Meeting new viable clients can have a considerable impact on skyrocketing your business.
One cannot overstate first impressions; they could mean everything in pursuit of increasing your company’s cash flow and making it more viable.
You must ensure that clients walk away with a good feeling about you and your business to motivate them to invest and avail of your products or services.
Your first meeting can make or break the relationship you’re trying to create with them. To have a positive outcome, knowing how to be professional and courteous is not enough.
Making a great first impression takes time and effort, but it’s worth it when you successfully build long-lasting relationships with your clients.
With that in mind, here are NINE tips for creating a great initial impression:
1. Research is the key
As a rule, it’s always good to do your homework before meeting with potential new business partners or clients. Many little details can add up to show them how attentive and serious you are about their company.
For instance, you can invite them to their favorite restaurant and give them a gift or their favorite chocolate. Maybe you can simply build a conversation around their interests or passion.
Another great tip is to find out what kind of work they specialize in. Who knows, you might find common ground that will make the first meeting more comfortable and light, right?
2. Be ready for the next step
You can’t just hope for the best regarding your first impression. Being prepared and knowing the possible outcomes can help you be more alert and equipped for whatever or wherever the discussion might lead.
In order to have a successful meeting, it is important that you’re able to take quick steps after your discussion. Making progress before parting ways will ensure that both you and the client will walk away from the table satisfied, with something valuable and tangible in hand. It may be an investment or partnership offer or handy advice that you can apply to your biz.
3. Take a look at the whole picture
It’s crucial for any business to be able to take a holistic approach when it comes to its marketing strategy. That’s why it’s more important than ever for leaders to keep the big picture in mind.
You need to find common ground with your client and build upon it while making sure you both are benefiting from it.
By doing so, they can more effectively make decisions that will positively impact the business as a whole and make the clients think that you’re up to any challenge.
4. Bring them value
Whether it’s a product or a service, customers want to see that they’re getting something of worth in exchange for their hard-earned money.
This is your opportunity to shine and show them what you’re made of.
Take charge and let them know how they would benefit by working with you. You can introduce your product or services with a short pitch or make a presentation, pretending that you’re on the Shark Tank floors presenting to Kevin O’Leary or Mark Cuban.
If you want to maintain client interest, you must offer value — not just once but continually throughout your pitch and after that. By staying ahead of the curve and offering excellent products or services, you can be sure that your clients will stick with you for the long haul.
5. Have a sense of humor
How do we stand out amongst our peers? Well, I’ve found that injecting some humor into the conversation and making people laugh creates lasting impressions and relationships.
Humor has been shown to be effective for building strong personal brands. It is a great way to break the ice and establish trust with people you’re trying to connect with, like new clients.
It can be something as simple as one-liners or observations based on shared experiences – whatever it takes for your clients to have some laughs, go for it. Turn on the charm! This will help create an excellent foundation of rapport which translates into long-term business relationships.
6. Make sure that you listen
In my experience, taking notes and listening actively have helped me to pay attention for longer, allowing me to take in all of the information being shared with me during the meeting.
When you are keen on what they say, it shows them how interested you are in their thoughts on various topics. What you have noted might be a great asset when asking questions along the process.
Listening is one of the most essential skills we need to master because it not only helps you to understand your clients but also enables you to formulate a sound decision down the line.
When you listen, you might find answers to questions like:
Is it worth it?
Do you resonate with the prospective client?
Do you even want to work with them?
7. Tell a story
A great meeting starts with a great story! You could talk about what you do in your business, how it positively impacted all of your existing clients, and how they still love your products or services. You could even talk about mistakes you’ve made and what you learned.
Stories have been used effectively by companies as advertising tools ever since because people love hearing them.
You could talk about what your biz is exactly, how you started, and what it could mean for them if they decide to try out your products or services. This will get your client’s attention and make them want to know more about you or your business.
But don’t forget to hear their stories, too. Ask them to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings. You might get a quote or two based on their stories that you can share with your employees.
8. Put your best foot forward in your first meeting
It’s no secret that making a great first impression is a key to success in any area of life, especially when it comes to sales.
A study made by Columbia University found that people make up their minds about others within the first seven seconds of meeting them. If you want to make a good impression on potential clients, you must exert more effort to leave your mark, and consider body language, posture, and smiling.
9. Attract them even more with mind-blowing entertainment
Mentalist acts are sure to win their hearts and keep your event in their minds for a long time.
If you’re looking for a unique way to spice up your next event and wow your VIP clients, hiring a mentalist may be the perfect solution.
Amir Lustig is a world-renowned mentalist who can provide your clients with an unforgettable experience.
Undoubtedly, he will take your event from ordinary to extraordinary. Once your clients witness him perform, there is no way that they will forget about you, your event, or your business.
This will also imply to them that you don’t settle for ordinary; instead, they will see to what extent you’re willing to go to provide an excellent result.
If this sounds appealing to you, visit amirlustigasia.com to learn how you can make your next corporate event even more memorable.