Managing Client Meetings

Take this short assessment to compare your skills in preparing and managing your meetings with prospective clients.

Read through the seven questions and give yourself an honest assessment from 1 to 5.

The score of "1" meaning I need serious work in this area and a score of "5" meaning I could give lessons to others in this area.

Be honest with yourself.

Holding outstanding client meetings starts with a clear understanding of the key elements that build trust with a client.

1. How well do you prepare for your prospective client meetings? Do you research the client’s website & review any press reports? Do you ask yourself - What is the purpose of this meeting? What points do I need to cover? What is the expected outcome or next step I’d like to achieve?

I could give lessonsI need serious work
2. In your introduction do you share with the client how you plan to manage the meeting within the time you have agreed? Do you share your desire to learn more about their company and objectives? Suggest the topics for discussion and confirm any areas they would like to discuss?

I could give lessonsI need serious work
3. How much time do you devote to investigating your clients situation, key objectives and challenges? Without a good understanding of the client’s situation any solution you propose will appear premature or generic. Resulting in a lack of trust and reluctance to move forward.

I could give lessonsI need serious work
4. Once a key issue is identified, how often do you use confirming questions to ensure you have fully understood the situation? By confirming back what you have heard you benefit in two ways. Firstly, it shows the client you have really listened, which builds trust. Secondly, you can check to see if you have fully understood their situation or missed anything important.

I could give lessonsI need serious work
5. Do you regularly use impact questions to see who else in the organisation is affected by the key issue identified? By asking if others in the company are affected and how, you build momentum and urgency for taking action to resolve the issue. It is no longer just the individual’s issue but one that affects many in the company, thus providing a reason to act.

I could give lessonsI need serious work
6. How effective are you at creating solutions together with your client? To share ownership of any solution you need to involve the client in the process. Do you put forward various suggestions for a solution and invite the client’s opinion and input on the ideas? By creating solutions together you build trust and client engagement is increased.

I could give lessonsI need serious work
7. How easy do you find it to gain agreement from the client to take the next step? Do you often meet resistance from clients to move forwards? Is the logical conclusion to your conversation to move forward with a commitment to the next step?

I could give lessonsI need serious work

The Sales Strategist Book Image - Peter Holland