Getting your client meetings to bloom
We may live in a virtual world. But one thing that hasn’t changed is the need for client meetings in business. The thing about client meetings is that they can be great and they can be awful. Sometimes you might not know which way they are going to go.
Good client meetings will leave you feeling energised, that you have moved forward and built on the relationship.
Bad meetings will leave you feeling drained, that you haven’t managed to accomplish anything. And even worse, your client is actually unhappy.
You may think that there isn’t much you can do to make a meeting swing either way, but there actually is. To help you make sure that you have the best client meeting possible, here are three things that you should try.
Always have an agenda
There is absolutely no excuse not to have an agenda for a client meeting. They don’t take long to draw up. They don’t have to contain that much detail. The simple fact is that they are there. They make sure there are going to be no surprises during the meeting and everyone is on the same page.
Not only this but having an agenda means that everyone who is attending the meeting can actually prepare themselves and bring everything they need. Which will make things run much smoother. How many times have you been to a meeting, where you get blank looks when you’ve asked a question? It’s time to avoid that scenario once and for all.
Finally, by creating an agenda and highlighting the things to discuss, you are giving your clients a chance to think about what they want to bring up. They are able to add in their input, which will ensure that everyone’s goals are met.
Send out a recap straight after the meeting
Whilst this may come after the meeting, sending out a recap is one way that you can make sure that everyone understands what was discussed. That everything is clear. It doesn’t have to be detailed, it needs to cover the key points and also what is actionable (and who is responsible). This will make sure that everyone knows the outcomes and the next steps. You should aim to send this recap straight after the meeting and definitely within 24 hours before either side forget what they committed too.
Follow up
For any actions set at the meeting, it is important that you ensure that these have been followed up. If they are for you to do, then get to work on them and keep everyone updated. Not yours, then chase them up and provide an update to everyone who attended the meeting. Even if there isn’t much to show, knowing that you are working on it is going to be seen in a positive light.
Having a client meeting go well is not only a great feeling, but it is also going to be good for business. Which is something that you are always going to want.
Interested to find out how I help professional service firms and businesses? Take a look at what I offer below.
