By Mary Donato (President, Applied Principles)
Many studies have been done on what buyers value in their relationships with suppliers. Most of these studies have similar conclusions: buyers value good communication, someone they can trust and salespeople who respect their time. Unfortunately, the studies find that these key attributes are not consistently used by most salespeople.
Although there are many skills that can lead to a relationship built on trust, here are a few tips for client meetings that can help you jumpstart that successful relationship:
1. Before a client meeting, establish an agenda so everyone knows what will be discussed. Allow the client to provide input and to be part of the agenda-building process. It’s always a good idea to ensure everyone understands the objectives. It also shows the client that you respect his time.
2. As you finish your meeting, summarize the key points, and follow up with an e-mail. This minimizes any confusion and shows that you’re smart and reliable, which helps build trust.
3. If you’re walking away with action items, be sure to follow-up by e-mail or phone when completed. Surprisingly, many buyers say only half of the sales reps actually confirm that action items have been addressed. Prompt follow-up, even if there’s a problem in addressing an issue, is another critical step in earning customer trust.
If you’re already doing these three activities consistently, you’re probably enjoying great relationships with your clients. If not, now is the time to differentiate yourself.
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