7 Tips for A Successful Sales Meeting

06/07/2018

Sales teams are an integral part of any logistics company. A successful team can increase revenue, close operations gaps, and are often brand ambassadors for your brand.

The internet is full of research and articles about the sales industry to increase client trust and company value, but there’s nothing like the experience of the people on the ground.

Here are seven tips our iTN Worldwide sales team thinks could help your company reach more sales and close business.

Research

It seems obvious right? People often forget to research thoroughly what a company specializes in, the history of the directors, or maybe the vision the company has for future growth. Don’t be that person that asks questions that can easily be found through a Google search. If you’re prospecting a client or company take interest in their business. Sign up for their newsletter, follow the company’s social channels or connect with executives on LinkedIn. Knowledge is power.

Ask open-ended questions

Great salespeople are good listeners. Remember you’re there to see how you could improve this persons business and life with your service, let them reveal their needs. While they’re explaining their process, you’ll have time to formulate how your company fits into their daily operations. Think about the services you have to offer, mention them and plan a proposal for a follow-up meeting.

Sometimes you’ll hit a wall

You may interact with a customer that tells you they are not interested in your service because they are happily satisfied with their current carriers. Even when you feel you’ve hit a wall these interactions have opportunities for growth. Ask the customer what it is about their current partner that captivates their loyalty- at best you’re learning about a process your company can adopt, or you have an insight to how you’re company can provide better service than their current carrier. Any feedback you get is acquired knowledge.

A Successful Meeting is Like a Good Story

You have to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Open the meeting strong, discuss the potential client’s needs and how you can improve upon them, and end with a conclusion. It’s always important to reiterate what the customer is expecting of you from your time together and what you will be providing to them post meeting.

Have a Goal in Mind

It’s smart to have objectives for the meeting and to state them to your prospective clients. You can have a guideline or an agenda for the meeting to keep you and the client on track. Remember to be flexible. No one is immune to life and things can always change on the fly, your customer will appreciate your understanding and will be impressed at your ability to switch gears on their time or needs.

You May Have To Meet More Than Once

To gain a new client you may have to have more than one meeting. That’s why it’s so essential to be prepared and make sure you’re understanding is clear about what the customer expects. Your presence is important and everlasting and your impression and energy can be the dealmaker or dealbreaker. Even if the first meeting didn’t go so well, plan on a second visit or create a proposal or incentive to get in front of that potential client again.

Follow Up

This is the most important rule of any career in sales, in fact, it may be the secret to life. Following up on potential customers can often lead to new sales or feedback. How many times have you been on the receiving end of a great first impression but no follow through? People are busy and life is fast, but a follow-up email or call is always best to remind your potential client of who you are and what you can bring to their table.

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Written by Christian Portilla