What you definitely shouldn’t do is boast about your accomplishments and go on and on about your business. People love talking about themselves, and that’s something you can leverage during any first meeting.
Be a valuable interlocutor and prove that you’re different in a good way.
If it’s a potential business partner, talk about their business and their long-term vision. If it’s a potential customer, talk to them about their problems, find out their pain and present them with possible ways to relieve it. Show your worth and let them know what they might get from your cooperation. That way I can get to know them before I meet them, and when I reference something they recently posted or tell them how much I enjoyed a recent podcast they were on, it is a first impression that is sure to last. I find what they like, read content they have created, find places they have been featured and watch videos that they have made. I always make sure to Google them, checking out their website and making sure to read their “About Me” tab. My best tip to making a great first impression with a potential new business partner or client is to do some research before you meet. Today, you have more access to people you have never met than ever before. I’ve used this my entire career, and it has been one of the secret weapons for business development, sales, fundraising and networking. Finally, send a detailed follow-up email from your conversation and hit on your action items. At the end of the discussion, always ask, “What can I do to help you?” and offer up support, expecting nothing in return. Take notes during the chat as it shows you are listening (for me, it forces me to listen). Of course, do your homework on the agenda for the meeting, but these little soft touches make for a better conversation. I use LinkedIn to find a few common threads (locations, colleges, organizations, common connects, etc.) and jot those down. Take a few notes in the notebook ahead of time with some key conversation points from your research about them. Don’t bring your phone or your computer into the meeting for notes. When I meet with a new partner or client, I always bring a notebook (yes, I am a techie who doesn’t believe in notebooks, but they work). The conversation elevates when there’s knowledge being shared on both sides, and it’s more fun! And when fun is had, the first impression is a positive one. Every time I take a potential client meeting, I not only do an SEO audit on the company so I can speak to their strengths and weaknesses, but also on the competition to speak on opportunities. Jared Brown, Hubstaff Talentĭo the homework-on the client, their competitors and the industry. As long as you are generating action items and knocking them out, you’ll move that relationship forward.
Having this agenda also ensures the meeting stays on track, because you spend the time driving towards coming up with the action items. So we make sure there’s a list of things that are clearly communicated that one or both sides will do next. In sales, you never want to end a meeting without a call to action. I believe this is true for both business partners and clients. Sweta Patel, Startup Growth Modeįrom day one you want to make sure you have actionable next steps. You can show them you’re invested in the business by making suggestions after you hear them out. Don’t make the decision right away and make them believe you’re impulsive. This will build confidence with them that you’re making an informed decision. If you’re meeting a potential partner for the first time, get to know them and their business.
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