Wednesday 26 July - Set the agenda for the conversation you need

Hello Subscriber,

This week, we’re reviewing how we can lead meetings with customers where we spend less time talking about what we’re selling. We’ve already focused on being aware of the amount of time we spend talking, And yesterday was all about asking great open questions.

But what happens when customers expect you to do all the talking? Perhaps they agreed to meet with you to learn more about what you’re selling. Won’t they be frustrated if you try to get them talking?

You need to set the agenda for every meeting so that time is spent most effectively.

Here’s a typical agenda for a first meeting with a potential customer:

1. Start by setting the agenda for the rest of the meeting time, especially about how you’re about to ask some questions:

   1. Agree on an agenda

   2. Brief initial presentation

   3. Ask questions “to learn more about this specific customer situation”

   4. Work out together what will happen next

   5. Agree on the next actions

2. Next comes a very brief initial presentation about what you’re selling, choosing carefully what to share based on your research about this customer. Ideally, this initial presentation is no more than five minutes.

3. Then you have permission to ask your terrific questions.

4. Depending on what you learn, you can choose what happens next.

5. Remain aware of the need to finish every meeting with clearly agreed next actions. (this is the focus of your Daily Sales Reset email tomorrow)

Here’s one area of practice to emphasise today.

Most customers expect a presentation or demonstration

• Most salespeople try to sell by presenting or demonstrating what they’re selling.

• This means that most customers expect this kind of meeting with you.

• It’s necessary for you to shift their expectations so that they’re not frustrated when you start asking your great questions.

• The best way to get permission to ask questions is to help customers understand the value to them of answering your questions.

• Their answers will enable you to make good connections between this customer’s unique situation and your products and services.

• This is why we need to set the agenda at the start of the meeting.

To Repeat: One area of practice to emphasise today.

What does success with today’s practice look like?

• Success in setting the agenda at the beginning of every first meeting with customers means that you will start asking great questions faster in the meeting.

• You’ll spend less time talking about what you’re selling and more time asking questions and helping your customer to understand their situation.

• Your customers will feel more secure with you because your clear agendas will enable them to have greater confidence that you know what you’re doing.

• You will get to the end of each meeting with a more clearly defined understanding of this customer’s unique situation and needs.

Coaching Focus

Here are some suggestions about what your sales team leader or coach can do to help you with today’s practice focus.

You could invite your sales team leader or coach to help you to:

1. Review your planned agendas for the most significant next meetings.
   

2. After meetings where you have practised setting the agenda, ask you about how the meetings developed and what you learned from the exercise.

Final Reminder: One area of practice to emphasise today

If you have questions or comments, it would be great to hear from you. Just hit reply and send me an email.

Have a great day!

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