Arrive with a prepared presentation?

December 12th, 2010

You have a face to face meeting with a potential client. Do you arrive with a prepared presentation and structure the meeting around it? In some industries, this is expected. The protocol requires that you show up with a researched presentation that relates to the specific purpose of the meeting Read More...

Disagree with your prospective client..

November 26th, 2010

Do you look for a reason to disagree with your prospective client? One primary goal in a first meeting with a prospective client is to create a connection. I want them to think of me as someone they'd like to know. Being irascible and contentious is not the way to get there. Ultimately, it's only through harmony that one can invite any change Read More...

Other people’s wisdom

November 13th, 2010

The final three questions are things that other people have told me that they do in a meeting with a client. Perhaps, there is some wisdom in these suggestions. So in a first meeting with a new prospective client - Would you...... 10) Look for something the client says with which you disagree, and then say so? 11) Arrive with a prepared presentation and structure the meeting around the presentation? 12) Ask, "Who else do you know who might benefit from my product, service or expertise?" Do you do any of these? Do you think you should? At Selling with Creativity we'll address them in order in the next three posts Read More...

I think we have a product that will solve your problem

November 3rd, 2010

Question #9 in the would you or would you not series is... You're in a meeting with a new potential client and they mention a need they have that one of your products can solve. Do you wait for them to pause and then tell them about your product? This is a perfect situation. They have a problem and your product can solve it Read More...

Use the John

September 29th, 2010

Question number eight on the docket for things you might do in a sales meeting with a client prospect, is... Do you ask to use the bathroom? Of course, one imagines that if you have to go, you ask. I'm not suggesting that you'd hold it. But, would you ask to use the bathroom even if you didn't have to go? It cuts into your meeting time, which is certainly one reason not to do it Read More...

“I have an idea that won’t help me at all…”

September 10th, 2010

You're in a meeting with a potential new client. While you're listening to your client talk, an idea occurs to you that might be useful to them, but won't help you at all. Do you take time out of an already short meeting to explain your idea? Or, do you stay focused on understanding the needs they have that your product or service might be able to meet? This is probably an easy one for most folks Read More...

Three New Questions

August 27th, 2010

Imagine that it's your first time face to face with a new prospective client. At Selling with Creativity we are looking at a dozen things a salesperson might do or say at that meeting. Which ones would you do? Assume two general objectives for a first meeting with a new prospective client,  1) You want them to think of you as a creative person that they would like to know, and 2) You'd like them to think of you as useful Read More...

The Office Tour

August 4th, 2010

When you have a meeting at a prospective client's office, do you ask for a tour?  Is an escort around the client's office space an effective use of your time? Ask for a tour.  First, you never know who you’ll run into, the chairman or the CFO or an old friend from college, which happened to me once in New York City Read More...

Downplaying the Competition

July 26th, 2010

Question number five in our 'would you or would you not' quiz is Find out which competitors they are talking to, and communicate a concern that people have with that company. Would you do this in a meeting with a prospective client? It's helpful to know who your competition is, and what they are good at, and not good at Read More...

Namedropping

June 30th, 2010

Here is question number four (and my response) to the salesperson’s ‘would you or would you not’ quiz.   Is this something you would do at a first sit-down meeting with a prospective client? 4)  Summarize a transaction you are currently working on with a well known client. The benefit of doing this is that your prospect knows you are working with a well known entity Read More...