way more credible than someone who says it was flawless. Lucas: And that credibility is what makes the renewal conversation easier. The current customer hears 'we had the same doubts, and here's how it worked out.' Luna: So, Lucas, this feels like a great moment to pause. You and I have been having these conversations for a while now, and they've helped a lot of sales pros sharpen their approach. Lucas: Yeah, and if these conversations have moved your work forward in even a small way, listener support is what keeps this show ad-free and going. If you'd like to help, you can buy me a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: It's a simple way to say thanks, and it genuinely keeps us going. Lucas: Okay, back to reference calls. The thing is, most sales teams treat references as a last resort, something you pull out when the deal is slipping. But the best teams build them into the renewal process from the start. Luna: So instead of waiting for objections, you proactively schedule the reference call as a standard step. That's a shift in mindset. Lucas: It is. And one way to make it a habit is to identify your top references early. Not just the happy customers, but the ones who are articulate, have real numbers, and are willing to talk. Luna: And you should keep a list of them organized by industry, by use case, by size. Then when a renewal comes up, you can match the reference to the current customer's situation. Lucas: Exactly. And don't forget to brief the reference. They need to know the current customer's pain points, what's at stake, and what kind of tone to strike. Luna: A good reference call can also reveal expansion opportunities. Maybe the current customer learns about a feature they didn't know about, and that sparks interest. Lucas: That's the hidden upside. It's not just about protecting the renewal, it's about growing the account. Luna: I've also seen this work when the renewal is at risk. A reference call can be a last-ditch effort to save a customer who's already decided to leave. Lucas: But it has to be timed right. If the customer has already made up their mind, a reference call might feel like a desperate move. Luna: So bring it earlier in the cycle, when there's still genuine curiosity. Lucas: Exactly. And the best time is right after a positive business review, when the customer is feeling good about the value they're getting. Luna: That's a natural segue. You say 'you're getting great results, and I'd love for you to hear how a peer in your industry is doing the same.' Lucas: And the customer is more likely to say yes because they're in a good place. Then the reference call reinforces that positive feeling. Luna: So the takeaway is: reference calls aren't just for new business. They're a renewal tool that uses social proof to reduce churn. Lucas: And the best part is, it's a low-cost, high-impact tactic. You're not building new features or cutting prices. You're just connecting two humans. Luna: It's a reminder that in B2B sales, trust is the real currency. Lucas: And a well-placed reference call can be worth more than any discount. So next time you're staring at a renewal, think about who you can connect your customer with. Luna: That's a great question to leave our listeners with. What's the one reference call you could schedule this week that might change your renewal outcome?