Tool Box
Issue No. 8 - December/ 2002/january
Meet Market
How to better prepare for sales appointments
by Cherie McGuinness
The Meet Market – Steps to Successful Sales Meetings
Written by Cherie McGuinness, PR & Marketing, ACTION International
The first sales meeting with a prospect can be really difficult and often incredibly daunting … even for professional sales people … The thing is though, just by mastering a specific set of skills and strategies you can be on the road to success (and riches) in no time. Here’s how you can become hugely successful at face-to-face sales meetings …
Before
Gather background information. A pre-qualifying telephone call will help you to understand what your prospects’ wants and/or needs are. If you can become familiar with basic information on the company and learn as much as possible about them it will be easy for you to make a short list of the ways the company will benefit from your product or service – this will mean you are selling what they need not just what you want to sell them.
Set realistic goals. It's essential that each sales meeting move your prospect closer at least one step to buying. Your primary goal should be set before you leave your office for the meeting. For example, for a first meeting your primary goal might be to set a date to present a more comprehensive proposal or to provide an estimate for your work and obtain a signature to begin.
Prepare quality materials. Create a set of high-quality tools for your presentations at meetings. Include everything from company business cards and general stationery to brochures, proposal documents and presentation materials.
Start by reviewing all the materials you use in a standard sales meeting. Are they well presented and written well? Do the colours, typefaces and creative elements in the presentation work together to create professional image? It is a good idea to pay close attention to any materials you intend to leave with your prospect, as these materials may help close the s...
