If you are struggling to meet and pitch potential clients, or have difficulty closing deals, this article will help you out. Here are some tips and tricks on how you can get the most out of your client meetings so that they lead directly to new business.
Prepare for the meeting by doing your research
Before you walk into any client meeting, make sure you do your research. You don’t want to be unprepared or clueless about the people you’re meeting, so take the time to study up on them before your appointment.
Another thing you can do to prepare for the meeting is look at the company’s website. This will help you get a better sense of the company culture, and it will help you form opinions and ideas on how to best approach the meeting.
It’s also a good idea to check out any social media platforms the client has so that you can get a feel for how they want to portray themselves and what sort of tone they use (formal, casual, humorous etc so you can mirror this in your own tone). This will help you get a feel for their personality and make it easier to relate to them and build rapport during the meeting.
Send a preview of what you'll be talking about
Before you meet with the client, send them a short email previewing what you plan to discuss during the meeting. This shows that you have done the legwork, have an idea of where the meeting will go, and might even get them thinking about your proposal before you even get there. This can help you stay on track during the meeting, and it will give the client a heads up about what you will be discussing so they aren’t caught off guard and can pre-prepare questions.
Go in with an angle and a plan
When you walk into a client meeting, you want to go in with a plan in mind. You should also have an angle you’re trying to deliver. This can make you feel more prepared and confident when you are meeting with new clients. Go into the meeting with a goal of getting a certain number of referrals or a specific amount of revenue from the client in a specific amount of time. You don't need to tell the potential client this but it will help you to remain focussed.
Have your elevator pitch ready
While you have a plan in mind, you should also have an elevator pitch ready so that you can quickly and succinctly explain who you are, what you do, how you do it, and why it’s valuable.
An elevator pitch is a short, 30-second pitch that you can use to introduce yourself, your company, and what you do to new potential clients or at networking events. It should be clear, concise, and engaging so that whoever you are talking to stays interested enough to want to learn more. When you’re formulating your elevator pitch, think about how you want the person to feel when they walk away from the conversation. You want them to walk away knowing what you do, how you do it, and why it’s important for them.
Spell out the value you bring to the table
While you’re explaining who you are, what you do, and how you do it, you also want to spell out the value you are bringing to the table. Ask yourself:
What problem or pain point does your product or service solve?
How will you make the client more profitable?
How will you save their time and energy?
Find a way to weave these questions into your pitch so that the client knows why working with you is valuable and important for their business.
Show you care about their business
When you’re meeting with a potential client, it can be easy to get wrapped up in talking about your own business and how they will benefit them. However, you also want to make sure that you are genuinely interested and invested in their business. You want to show the client that you care about their business, their goals, and their specific challenges. This will help them trust you more and make them more likely to work with you. It also makes it easier to ask the client questions and tailor your services to fit their needs.
Plus, it's a psychological fact that people love to talk about themselves and will like you more if they have talked for the majority of the time.
Ask for what you want
You want to go into the meeting with the mindset that you are going to ask for what you want (in a respectful, professional way). Ask for the client’s business and for them to use your services. Don’t be afraid to make your pitch, ask for the sale, and ask for the business.
Remember that the client is hiring you, so they have to make the decision to work with you. If you’re meeting with the client, it means that they are open to using your services. The ball is in your court, so don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.
Summing up
When you’re meeting with new clients, you want to go in with a plan and an angle, have a quick elevator pitch ready, spell out the value you bring to the table, and ask for what you want. This will make the meeting more productive and will help the client know what to expect from the discussion. It will also make it easier to relate to them and show that you genuinely care about their business.
With these tips and tricks in mind, you are now better prepared to walk into a client meeting and walk out with a new client. With these strategies in your toolbelt, you’ll feel more confident and prepared, which will help you seal the deal and land more clients faster.
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