You have been nurturing a potentially huge client for a couple of years and finally, a meeting is arranged! Congrats and all that, but there’s still a long way to go, getting your foot in the door is a long way from getting a deal, but it’s a great start! Obviously, you want things to go well and with that in mind, here are a few things to check before you set off for that big sales presentation.
- Check your appearance – Wearing one of the bespoke suits in your wardrobe ensures that you look the part; shoes should be spotless, nice socks, classy belt and a fitted business shirt with a contrasting necktie. One look in a full-length mirror will tell you what you need to know and make adjustments as you see fit. A touch of expensive cologne, a neat trim and you are ready to close that deal!
- Your presentation – If you are planning to run a PowerPoint slideshow, have an extra copy on a memory stick; in case your laptop dies! Make sure you know what you are going to say, we definitely don’t recommend repeating the text on the screen, people can read and besides, you can enhance and condense the information with your narration. Run through it a few times and add notes in PowerPoint, which you can read when you are presenting. You could even present to your colleagues; practice does make perfect, plus it will give you confidence.
- Travel – The absolute worst would be to turn up late; investigate the journey and make sure you allow more than enough time; arrive early and be fresh and relaxed. If you are venturing abroad, arrive at least 24 hours before the meeting and you should be fresh and ready for action! Travel as light as you can and if ever there was a time for airport pickup, this would be it. If you are looking for a good investment commodity, check out this article on gold as an investment.
- The venue – If you are the host, make sure all is arranged, if you are the guest, check for customs (foreign countries) and bring a small gift. If you need a projector and screen, make sure that is known if you are not hosting the meeting. If the meeting is taking place at your place of business, pull out all the stops and take your guest on a tour and prepare a gift.
- Research their organisation – If you spend an hour Googling, you can find out a lot about the prospect and find an opportunity to drop a few comments to show that. It is important that you strike up a rapport and knowing a lot about the company’s history will give you the confidence to exchange ideas and opinions.
It makes sense to prepare thoroughly for a very important business meeting and we hope the above tips help you close the deal of a lifetime!
