Prepare well and make every meeting count! (Image Credit – Reagan Archives)
I had a very intelligent phone call from a great client Monday morning who is in the process of signing up a new high value customer.
Basically the prospect is interested and is now at the point where they are asking more pointed questions such as cost, contract details and the like. My awesome client is going to meet them on Wednesday (and touch wood shall pick them up) and was asking how to get the most out of the meeting.
It was an interesting answer I gave in that it got me reflecting on my old days where I would have coffee chats with every man, woman as well as their respective cat and dog.
I think when you are starting out, coffee chats and meeting lots of people is important. It builds your skill, people that know you, it’s fun and gets you on the maps. However after a year or two (or earlier if you get really busy), it becomes quite redundant in the respect you can’t justify that level of time with the awesome clients you must love and respect.
What I find critical is in business that you get the most out of your meetings. In the context of speaking to a new potential client in that meeting, just ‘rocking up’ and ‘talking them into it’ is a very outdated 1980’s view of selling.
I find it’s critically important before any meeting to tell the client as much as you can about what you do, your rates and the details. If you are in the business where you have set rates / it suits, tell the client prior. If you aren’t – try and give as much information as possible about you, what you do, your testimonials and the like.
The reason is that I actually want them to cancel the meeting if we aren’t suited. I find half the leads I get don’t continue through the earlier process of sending them my details and rates which is great.
The meetings I do have are basically people who are ready to get started and I used to get a 20% conversion rate in the old days. It’s now about 60% (and climbing) because I give as much information prior. I could only imagine the about of pre-work done between meetings from Reagan and Gorbachev in the soviet union days. I would bet that most of their discussions and disagreements were made outside of the room. This set them up for productive times face to face.
Again when you start out; having lots of meetings is temporarily a good thing. However, once you are busy you want to tweak this back so you can focus on the awesome clients and new clients that matter.
My advice? Tell your potential new clients everything before you meet them. Be it over the phone or face to face – you can email them your PDF Corporate Profile, tell them the ball-park and even direct them to your social media.
It will get rid of the ‘tyre-kickers’ and you will be left with people as awesome as yourself.
To me this is the perfect match! Good luck to my very awesome client (who is starting out and an emerging leader) and I hope they pick up that client on Wednesday.
Stay awesome, love your work, thanks for the read and God Bless from your trusty Marketing Mentor Edward Zia!
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