17 Terrific Tips When Visiting Clients
17 Terrific Tips When Visiting Clients
Meeting with your clients in their environment is a great way to strengthen existing relationships. Not only will you get a better sense of their business and culture, the visit demonstrates your professionalism and appreciation. Use these reminders as a checklist for making your client visits successful.
- Set up the appointment by phone, not e-mail. Discuss mutual objectives, agenda items, who to meet with, who will be conferenced in, meeting space, A/V equipment if needed, etc.
- Pre-call plan with your team. Identify who will lead conversation on specific issues. Prepare a list of anticipated questions and responses. Do your homework on key topics.
- Confirm the visit a day or two in advance. Ask if there are any changes from original plans.
- Take plenty of business cards.
- Wear appropriate business attire even if it’s casual jean day in their office. If you don’t know, ask if their dress standards are business or business casual.
- Bring enough materials and marketing gifts. Avoid having to ask your client to make copies.
- Conference room seating. Ask your client about seating arrangements.
- If using slides on a screen, keep room properly lighted. If detailed information is presented, have paper copies as well. Be prepared to present without visuals if equipment is not working.
- Lunch protocol. Advance planning is needed. Who to include and invite, reservations so the table is ready, and server informed you are buying.
- Ask for scheduled time to meet others you do business with in their office such as accounting, support services, and claims.
- Vehicle and parking. Be sure your vehicle is clean and ready for guests in case you are asked to drive to lunch or another meeting. Park in employee area or on the street. Do not park in their designated customer spaces.
- When visiting with colleagues, arrive together at the office. Arriving separately is an inconvenience to your host.
- Turn off your cell phone and keep it out of sight. If you need to use it to research something, ask permission, use it, then put it away. Wear a watch since you won’t have your cell phone as a timepiece.
- Using an iPad or other device to take notes is not recommended. It interferes with conversation since your attention is focused on the screen and typing. If using your iPad or tablet to run a presentation on a screen, turn off any alert sounds.
- Be a master of small talk and conversation starters. Obviously, stay away from politics and religion. Asking “how’s business?” or “what’s new this year?” are safe conversational questions.
- At the start of the meeting, briefly review your agenda with attendees. Reconfirm timeframe. Ask your client what they want to discuss. Start with the items most important to them even if it’s not on the agenda.
- Follow up with an e-mail that is both a brief meeting summary and thank you. If there are items you are researching, let them know the timeframe of your response.
Emily Huling, CIC, CMC helps the insurance industry create top-performing sales, service, and leadership organizations. She can be contacted at emily@sellingstrategies.com.
She is the author of Great Service Sells, Selling from the Inside, and Service Selling Supercharge. For information on learning materials and consulting services and to subscribe to her free monthly newsletter, visit www.sellingstrategies.com.
Emily Huling Selling Strategies, Inc.
P.O. Box 200 Terrell, NC 28682
Phone: 888-309-8802
Mobile: 704-516-5114
www.sellingstrategies.com