8/3/2023-Meeting Management

Selling is a series of "one shot to make a good impression," so you must make the most out of your customer meetings. Even if you’ve seen this client a million times, create a meeting agenda!

The meeting is fifteen minutes old, and the prospect won’t shut up. (Yikes.) You have a fake smile plastered to your face while listening to senseless drivel and wondering about your next move.

(WE GOT A DERAILER ON OUR HANDS, FOLKS!)

You glance down at the table and remember you printed your meeting agenda. (Thank goodness.) You wait for a breath break and politely say, "Very interesting stuff…thanks…do you want to stay on that thread, or shall we keep working against our agenda?"

Problem solved.

Wow, look at you. Courage, and strategic usage of an agenda!

Buyers need two things from vendor meetings: they want to be heard, and they want to be led.

The magic wand for both is an agenda: they guide your meeting preparation and help you manage your sacred time with your customer.

Today, create an agenda for your next pitch meeting that includes one to two agenda items. Not three or four. Stay focused.

Presenting agendas to open meetings prevents the "So what’s going on?" small talk from running out the clock. Yes, relationship building is essential, but not at the expense of staying focused on business.

Ever walk out of a meeting with a client banging yourself on the head with a hammer saying, "DAMN, I FORGET TO ASK ABOUT _____" Of course you have.

Ever been in a pitch meeting that completely goes south because of one small issue that blows up? Of course, you have.

Solution: use agendas.

If you feel a little queasy about using agendas when you’re trying to create an informal tone to your meetings…stop that silly thinking right now! (You’re silly.) The benefits you’ll reap from presenting an agenda are too plentiful to ignore.

You’ll appear and be more professional to the buyer by using agendas; they’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness and respect for their time. Wait ’til you sense the customer’s relief that you’re organized when you open meetings like this: "So I prepared this agenda to ensure we’re productive…oh, and certainly if you have other items you want to cover, I’m happy to listen."

Everyone thinks they run a good, fun meeting, yet these folks in this 7-minute clip have mastered it.

It’s pretty clear you won’t make your quota if you copy their blueprint, but you’re gonna wish you could. Enjoy at least the first few minutes of mischief.