By Madelyn Ferdock, Marketing Assistant
Feeling nervous about presenting? We’ve all been there. It’s normal to have a few pre-meeting nerves. For some people, presenting comes naturally and for others, it’s similar to pulling teeth.
With millions in sales, Sales-Link Inc. understands the pressure of being prepared for your meetings. We asked our sales associates how they are so successful in their meetings and came up with the top 5 tips you see here.
Whether you are presenting to folks in house or to a potential client, our Top 5 Pre-Meeting Prep Tips will help you!
Have an agenda
Preparing the night before a big meeting simply won’t do. You need to know where you want your meeting to begin and end. Depending on the room you are presenting to, the topic could easily become side-tracked by questions. It is vital that you know your agenda, so you can steer the conversation back to the topic at hand.
Do your homework
Research is key to successfully preparing for any meeting. A simple Google search could get you the results you need, but you might have to do some digging to find it all.
Remember to scroll through the prospect’s social media as well so you are up-to-date on any campaigns they may currently be running.
With Pharma BDI you can customize your pharma, biotech, and diagnostic industry newsfeed. Save news search queues to populate your newsfeed with topics about and by the companies you’re interested in. Pre-set preferences to have this news delivered right to your inbox and dashboard.
Be social
We always encourage our clients to introduce themselves to the meeting’s main point of contact (POC) at least a week before they are set to meet. This demonstrates your interest and commitment to getting to know the prospect.
With Pharma BDI, all prospects that appear in your search queues have an email and phone number attached. Rather than sending you on a wild goose chase for an email or phone number, Pharma BDI presents you with prospects on a virtual silver platter.
Make small talk
If you’re afraid of small talk, you simply need to practice! Read the Forbes article, An Introvert’s Guide To Small Talk: Eight Painless Tips by Christina Park. Next time you are waiting for your food or sitting next to someone at the bus stop, try out some of the things you learned!
Still searching for topics to get you started with the meeting attendees? If you did your homework, you will have reviewed the company’s social media graphics. Feel free to complement their content, graphics, or performance to get the conversation flowing!
Keep an open mind
Customers can come from the most unexpected places. Meetings may not go as planned, but If you have followed the four steps above, you may still have a chance. Stick to your agenda, use the info from your research, and rely on the rapport you created with the POC to keep the conversation going. Never say “never,” there’s always a chance. Clients want flexibility, so be willing to bend. Remember that while you may be looking to sell your product or service, the client is looking to make an investment.