Here are 10 reasons why the first meeting with a prospective customer is so important:
- you have the opportunity to give them something of value which can build a good relationship of trust. What you give can be non-monetary such as a white paper or sharing your specialist insights. 🧞♂️
- ask the most important question: how does your organisation make decisions? 🧠
- better understand how the customer wants to make process for their business in the next 6-12 months. 👁
- listen and understand what the customer is experiencing right now. 🍮
- learn the name of their receptionist or office manager. They can be surprisingly helpful in the future! 🤗
- observe how they respond in person to your business pitch... do they ask follow-up questions, or not? 😴
- learn why they accepted the invitation to meet with you. They are very busy! Why should they waste their time with you? 👩🎓
- the first meeting sets the stage for the future customer/supplier relationship. 👔
- understand the signals whether you really want this is a customer. Toxic customers need to be fired sooner rather than later. 🤮
- an opportunity to make a good impression. Surprisingly this can be achieved if you speak less and listen more! 🤐
