3 simple tweaks to improve your sales meetings.It's frustrating when seemingly eager prospects don't...

3 simple tweaks to improve your sales meetings.

It's frustrating when seemingly eager prospects don't commit to a project.

The ugly truth is many sales meetings are 'grey zones' of business boredom. Even the good ones can end up as 'interesting conversations' that go nowhere … slowly.

It's a shame because it's easy to change the whole dynamic and leave prospects impressed, wanting more and ready for action.

3 tweaks to improve your sales meetings:

1: Stop marketing and start selling.

Consultants confuse marketing and sales conversations. These may appear similar but they have very different objectives.

Marketing conversations establish your credentials. But don't lead with slide decks about your consultancy and your process. That's boring … do something unexpected instead.

Start with a provocative point-of-view and move things into the 'red zone'. Talk about issues that are going to rock the prospects's agenda.

This positions you as a 'thought leader' and a 'red zone' business critical conversation generates interest and curiosity.

And, if you don't how to rock your prospect's agenda, please get in touch.

2: If you don't have a plan, stay in the car.

This idea comes from the title of a book by Mack Hanan. Consultants spend huge amounts of time and money getting sales leads. Then blow the first meeting because they 'wing it' with a general pitch for their services. In contrast, remarkable consultants prepare for sales meetings like they would for any other project.

They write a plan to get the outcome they want. And they are comfortable sharing their agenda with the prospect. They'll ask the prospect if that fits with what they want to achieve too.

This sets the prospect's mind at ease and sets relationship expectations. It allows prospects to feel safe and secure.

3: Make requests and notice responses.

Many sales meetings end in nothingness because the consultant fails to 'make an ask'. Yet that's the best way to gauge a prospects appetite for action. Then see how they react.

If the prospect won't commit to your request, you must find out what's stopping them … before you invest more time.That's qualification and it's far better to know that prospects are being polite, rather than leave the meeting thinking they are interested.

Using simple tweaks like these, to keep your prospect meetings on track for your outcome. That way you'll move from 'interesting conversations' to closing more contracts.

Let me know how you get on."