When visiting a new client for the first time, doing a few things can make a big difference to your sales call and increase your chance of getting repeat business from the same client, with much less of an effort. These things are nothing but general courtesy and plain common sense. However, the impact you can create with these can be immensely rewarding over the future.Get friendly with the office staff.
As you make your way into the client’s cabin, make sure to extend a courteous hello and a mild introduction of yourself to all the clients’ office staff that you come across, like the receptionist, the junior executives or his personal secretary.
However, you must not get over imposing about making your presence felt, to such an extent that you try to introduce yourself by interrupting their work. In most situations, you may not get a chance to share more than your name with them, and even that’s fine. Don’t push yourself too hard, or they may just fire back.
The front desk staff is the most important, as they can give you some substantial information about the company or the person you are about to meet, which can come in handy when you’re inside the client’s cabin.If you’ve left a nice impression on everyone during your first sales call, you will be warmly welcomed by the client’s office staff on your repeat visits. Also, in case you have to meet the client without prior appointment, these front desk people and his junior executives may willingly try to accommodate you, even if the waiting queue is very long.
When you land up in your client’s cabin, don’t forget to show these basic courtesies. Because most clients don’t finalize deals looking only at your business proposition, they want to be sure they are dealing with the right people. And showing your basic courtesies, on your first sales call, will create a sound impression on your client, which will eventually ensure that you get more repeat business from him.
And finally, when you’re leaving after the sales call, do extend a warm thank you to all the people who helped you in your way in. In sales it is good to know more and more people, and following these plain courtesies can make you popular in the offices of most of your clients.