Good old fashioned face-to-face meetings remain more in demand than ever.
Because the modern landscape is rife with new technologies disrupting traditional business, people crave familiarity and human connection.
Scheduling regular, in-person meetings is a fantastic way to make sure that your clients feel heard & their concerns understood.
After a combined one hundred and fifty years in the business, we’ve compiled our top tips to make sure you leave a good impression in your next meeting.
Try To Mirror Their Points During Conversation For Better Understanding
Mirroring is a method that helps you better understand your client and show them that you’re listening intently.
A common way to use mirroring is to rephrase back to your client what they just said.
This lets you clarify that:
- You understand their concern or point of interest
- They now know that the both of you are on the same page
Doing this regularly is a great way to ensure the two of you are aligned on the path moving forward.
Moreover, it will make your client feel heard and understood. There’s nothing more off putting to a client than someone trying to tell them how to run their business because they think they know best.
Remember: your client has agreed to this meeting likely because they have something they wish to say.
Not listening is probably the worst thing you can do!
Ask Relevant Questions To Ensure Clarity
While mirroring is an effective strategy to make your client feel heard in-person, you don’t want to just be a repeating parrot!
So make sure you ask your client relevant questions about their:
- Business
- Important projects
- Deliverables
- How satisfied they are with your services
- Any topics they may have brought up during the meeting
Asking to elaborate on any of these points will help you gain a deeper understanding of your client’s needs.
After all, all of the above will be relevant to you at some point. The better you understand your client’s business, the better you can help them.
Additionally, each question is an indication to the client that you truly want to understand them better. Call it old fashioned, but we call it caring!
Always Remember The Small Details
Remembering small details – such as their family members or hobbies – is definitely more nuanced than the other two tips on the list.
In fact, the payoff might not be immediately recognisable.
But the payoff is surprisingly large: bringing up these small details could turn your client into a lifelong customer!
As an example: addressing your client by their first name in-person is a polite and powerful way to make them feel appreciated. It’s a way to elevate your working relationship to a friendly one, without crossing any boundaries.
Most people do not expect you to remember things they said in passing either, let alone ask them about them.
This is a great addition to our second point, in that you don’t just ask questions to sound interested: you are genuinely interested in your client’s life.
Plus, everyone prefers working with someone they genuinely like!
Now, How To Make Your Business Feel Financially Valued!
At The A firm, we are wholly invested in the wellbeing and continued success of our clients.
We’re focused on long term (and we mean long!) working relationships.
How invested are you in the long term success of your business?
If the answer was Yes! (we hope it was) then call our friendly team today!