For business consultant, first meeting with a prospective is crucial for business development and survive. However, most consultant, when face with the wining opportunity, due to wrong process or unsuitable tacit, lost chance to do business with new client. Even experienced consultant, if handle inappropriate, will lost the precious chance of both market and contact building.
Most chance of meeting with new client comes from problem they faced and want you find solution. They find you, because they believe you can solve their problem. They call you to come to their office, because they must make sure you are the right person and you are capable of their budgeting. Business consultant must carefully design strategy for this chance in order to win not only the chance but also opportunity to grow and prosperity.
Several tips for this occasion can be helpful. Before we start out, consultant must figure out that why client call him and what goals should achieve.
Preparation. Before meet with client, consultant should prepare for this event carefully. Set up agent for discussing beforehand is reasonable, as it can guide everyone participated focus on what is important for the occasions. Be cautions for your role as expert, and do homework to prepare for cases to analyze and previous client reference and testimony all of which is to increase your credit. It may be helpful that you get latest event about their business for initiated contact, because it makes you more acceptable and trustworthy.
Marketing. Marketing is center of the event, without it the wining chance turns out as an ordinary get together party and consultant will lose both money and reputation. Consulting business is a trust business, so before your start marketing, make sure that client trust you. Building your credit systematically. From your background and previous client, and from your social media to your publish, make sure that client trust your about your ability. Keep in mind, what you want to sale and advocated in this accession is nothing but yourself. Be confident about your expertise for no one in this meeting is knowledgeable than you, as your experience similar situation and problem in different client. Be sure of establishing your value and contribution of the assignment. What you market is nothing but value. If you cannot advocate your value clearly, then client will drag you to the process and wastes a lot of your energy.
Results. Confirm results with man who write your check before the meeting is over; otherwise you will be troubled by doorkeeper for a long time. Get message clearly from boss no matter how difficulty it would be; ask the man what should do next step after the meeting. By doing so, results of the meeting is self-show, and consultant should waste no time waiting. If boss think you are OK, then go home to prepare detail proposal, and if boss think you are mediocre, then you know that your lose the chance.
First meeting with new client means a new journey and new friends, and after all probably new business and new chance for your business to grow. So remember that well prepare for the event, get credit from your client, and then marketing and advocating your value, eventually get results your desired.
