Weeks ago, I mentioned something about coming from a Skype meeting with a new client. Funny because it tookalmost a month for me to write something directly connected to that day. Something that is part of the lightbulb moment I had in the middle of the said meeting. (No, I didn't drift off, thank you.) Client meetings are very important. This is a non-negotiable fact. In any career, in any type of business, client meetings are inevitable and must be treated with the highest possible value. The way one handles these can actually make or break a deal, a transaction, or worse, TRUST. And this applies for all kinds of meetings - face-to-face meetings, video conference meetings, phone patch meetings, et cetera. Inspired by the relatively successful meeting I had, I have scribbled 5 Things You Should NOT Do During Client Meetings. And of course, I did this AFTER the conference call was ended.
1. Be LATE.
To be late for a client meeting is unacceptable. It tells so much about your character and unfortunately, your business. No matter how great your product or service is, if you come in late, res assured that your client has already subtracted a few (or more!) points from the scorecard they keep for you. What a waste!
2. Come UNPREPARED.
While the main objective of a client meeting is for you to know what your client wants, so that you can serve his or her needs accordingly, when viewed from the other side of the table, the client also sees your meeting as an opportunity to hear about what you have to offer, and the reasons why they should do business with you and not your competitor. So, make sure that you prepare for each client meeting that you have scheduled, with the appropriate materials that you need in your presentation (i.e., portfolio or work samples, curriculum vitae, actual product samples, and others). It is not guaranteed that you will need to bring them out, but better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them on hand, right?
3. Talk and ask about PERSONAL stuff.
Your client is not your friend, much more your Best Friend, so they wouldn't care. Maybe you will be, in the future, but for now, maintain a professional air - in your manner of speaking, in the topics that you open, in the humor that you inject into the meeting to break the ice. Especially if it is the first meeting...
4. Be extremely EMOTIONAL.
This covers the entire spectrum of emotions. Never be too Happy (when you get the deal), Sad (when you don't), Angry (when your client challenges your credibility or passes on a rumor about you from the grapevine), and so much more. Never ever wear your heart on your sleeve in from of your clients. Do not leave yourself vulnerable.
5. LIE.
All lies you tell will surely come rushing back to you sooner than you expected. White lies, black, blue, pink, or whatever kinds of lies - there is no room for them in any client meeting. Over and above superior quality service, your client deserves the TRUTH from you.
There is so much more to this list, depending on each person and each type of business. I leave it to you to fill up your own list with all those DON'Ts that you could think of.
Have a Happy Monday! Enjoy your client meetings this week! :)
To be late for a client meeting is unacceptable. It tells so much about your character and unfortunately, your business. No matter how great your product or service is, if you come in late, res assured that your client has already subtracted a few (or more!) points from the scorecard they keep for you. What a waste!
2. Come UNPREPARED.
While the main objective of a client meeting is for you to know what your client wants, so that you can serve his or her needs accordingly, when viewed from the other side of the table, the client also sees your meeting as an opportunity to hear about what you have to offer, and the reasons why they should do business with you and not your competitor. So, make sure that you prepare for each client meeting that you have scheduled, with the appropriate materials that you need in your presentation (i.e., portfolio or work samples, curriculum vitae, actual product samples, and others). It is not guaranteed that you will need to bring them out, but better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them on hand, right?
3. Talk and ask about PERSONAL stuff.
Your client is not your friend, much more your Best Friend, so they wouldn't care. Maybe you will be, in the future, but for now, maintain a professional air - in your manner of speaking, in the topics that you open, in the humor that you inject into the meeting to break the ice. Especially if it is the first meeting...
4. Be extremely EMOTIONAL.
This covers the entire spectrum of emotions. Never be too Happy (when you get the deal), Sad (when you don't), Angry (when your client challenges your credibility or passes on a rumor about you from the grapevine), and so much more. Never ever wear your heart on your sleeve in from of your clients. Do not leave yourself vulnerable.
5. LIE.
All lies you tell will surely come rushing back to you sooner than you expected. White lies, black, blue, pink, or whatever kinds of lies - there is no room for them in any client meeting. Over and above superior quality service, your client deserves the TRUTH from you.
There is so much more to this list, depending on each person and each type of business. I leave it to you to fill up your own list with all those DON'Ts that you could think of.
Have a Happy Monday! Enjoy your client meetings this week! :)
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