It may seem a little old fashion, but sales professionals are missing a wonderful opportunity to use a meeting agenda to establish the tempo for a meeting – especially the first meeting with a new prospect and to differentiate themselves.
Let us remember that when we think of competition we tend to think of others inside our own industry. You should expand your thinking to include any other sales professional, in any industry, selling to the same influencer or decision maker you are. You are not simply competing with another provider, but with anyone trying to get their attention. You need to differentiate yourself from the start to get them focused on what you sell and the problems you solve to be successful.
A first meeting agenda can be very brief but will help establish you as a true expert. I like the following technique. You call the prospect and ask, “In order to be properly prepared for our meeting on Friday, might you provide me a high-level overview of your project (issues/concerns)?” This sets the tone immediately. You respect their time and want to be prepared for the meeting. When they provide some details, thank them, and send a confirmation email with the agenda. You can access a sample for free.
How many other sales professionals are taking the time to do this? Very few if any. You immediately set yourself a part as someone who values their time and wants to be ready to have a productive meeting.
SAMPLE AGENDA
This is a very basic agenda that can be modified to meet your specific needs. The details should be updated prior to sending to each prospect:
Agenda
ABC Company
Meeting Month, Day, Year
Objective: A few words about their project or issues that you discovered during your pre-meeting call. Let them know you were listening to them.
1. Challenge Overview
2. Goals and Objectives
3. Evaluation Process
4. Some Ideas to Help
5. Determine If There Is a Fit
6. Next Steps
Note: If there is anything else you would like to discuss, please let me know.
Comentarios