I was working with a client yesterday on knowing “what next?” with their prospects and clients. It’s a huge part of controlling the sales process.
What we discovered is that my client is clear about what they THINK is going to happen, but they haven’t shared it with their customer!
How do you know if you’re all on the same page? Your customer may have an entirely different plan.
Here are 6 things to do every time you leave a meeting so that you are in control of the process, and your client is never surprised:
- If your gut is nagging you, something has been left unsaid; never leave with a nagging feeling.
- Always recap what you’ve heard in the meeting and make a suggestion for what you think the next step should be; remember your prospect is looking for you to lead them.
- If there is no next step, don’t try to make something up! Be okay with saying, “goodbye, we’re not a good fit.”
- If you know there is something there, but you’re not sure “what’s next?” it’s okay to say so. Say something like, “I would like to digest what we discussed today. I think there is a reason for us to meet again, but I’m not sure what should happen next. I’ll be in touch in the next day or so with some ideas on how to move forward.” It’s still a clear future. No one is wondering “what’s going to happen after you leave?”
- Your “clear future” should be how you open the next meeting. “Mr. Smith, we agreed in our last meeting that today we would talk about signing a contract….”
- Your meetings should be followed up with a recap, either by letter or e-mail. The recap should state what you heard, what you decided to do and when you will do it.
In our training, we work with our clients on always having a “clear future.” How many of you have left a meeting thinking it was a good meeting but also saying to yourself, “I wonder if I should call them? Should I send an e-mail? Maybe I should wait for them to call me”?
A “clear future” is a great tool for keeping the right deals in your funnel and to keep those deals moving forward.
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Great ideas, Brooke. I’d also add that if you leave a meeting without an agreed follow-on plan and it’s nagging you, call the prospect as soon as you return to the office and discuss the next step. The prospect will usually be happy to take your call, too. I suggest calling from the office rather than the car, as you may be in a situation where you’ll want to take a few notes.