Relationships with every serious prospect starts out with them being complete strangers to us. Or, perhaps they know us but not what we have to offer customers. Once a prospect becomes aware of our company, products and services, they have move a step closer to becoming a real, paying customer. That is when it is time to prepare for first customer meetings.
Take time to plan before taking an arbitrary shot at convincing a customer your products and services will best solve their problem. Prepare for first client meetings ahead of time to achieve the best results. It pays off big time to develop a Sales System Strategy focused on taking someone from that total stranger status to a wildly enthusiastic cheerleader with experience as one of your customers.
Imagine that you have a fresh, new ‘stranger’ that you want to set on the path to becoming a long-term customer and then going on to become a cheerleader for you. All of this will require some pre-meeting preparation before you meet with them to deliver your sales pitch.
5 tactics to prepare for first client meetings.
Do your homework. It’s time to play James Bond and spy a little bit on your prospect. Do an online search to learn all you can about the customer, the company, its products and services. Check out their website, LinkedIn profile and company page, Facebook, Twitter and any other social media sites. Pay attention to any reviews that may be posted about them online too. Look for videos about them on YouTube or Vimeo. Look for any weaknesses they might not have mentioned.
Set goals. What are the reasons behind this first meeting? What do you hope to accomplish by the end of your time together? Do you want to build rapport and credibility with the prospect? What information do you hope to glean from your conversation? Write down your goals and learn them before you arrive. If you have specific information you need to acquire, decide how you will get them to provide it. Jot down a few questions that will get you the specific answers you need.
Make sure your first meeting won’t be the last. Know before your first meeting what your next step will be after you accomplish those first goals you set. Prepare what you will say to get a second meeting before you exit the first one. Always be thinking a step or two ahead in your sales process.
When you arrive at the building or office, sit in your car a few minutes and take time to breathe deeply. Clear your head of chaos that may have filled the day leading up to this important meeting. Forget the crazy drivers and construction delays you encountered on the way to this important appointment. As you get out of the car, put a big smile on your face and walk confidently, with a positive spring in your step.
Make friends with the gatekeeper. A gatekeeper can be the receptionist, cashier or whoever is the first to ask how they can help you. Gatekeepers can be very important to your efforts to get through to the prospect after this first meeting. If they wear a name tag, be sure to mention their name. Everyone likes to hear their own name. It is likely that your next call to this potential client will have to get through this same gatekeeper, so make a friend of them.
A good first client meeting sets the tone for long term success
It should be apparent by now that every one of the steps above is about the customer, not about you. Yes, they want to learn about you and your ability to solve their problems. But, they are more interested in themselves than they are of you. Convince them of your credibility and expertise by showing a high level of professionalism. Let them know that you are likely the answer to their needs before you move to the next step of your Sales System Strategy. Remember the potential client is far more interested in how your professionalism will relate to them and their problem than how good you look to yourself.
Now, go ‘Wow!’ that prospect, move them another step forward in your sales system process. Selling is seldom a one-shot deal. Each sale takes a number of specific phases or steps. Customers need to move from total stranger with a need to a thrilled customer ready to spread the word about your firm. S-M-A-R-T strategy will be the most important role in your sales process. It takes time and effort to move prospects from being total strangers to being satisfied customers who will become ambassadors or cheerleaders for us. Don’t approach a prospect without the necessary planning that will improve your chances of making that prospect an actual customer.
