How many times have you made time for a scheduled business meeting with a supplier or service vendor who wants your business (you have never met before) and when they arrive they don’t have a business card, a brochure or even a notebook to take notes? For me its as much as 9 out of 10 times! I will often joke with the vendor and say with a smile, “ahh is it because our company is so small…” Which helps to break the ice and get the meeting going.
So rather than complain I will share 6 simple tips that every sales person should follow before meeting a prospective client:-
- DO YOUR HOME WORK. Research the client so you at least have a basic idea of what they do, so you can tailor your discussion to their perceived general needs
- ARRIVE EARLY. My rule of thumb is to try and arrive at least 10 minutes before the meeting is scheduled to start so that you can settle yourself a bit before entering the meeting.
- HAVE YOUR BUSINESS CARD WITH YOU. It does not leave a good impression if you have to say your card is in the car/at the office/ other bag.
- KNOW THE NAME OF THE PERSON YOU ARE MEETING. This is a must. Even if you cannot pronounce the name of the person (that happens to me a lot) at least have it written down so that you can let the receptionist know who you are there to meet and he or she can even help with the pronunciation ( I have had to do this many times in my career.)
- TURN YOUR LAP TOP ON. If you plan on using your laptop, don’t wait until you are in front of the person you are meeting to now turn on your laptop. And of course it should be fully charged BEFORE the meeting
- KNOW YOUR BUSINESS. Be able to explain why you are there and what you are pitching or selling in a clear, concise and professional manner. This takes practice and should be done many, many times in preparing for a meeting. Do not wait until you are in front of the prospective client to start practicing what you should say. And most of all know the product or service you are offering well enough to be able to answer at least 5 of the most commonly asked questions relating to your business.
If you master all of the above I guarantee you will increase your chance of closing a sale. Remember YOU only have ONE chance to make a FIRST impression!