Have you ever had an appointment with a client that was scheduled for an hour but lasted for two or three hours? Have you been in a meeting or presentation when someone was asking questions that were either too detailed or off topic? Have you ever sat down with a group of people wondering when you will get home?
These are problems that happen much too often and can be avoided if you take control of your meeting from the outset. It doesn't mean you have to be rude or obnoxious, but instead become a leader.
One example of this happens before I the appointment happens. When I call my prospect I let him or her know that I would like to meet for a set amount of time, say 30 minutes. (As a matter of fact, if you go to my website and book an appointment online, it clearly states 30 minutes). This is the first message to the prospect that there is a time limit. I am aware that we may go over the time necessary, but I don't want the prospect to take advantage of my time.
When I meet with a prospect I set the agenda right off the bat. Sitting down with them I may say something like, "I want to thank you for giving me 30 minutes of your time." Again, I have stated that there is a limit to our conversation, as well as letting them know that there time is valuable also. By setting the agenda, I may say, "Like I mentioned on the phone, I wanted to discuss X, Y and Z." In other words, we are not here to talk about your kids, hobbies or horrible love life. That stuff is irrelevant.
Remember that you need to be flexible. Some clients may take more time than others, especially when dealing with seniors. It's not that they are less intelligent (they problem can teach you more than you think), but you may have to make accommodations for hearing or sight impairments. As you get more experienced you will figure out how to bake this in to your time schedule from the front end.
On that same point, if you are working with clients in their homes, be ready to deal with some lonely people. They may just want someone to talk to. Again, this happens no matter if you are selling insurance, real estate or solar panels. And with the pandemic still in our midst, people are happier than ever to have a conversation with a stranger.
Without constantly looking at your watch or phone for the time, be cognizant of how long your meeting is lasting. You may want to set an alarm, but tell the prospect ahead of time that you did so they won't think you are itching to get out of there when they hear "Ava Maria" start playing from your phone.
The key to all of this is using some basic leadership skills. You may be a guest in their home, but you are also there for business purposes. Taking charge doesn't mean you have to be rude, just keeping your client focused on the topic at hand.
If your prospect asks questions, answer them and get back to your subject. Much like a horse that goes off the trail, you may have to rein your client back onto the path you desire.
I hope this was helpful information. In the next post I will discuss how to work with group meetings effectively. Stay productive healthy!
Chris Castanes is a professional speaker who helps sales people succeed through workshops and humorous presentations. He's also the author of "You're Going To Be Great At This!", a humorous look at sales. For booking information, click here. He's also the president of Surf Financial Brokers selling life and disability insurance in several states.
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