When a prospective client gives you a few precious moments of their time, you have already passed through the first round of approval. They have either done their research online or have been referred to you by a trusted source. They wouldn’t be meeting with you if they weren’t interested, so instead of talking about yourself and your company, start the meeting off by asking your prospective client an important question: “Can you tell me more about you and what your company does?”
Of course you’ve done your homework and looked them up. You know about their brand and what they do, but what that prospect tells you is going to reveal three key factors that will help you land the sale.
#1 Their Identity
Not every company’s branding will match how they internally view themselves. When you ask them to tell you more about the company, they will reveal how the employees see the company. You might get an interesting piece of their origin or hear the vision for where the company is heading. This will give you valuable insight into how you can fit into their story and help them get where they want to go.
#2 Their Priorities
Asking them to tell you more will unveil what the company’s priorities are. You might find out they are driven heavily by financial goals or giving back to the community. Often people will give you glimpses into the company’s culture, and these insights will show you where to focus and what matters most to them.
#3 Their Needs
When you ask your potential client an important question about themselves, they will explain why they are here. Are they growing at a rapid pace and need additional help? Is their target audience changing, and they’re losing revenue? Are they shifting gears in their product line and need help communicating the change to their customers?
Understanding what their needs are lets you know exactly what products and services to talk about. They don’t want to hear all about your full product line. Address their needs and how you can help. If you solve their problem, you’ll earn the right to introduce them to more.
By taking the time to get to know a company’s identity, priorities, and needs, you’re letting that prospective client know that they matter to you and you care about helping them succeed. It also allows you to maximize your time with them and focus your conversation on how you can help solve their problem.
The next important questions we will cover are How Can I Help? and What Questions Do You Have?