It doesn’t matter what line of work you’re in; if it comes down to working with clients, making sales, or even getting everyone on board, then you need to know how to manage your clients. That’s exactly why you should take the time to study and follow business best practices instead of trying to wing it. With that in mind, it’s important to know what has been tested previously and what works best as well. Here are four examples:
Keep Things Personal
While you don’t want to make things personal when business doesn’t turn out the way that you originally intended for it to go, you definitely do want to keep things as personal as possible during the initial sales and presentation pitch. So do things that will let the clients be on the same page as you and feel more comfortable with you as well. According to Bridgewater UK you’ll need to make sure you are acting genuine and you are able to relate to them on a one on one basis. This means you should be more comfortable with calling them by their first name, chatting about their family or friends, and even being able to have inside jokes or stories to tell them.
Allow Them to Be Comfortable
When people are relaxed and not on high alert they’ll have a much better chance of making informed decisions and will be more easily persuaded instead of being on edge and acting in a defensive manner. That’s why when you look at options such as a business video conferencing, you can truly discover the perfect method for being able to discuss anything with anyone. Video conferencing allows the other party to feel a little more relaxed and not have to fight traffic just to get to a meeting with you.
Remember the Power of Silence
Knowing when to be silent is just as important as knowing when to speak. However, when you’re silent on the phone you’ll also want to ensure the other party knows what you’re doing or what you’re thinking. Video conferencing allows you to convey all of your messages and points while maintaining the power of facial expression and personal non-verbal interaction.
Have a Plan
Whether it’s via an agenda, a schedule, PowerPoint slides, or some other means of remembering, you need to have a plan. But even the best individuals will forget things from time to time and you don’t want to ruin your credibility as well as your effort on the sale just because you were too arrogant to not use slides or other reminders. It’s important to be aware of the potential consequences of not being prepared; it’s also important to have something to fall back on in case your initial plan doesn’t work out quite the way that you wanted it to initially.
Pitching clients might be a stressful experience for some people. However, you also have to be aware that when you take the time to plan, you greatly improve your chances of success.
Photo Credit: mrbill78636
Question of the Week