THE BARD GROUP, LLC

OBJECTIVEs

Manage the meeting so that the client hears your story in a way that they believe is all about them.
Create the optimal conditions to engage the client so they feel heard and understood.
Get your key points across clearly and succinctly.
Optimize the time you have been given, using the time to your advantage.
Guide them to where you can align their challenges with your solutions based on what you learn is most important to them.

CHALLENGES

85% of executives believe that sales meetings are a waste of time. Their experience is that sales meetings are not about them and their needs, but all about the sales team and their sales pitch. They see this pattern time and again.
Without a structure that provides a beginning, middle, and end to the meeting, your ability to direct the meeting and guide the conversation is greatly diminished.
You find yourself too often running out of time in meetings before you get your key points across.

TECHNIQUES

You have built your story, and you have refined your presentation. Now it is time to structure the meeting. Here’s how an effective sales meeting breaks down.

A. The opening

1. Engage them in pleasantries — make it about THEM and show your interest in them.

2. Confirm how much time you have.

Example:

”I understand we have 60 minutes which will take us to 1:30, does that still work for you?”

This simple act of courtesy shows respect for the client and lets them know that you are focused on their needs. Based on the client's response, it also lets you and your team know that you may need to make adjustments and should start to think now about how to do so.

3. Make the round of introductions.

You have two ways to make introductions. Decide in advance which direction you are going to go.

Option 1 Each team member introduces themselves.

This approach allows the client to begin to feel a connection with each person. Be sure each team member's personality genuinely shines through; you do not want repetitive, robotic, or overly rehearsed introductions.

Option 2 The Team Lead does all of the introductions.

This approach allows the facilitator to say great things about the team members that they could not say themselves. It builds up the team’s credibility and demonstrates the facilitator’s respect for each person.

Either way, introductions should be crisp and include the following:

What you do (not your title) and the topic you will cover

How you will add value to the conversation and to the client

4. Share the flow of the meeting and ask for the client’s input.

Your goal in sharing the flow is to make the client comfortable with how the meeting will unfold. Once the client knows where they are going, they can relax and focus on you and your message.

Example:

“Based on what you shared with us last week, we thought we would cover four key areas today. 1…, 2…, 3…, 4…That will take 45 of our 60 minutes so we have time to get to your questions and thoughts. What else do you want to make sure you take from our time together today?”

Asking for their input tells them you are focused on their needs. They will appreciate the fact that you involved them in deciding how to spend the time today.

The more you engage them, the more they will begin to trust you.

What they share when they respond will help you direct the rest of the conversation to what is most important to them. Be ready to modify your presentation in real-time-based on their input.

TIP: Ideally, as you walk through what you plan to cover, aim to tee up your 3 key messages. You will elaborate on these throughout the presentation, and reinforce them in the Close.

5. Gain agreement on their challenge.

The client will only accept your solution if they have first bought into their challenge, so now is the time to get them talking about their situation.

You do NOT want to go straight to the big question: “What are your challenges?” It is too off-putting. This early in the meeting, the client is still deciding how much they trust you and how much information they are comfortable sharing.

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Instead, soften the question by giving them something to react to, making it easier and safer for them to respond.

You must prepare this in advance of the meeting. Select one of the following:

Option A Share what other clients are experiencing.

Example:

“One of the biggest challenges we hear from our clients is X. That is something we are very focused on. What are you seeing around this?”

Option B Offer a bold, thought-provoking observation — a statistic, image, or headline.

Example:

“Everything you read today, like this headline, points to...how do you see that and how are you working that into your planning?”

Option C Summarize what you know about them and their situation and ask if you have it right.

Example:

“From the research we have done in anticipation of today’s meeting, we learned… and …and …How does that fit with what you are experiencing?”

Your client will appreciate that you prepared for this conversation in advance, because it demonstrates that you genuinely want to understand them better.

B. The core

These techniques will help you move the meeting along, while continuing to engage the client, and guide them to where your solutions align with their challenges.

1. Clear each slide

Verbally headline the main message of each slide before you dive into the key points. Once the client knows what they are looking at, they can relax and follow you as you take them through the details.

Example:

“This slide is essentially saying X. Let me now walk you through what you are seeing here.”

Do the same for graphs or charts. Tell them in a simple sentence what they are looking at before you begin your explanation.

Example:

“What you are looking at is a graph of…the horizontal axis tells us…and the vertical
axis is …”

2. Facilitate elegant handoffs from one team member and section to the next.

Decide in advance if the Team Lead will manage the handoffs or if the current speaker will turn it over to the next speaker.

Plan to use summaries and previews. Summaries remind your client what was just covered and highlight what you want them to remember. Previews tell the client what is coming next or how you are going to develop a point further.

Close off the last section with a summary and check in with the client before moving on by asking an open-ended question.

Example:

“Before I hand off to Jack who is going to walk us through X, what questions can I answer or additional thoughts do you have?”

Drill down on anything you hear them say that you think may still be an open question in their minds.

When you are ready to move to the next section, preview where you are going and how much time it will take, then check in once again.

Example:

“Over the next 15 minutes, I want to walk you through a, b, c,…What specifically do you want to be sure we cover on this new topic?

At the end of this new section, summarize and handoff again.

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C. The close

1. Leave them with the 3 things you want them to remember.

Your close should summarize your 3 key messages while reflecting what you heard during the meeting. You are in effect telling them what you want them to remember after you leave. Imagine finishing this sentence:

"If you only remember three things from this meeting, it should be 1,...2...and 3..."

Use their words and comments to connect your solutions with their challenges.

Share why you are excited and confident that you can uniquely solve their challenges. You cannot ask the audience to be excited if they do not feel your excitement.
Keep it short! You are not reselling. You are not telling them again. You are summarizing using as few words as possible.

They are right on the edge of having mentally moved on because they think the close is perfunctory. Give them something strong that will get their attention and stay with them.

2. Ask for the next step.

Always ask for the next step. Have an idea going into the meeting what it might be and share it with the team so you are all working toward the same goal.

Your request will be a judgement call in real-time based on how the meeting went.

3. Thank them.

Thank them and reinforce that you are very much looking forward to working with them.

Make it genuine. If it sounds formulaic, you do more harm than good.

ADVANTAGES TO YOU

You control the meeting — the time, the message, and the direction of the conversation.
You feel confident that you are clearly communicating your key messaging.
You build trust and gain a better understanding of their challenges.
You are able to uniquely align your solutions to their situation.

ADVANTAGES TO THE CLIENT

Your clients are able to relax and pay more attention because they know the path they are on and you are guiding them.
They learn something in the form of information that will help them or a perspective they had not yet considered.
They easily understand what makes you unique.
They can easily remember and repeat how you are different to others in their organization.
They can justify their decision within their organization.