How To Run a Client Meeting Built For Success
Meeting with clients is a standard part of making an initial sale and building lasting relationships with your customers. Your behavior in client meetings can have a significant impact on your overall success and reputation. Being strategic and prepared when planning client meetings can empower you to get the most out of your time and energy at work.
In this article, we provide a guide to conducting productive client meetings with tips for success.
Why are client meetings important?
Client meetings are one of the primary ways you can communicate with clients, set expectations and form professional relationships. They allow you to efficiently pitch a topic or discuss other subjects with clients without having to wait for a reply to an email or call. Scheduling client meetings enables both you and the client to fully devote your time and attention to a shared goal.
How to run an effective client meeting
Follow these steps to plan and execute an effective client meeting that helps you achieve your business objectives:
1. Research your client
Before the meeting, do research on the client to learn about their goals, values and experiences. The more you know about your client, the easier it is for you to appeal to their interests and persuade them to make a purchase, complete a business deal or simply listen to your point of view. Search your client online or have preliminary conversations where you can gather information about them.
2. Prepare everyone in the meeting
You may be the only person meeting with a client or have multiple colleagues collaborating with you. It's important to make sure that everyone is prepared with the same information and has the same goals in mind. Create an outline or other materials and give a copy to each person on your team to align your strategies and talking points.
3. Communicate your agenda ahead of time
Before the meeting, clearly state the overall goal of the meeting. Agreeing with the client in advance about the purpose of the meeting can help set reasonable expectations. This keeps the meeting on-topic so that you and your client can both come appropriately prepared and work toward a shared goal.
4. Eliminate any distractions
When setting up your meeting space, remove all distractions so you can focus on the client. If you have a shared workplace calendar, mark your meeting clearly so people know not to disrupt you during that time frame. Set the thermostat to a comfortable temperature and turn off any active TVs or monitors so both you and the client can devote all of your attention to the meeting topic. During the meeting, redirect anyone who goes on a tangent back to the main topic.
5. Quickly transition from introductions to business discussions
At the start of your meeting, re-introduce yourself to your client to form a friendly connection then quickly shift to business topics. A polite introduction with some small talk is normal, but you shouldn't let socializing take up too much of your time. Connect any social conversations back to your main meeting goal to get the most out of each moment.
6. Appeal to the client's sensibilities
When negotiating with your client or presenting a pitch, try to connect with their beliefs, ethics and ideals. Learn what's most important to them and find ways to appeal to those values. You can do this by emphasizing certain aspects of your company mission or connecting with them on a personal level. Use your critical thinking skills to strategically connect conversations based on what the client will appreciate.
7. Focus on what your data means
It's a good idea to have some facts and figures to show your clients, but avoid overwhelming them with numbers. If you're going to use research or metrics when meeting with a client, immediately explain what the numbers mean, why they're important and how they could impact the client. Your clients rely on you to interpret the numbers for them, and being able to confidently explain your data can help you build confidence and show your expertise.
8. Use subtle repetition
Repeating an argument is a common technique for convincing people to agree with you. By bringing up the same idea multiple times, you can make that idea seem important to your clients and even subconsciously influence their opinion. Find different ways to phrase your main argument or goal, subtly enforcing your ideas throughout the meeting.
9. Establish next steps during the meeting
Near the end of the meeting, set clear expectations for the next steps both you and the client should take. This can be anything from closing a sale to setting up another meeting. Getting your client to agree to next steps during the meeting makes it easier to follow up and continue the professional relationship.
Tips for client meetings
Make your client meetings even better by using these tips:
Find a meeting location where you can connect
Agree to meet in an area where both you and the client can focus on your meeting topic. Your client may be more comfortable if you meet in their office, or you could host the meeting to have more control over the environment. Avoid meeting in busy places, like loud cafes, so you can work in a productive setting.
Compartmentalize your clients
If you have multiple meetings a day, review each client's file prior to the meeting to make sure you have the right details for the meeting. Compartmentalizing information for each client helps you stay organized and make everyone you meet with feel like your top priority.
Set an appointment and stick to it
Once you and your client agree on a meeting time, commit to that time. Rescheduling a meeting with a client could set a precedent for more rescheduling or even a cancellation. Show that you're committed to your client by always following through on meetings when you set them. If you do need to reschedule, quickly agree on another date as close to the original time as possible.
Show hospitality
Create a welcoming environment by having bottles of water, coffee and light snacks available to your client. Being hospitable shows a basic level of respect and provides a personal touch to your interactions with clients, setting a positive tone for the business.
Take notes immediately after
Once the meeting ends, immediately take notes summarizing the meeting. Taking notes during the meeting could distract you from forming a strong connection with your client, so write down as much as you can afterward and organize your notes.