1/9/2024-Anatomy of a Sales Call (Part 1 of 2)

Your buyer relaxes the second you present a formal agenda because they know you won’t waste their time. There IS no downside to using agenda, so get disciplined and do it!

The formula for customer pitch meetings is fairly standard: pleasantries, agenda, the meat of the meeting, and then "next steps." Boom, you’re done. Everyone drives home happy.

The meat you serve – the info exchange and pitching – should be scripted by preparing an agenda.

Using agendas in a disciplined manner shows the buyer you are in control and won’t waste their time. It’s your power trust move…and it will promote a productive and open discussion.

If you don’t first gain trust, you’ll have little shot of buyer receptivity to anything you talk about in the meeting.

Today, create an agenda you will use in your next client pitch meeting featuring a thoughtful and strong meeting goal.

Don’t fall into the more is more trap by creating many agenda items…stick to ONE meeting goal. Other issues will arise organically during the meeting…great!…you’ll deal with them as they pop up.

Your agenda prep should include creating three open-ended strategic questions you must ask your customer in the meeting. The answers you get will help you frame your value prop!

"Why am I here?"

Assume that’s what your buyer asks themselves at minute one of your meeting.

If you can’t clearly present the purpose of your meeting, you’ll lose your buyer’s attention for that meeting…and perhaps forever.

Your sales game will improve the second you make a habit of creating agendas for every pitch meeting for three specific reasons:
1. It forces your detailed preparation for your interaction with the customer.
2. When shared with the customer beforehand, it creates a collaboration that guarantees meeting productivity.
3. When presented to open the meeting, it establishes your control and gains the buyer’s trust.

Focus your agendas on what the customer wants and needs from the interaction, not what you need. Don’t worry, you’ll get your licks in, but you must first earn their trust by proving you truly care about them, and them only.

There IS no downside to using agendas! And because time in front of your customer is the most sacred of all selling time, you owe it to yourself – and them – to prepare the right way.

Nothing is worse for a buyer than listening to a scripted, one-size-fits-all value prop.

This 3-minute satirical clip brilliantly regurgitates every business cliche you can imagine. It will inspire you to think about your selling language in pitch meetings.

Mostly, preparing thoroughly for your meetings and using agendas will help you speak like a human, not a cliche machine.