Signing a big client usually means selling yourself and your business to them through a client meeting. These meetings can be very nerve-wracking, particularly if they’re going to be setting up a big lucrative deal. If you’re feeling the nerves, we have some quick tips to help you get prepared and ready for the big meeting. The more prepared you are, the easier it’ll be, and the less nervous you’ll need to be.
Dress the Part
You’ll want to look good, with a well-pressed shirt and pants that are appropriate for your business environment. Make sure you’re presentable, groomed and generally looking respectable. Get a good night’s sleep the night before. If you need to, make use of Somnifix strips to get the best possible night’s sleep and don’t wake up too late or close to the meeting time so you have enough time to get prepared and comfortable.
Know Your Client
Long before the meeting starts, you need to get to know who it is you’re meeting. This means looking up the company, what they do and how they do business. Look at some of their clients and products and understand their position. A good way to do this is to read their website and any brochures and similar that they have available, as well as taking a look at their social media pages.
Don’t Get Down to Business Immediately
Don’t launch into your sales pitch within the first minute of sitting down at the board room table. This will give your potential clients the impression that you’re pushy or hasty to close the deal. Instead, spend a few minutes chatting casually. Talk about a big sports fixture that has recently been played or chat about a common interest. You want to be friendly, positive and approachable because ultimately, you’re trying to get your potential clients to like you and want to work with you. That means any sort of complaining is off the table, so cut any thoughts of moaning about the traffic on the drive to work this morning or the miserable weather you’ve been having lately. Learning the skill of small talk is a valuable one and one you should put some effort into.
Learn to Listen Actively
Listening is a skill that is less common than it should be. Being able to engage with a client and listen to what they have to say, what they need or what they want is incredibly important during an initial meeting. This means you don’t want to deliver slick sales pitches with fancy graphics and dozens of slides in a presentation. You might want to do this later, but let your client dictate the flow of the meeting. This means letting them have the floor when it comes to conversation. Listen attentively, make notes and don’t interrupt. If you have questions, ask them at the end of a particular topic.
Prepare Answers for Common Questions
Undoubtedly, this isn’t your first meeting with potential clients, and you should know your job pretty well. That means you’re likely to know what most people ask you about it, or your company’s products or services. Knowing both what these questions are and how to answer them properly means you’re ready for any questions that might come your way. Being able to answer them quickly and confidently will have you come across as someone who knows their business and will be able to provide all the support that your potential clients might need.
Relax, take deep breaths and sell yourself and your products or services the best way you know how. If you’re looking great and can actively engage with your potential client, your deal is as good as signed.
