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Having my first couple of meetings tomorrow - advice please

by abozeb
14 replies
I finally got a couple of meetings (selling SEO/PPC) and I'm very excited, but I think I need some advice about the selling process in the meeting.

On the phone I only concentrated on getting the meeting, and only explained very briefly that I help companies getting more clients etc. So whats the next step? I have done my research of course, but I was wondering if I should do some analysis and show them some figures? Or is it to early?

What I'm basically trying to ask is what goals should I have for the meeting? I don't think I will close directly, as the companies are a bit large and from my experience the companies are going to need some time researching my services.

Thanks!
#advice #couple #meetings #tomorrow
  • Profile picture of the author mvwolf
    Originally Posted by abozeb View Post

    I finally got a couple of meetings (selling SEO/PPC) and I'm very excited, but I think I need some advice about the selling process in the meeting.

    On the phone I only concentrated on getting the meeting, and only explained very briefly that I help companies getting more clients etc. So whats the next step? I have done my research of course, but I was wondering if I should do some analysis and show them some figures? Or is it to early?

    What I'm basically trying to ask is what goals should I have for the meeting? I don't think I will close directly, as the companies are a bit large and from my experience the companies are going to need some time researching my services.

    Thanks!
    Oh man, I'm sorry to say this, but you can't prepare for that in one day...

    In my opinion, the best thing you can do is to find a someone who is a professional seller to explain it to you in person. Find a life insurance agent if you can or something like that...
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    Heh you should have been clear about and gone over the meeting objectives with your prospects when you set the meeting.

    And then go over them again when you arrive to make sure things stayed the same.

    Some ideas:

    What are they doing now?

    How has that been working? What are they unhappy about? Happy about?

    If everything was working perfectly for them, what would that look like?

    (Can you achieve that?)

    What's standing in the way of getting there?

    You need a consistent sales process, or you're going to get lost.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jamie Ambition
    Great advice from Jason above.

    Building on his points - try to identify pain points; things that are troubling them that they need a solution to. Tap in to these and show you can solve their problems. This could be anything, be aware and adapt during your discussion.

    If they're willing to disclose it - find out their average customer's lifetime worth. If their average customer is worth 1K and you can bring 1-2 customers a month you can make them 1-2K per month (potentially), then price your services accordingly. Make them aware of the numbers. Focus on ROI, that's what they're interested in.

    Don't be intimidated. You provide a great service that they NEED. Act like it.

    Hope it goes well. If the worst happens, it's a great learning experience and stepping stone. Sounds cliché, but you'll learn a lot whatever the outcome. Just get stuck in.
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    • Profile picture of the author Anthem40
      With you being under the gun, depending on your work ethic, I would spend several hours on youtube looking up videos on sales processes. For now, you ought to consider looking up ideas around consultive sales processes. That is probably going to be your best bet in such a small amount of time.

      Another idea in addition to the others, is to make sure you don't overwhelm the clients with acronyms and industry speak. SEM, SEO, CPC, CPM etc are more than likely going to leave their head spinning. Talk to them about new leads, more cash, more conversions, better visibility etc.
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    • Profile picture of the author mvwolf
      Originally Posted by Jamie Ambition View Post

      Hope it goes well. If the worst happens, it's a great learning experience and stepping stone. Sounds cliché, but you'll learn a lot whatever the outcome. Just get stuck in.
      That's a really good point Jamie, I also think that he will have a good learning experience for future whatever the outcome. There is no failure in life, only feedback (learning experience)...

      (After some searching, I found my favorite quote about the subject:

      "Success comes from good judgment. Good judgment comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgment."
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      • Profile picture of the author David Miller
        I fully agree with all the information that's been provided in the previous posts. I'm a little surprised that the most important factor seems to be missing.

        As said above, it's critical that you identify needs of prospect, but it's equally important to be ready to show how your product/service addresses those needs. To put it in the most basic of sales terminology, you'll need to show the benefits of your product or service.
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        The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
        -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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        • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
          Originally Posted by David Miller View Post

          I fully agree with all the information that's been provided in the previous posts. I'm a little surprised that the most important factor seems to be missing.

          As said above, it's critical that you identify needs of prospect, but it's equally important to be ready to show how your product/service addresses those needs. To put it in the most basic of sales terminology, you'll need to show the benefits of your product or service.
          In my experience, prospects buy for their reasons, not mine. So me slinging a bunch of features & benefits at them won't work well. Most will bounce right off. That's my experience: yours could be different.

          By finding out what the prospect's "perfect world" is, and determining if I can help them achieve that, I get to the key benefit and there isn't much competition there.

          An example from the IT world: I sold accounting software. People would buy. But they wouldn't buy for the 500 things it did: they bought for 3 or 4. In fact, they didn't really care about the 496 other things. Perhaps months later they would, but not at the time of the sale.

          Yes, you need to know the benefits of your product or service. But getting your prospect to tell you what they value and want is far more powerful than machine-gunning them with what you think is important and hoping something sticks.
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          • Profile picture of the author David Miller
            Originally Posted by Jason Kanigan View Post


            Yes, you need to know the benefits of your product or service. But getting your prospect to tell you what they value and want is far more powerful than machine-gunning them with what you think is important and hoping something sticks.
            Exactly what I pointed out. What is it that the customer needs...How does your product answer that need. Don't understand the machine gunning remark...but that's neither here nor there.
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            The big lesson in life, baby, is never be scared of anyone or anything.
            -- FRANK SINATRA, quoted in The Way You Wear Your Hat
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            • Profile picture of the author boatree
              With your short time frame, the best thing you can do is think of the meetings as an opportunity to ask questions and gather information.

              Here are some direct action points:

              1. Use all of Jamie/Jasons questions for the meeting
              2. Prepare a pitch of your own services, something that will have you talking about at least 3-5 minutes that you can write out and practice in front of a mirror.

              I have done hundreds upon hundreds of B2B related client meetings and would like to reassure you that when you start asking open ended questions, people start to open up.

              This will get you more comfortable as they are doing the talking initially and you are taking notes.

              Offer little points of feedback as they finish answering each of your questions to show understanding of what they are saying, and move onto the next question on your list.

              Don't be afraid to take a notebook with your questions already written out, so you are following a structured process and you look prepared.

              After you ask all of the questions and have the information written out in your notebook, give them the pitch you practiced in the mirror. This pitch should address information about your company, your company values/worth ethic and why they should give their business to you over your competitors.

              You can of course tailor this slightly on the spot to accommodate any major points they mentioned, whilst answering your questions.

              Due to your lack of B2B sales experience, this is probably the best approach you can take. A more advanced sales person has the capability to close on the first meeting but that depends on a multitude of factors.

              Use the first meeting as the information gathering session/you telling them a little bit about what you can do.

              Lock in a day and time for the second meeting before you leave. This is off the premise that you will come back with a recommendation (not a proposal) for their requirements. This is your closing meeting aka "asking for their business".

              The first meeting preparation should only take you a few hours to prepare at the most. Good luck.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jason Kanigan
    With hardly any changes at all, this script will help you.

    Gets into what Jamie Ambition was talking about.
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  • Profile picture of the author SeoKungFu
    Originally Posted by abozeb View Post

    I finally got a couple of meetings (selling SEO/PPC) and I'm very excited, but I think I need some advice about the selling process in the meeting.

    On the phone I only concentrated on getting the meeting, and only explained very briefly that I help companies getting more clients etc. So whats the next step? I have done my research of course, but I was wondering if I should do some analysis and show them some figures? Or is it to early?

    What I'm basically trying to ask is what goals should I have for the meeting? I don't think I will close directly, as the companies are a bit large and from my experience the companies are going to need some time researching my services.

    Thanks!
    You should try to get as close as possible to closing a deal, duh...
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    Organic SEO NinJah @ http://Project-Syndicate.org
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  • Profile picture of the author kellyyarnsbro
    Give em your best shot, it's a step towards success and this opportunity is not a thing to waste. Good luck mate, enjoy and have fun.
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  • Profile picture of the author AndrewCavanagh
    You can make the whole process a whole lot easier on yourself
    and build a lot of trust by asking intelligent questions and
    listening.

    Trying to sell a service before you even know what's important
    to your prospect, how his business works, what lines make him
    a higher profit, what he's selling now, etc etc....that's a recipe
    for failure.

    Ask questions and listen.

    Be genuinely interested in the business owner and his business.

    Take the attitude that you're not going to talk about yourself at
    all for the first hour...just get the business owner talking about
    himself and his business.

    Business owners have a pile of salesman trying to sell them stuff
    without ever making any effort to get to know them or what they
    really need.

    By taking the time to really get to know a business and its owner
    you're positioning yourself as a consultant who really cares and
    a trusted advisor.

    That will take you a long way.

    Kindest regards,
    Andrew Cavanagh
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    Old School Copy Like This Is BACK & Converting Like Crazy!
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    • Profile picture of the author abozeb
      Thanks to all of you, I think a lot of people will also benefit from your advice's.

      And about the meetings, both of them was good. But they were already getting the SEO/PPC services from another provider and signed contracts for a year.

      So I think I should be more specific about what I actually do, as I only tell the companies that I can help them getting more client online.
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