Relieve Sales Pressure: Set Expectations

Are you meeting with lots of prospects and getting no results? How do you approach for sales meetings with prospects? Do both of you have the same expectations each time you meet? Do you:

• Both agree on a basic agenda or goals beforehand? Or
• Assume that both of you know what will happen, and just wing it? Or maybe,
• Agree to an agenda and then let the conversation veer off topic, never to return?

Remember your frustration after attending a badly-run meeting? You thought, “I could have used that time to finish a critical project or rearranged the pencils in my desk drawer!” Busy, successful prospects (the kind you’d like to have) feel that way, after aimless or off-topic sales meetings.You are responsible for obtaining their input and agreement on a basic agenda or a list of shared goals, unless the prospect says otherwise (and sometimes they will).

Build trust, avoid rushing the sale and establish rapport by:

Being a Sales Professional

• Clearly understand your sales process, including what steps and how many meetings it typically takes to sign-on a new client.
• Prepare standard leave-behinds and information appropriate for each stage.
• Only meet with prospects and businesses who are your ideal client.

Communicating With (versus to) Your Prospects

• Establish beforehand what types of information and decisions you seek by meeting’s end.
• At the meeting, set firm dates for following-up and following-through on decisions and requested information.
• When appropriate, ask for a final decision or a solid deadline of when they will decide…And let the prospect know you will contact them soon after that date, if you have not heard from them.

Setting pre-meeting expectations keeps the actual conversation directed and yet open; because you’re both on the same page, keeping the pressure off. It also shows your prospect that you appreciate their time and energy, while engaging them from the start.

And should they become a client, it increases the likelihood of referrals. They know you will prepare for, respect and communicate with their referrals just as you did with them.

This blog was written for the ezine Concise Marketing Advice (CMA).  Receive this ezine in your inbox by subscribing to CMA via the sign-up box in the upper left hand corner of this page.