You’ve created marketing campaigns that deliver good, qualified leads. Now, it’s time to schedule a meeting to close the deal. Don’t drop the ball! Follow these marketing best practices to sign those new customers.

1. Get In Your Customer’s Head.
Focus on your customer’s state of mind. Most have already invested significant time and money in the research and selection process. Expect potential customers to worry that they might choose the wrong vendor. Be prepared to address those concerns. Case studies, testimonials, samples, and references will help reassure the customer that your firm is a good choice.

2. Watch For Cues.
Everyone prefers different types of communications at different times. Look for patterns: does your potential customer respond faster to phone calls, texts or emails? In the early morning, or while driving to pick up the kids? Structure your communications to fit. Observe their language as they describe their needs. Don’t make them learn your jargon – use their words.

3. Send A Good Invitation.
Your potential customer wants to choose you. Give them every reason to do so. To get the meeting:

• Be specific. Suggest a day and time. Ideally, provide two options. Indicate that you’re open to other times.
• Be compelling. The potential client has a problem to solve. State the problem and state how you can help solve it – in a sentence. Your goal is to pique the client’s interest and remind them why they’ve chosen to speak with you.
• Show interest. Infuse your language with some excitement.

It really doesn’t take much. A potential vendor landed a meeting with us with this email:

“Jane said that you are looking for an accurate, fast and friendly accounting firm to handle your day-to-day bookkeeping needs. I think we’d be the perfect fit for your marketing strategy firm. How about meeting at your office on Tuesday at 10am or Wednesday at 2pm to discuss how we can help? If another day or time is more convenient, tell me when and we’ll make it work. Just in case, here is a link to our website and a few customer testimonials. I look forward to meeting you!”

4. Make It Easy.
Just go to the customer, already. We hear horror stories of potential customers unable to find parking, getting lost in the rain, or missing that last obscure turn to the meeting place you’ve chosen. Why start out on the wrong foot?

5. Work The Meeting.
Listen carefully. Take notes. Answer the client’s questions directly. At the end of the meeting, recommend next steps and timing – and confirm that this works for your potential client. Deliver whatever you’ve promised, on time.

Simple, right? You’d be amazed at how often we see people skip one of the steps above and lose the deal. Don’t drop that ball!