Gearing Up for a Successful Sales Meeting

Gearing Up for a Successful Sales Meeting

In sales, the ultimate goal is going to be the face-to-face meeting. If you have a solid sales appointment, the meeting will go well. How can you prepare yourself for the in person meeting?

1.Qualify your prospect. Gather as much information available on your prospect during the initial qualification process. Set up qualifying factors that should be met in order for this contact to be considered qualified. Factors might include certain business types, currently using a competitor’s service or just have a true need for your product or service. Gathering this information in the beginning will benefit you later in the sales process.

Correct contact. Verify the person you are meeting with is the decision maker. If you are spending time selling to the wrong person, it will waste time in closing the sale.

Benefits. How can your product or service benefit the client? Know your product or service and the benefits to the client. If your offering will not save the contact money or make their job easier, chances are you will not get the sale.

Sales Cycles. Know the sales cycle for this organization. If they are using a calendar budget year, chances are they are not looking to take on new products in June unless already allowed in the budget. Set up calls and meetings according to the needs of the organization you are contacting.

2.Objections. Prepare a list of possible objections and responses. With any type of sales, you will encounter the most common objections: “I don’t have the budget right now, or I don’t think your product would benefit me”.

Do your homework. Use available resources to research the company you would like to pursue. Visit the company website and view information on products, services, management bios, and overall company information to assist in direction with your sales approach. Being prepared for a sales meeting will give you the edge needed to close the sale.