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Whether its an internal client or an external customer, the crucial first meeting where you have your presentation often dictates the kind of partnership you will have and ultimately, determines if the person you present to will be a customer at all. Here are a few things to remember in your next client call to make sure it ends on a high note.

Have the right probing questions

When you are making the presentation, it’s always so tempting to jump into why your product or service is the best. We forget that the product we are offering is only as good as our customers say it is. That being the case, we should give our customers the chance to share how we can help them. Bring four to five questions which you can ask your customer at the beginning of your meeting. Questions such as “What are your challenges with the current process?” or “What kind of improvements do you envision in the next three months?” will allow you to learn about your potential client and also give you the time to maneuver your presentation into one that will most likely provide the most appropriate solution.

Value your customer’s time

There is nothing more annoying than wasting another person’s time. Coming to a meeting late or coming unprepared both communicate that you have little respect for your customer. Relationships that start on this note are very difficult to repair. Come to your meeting ten minutes early so that you can set up your laptop, plug your tablet to the projector or do whatever it is you have to do prior to your scheduled appointment. If you say that the presentation will only take thirty minutes, make sure that you stick to your commitment. If the customer has any questions beyond the time you committed to use, there is no harm in simply asking your customer if he is willing to stay a couple more minutes for you to answer his queries.

Differentiate features from benefits

Yes, there’s a lot your product can do. It saves time, effort and money and only limited resources are needed to start. However, your customer is not just concerned about what your product can do, she is more concerned of what the product can do for her. That is the main difference of a feature from a benefit; features are just the cool attributes of your product while benefits are the attributes that can specifically solve the problem of your customer. When you ask your probing questions, listen carefully to the answers you will get. Chances that you will close the deal are hinged upon the benefits you will present that actually make the life of your customer easier.

Know the power of a thinking pause

A thinking pause is a moment within your presentation where you ask a question, not to get an answer, but simply to allow your customer to think through his decision. If you are selling a house to a couple with three children, your question could go like this– “How do you think the kids will find this garden once we set up the play area?” This question will create a thinking pause for your customer. The thinking pause is that brief moment when the lovely couple starts to imagine a swing, a slide and a see saw in the garden where their kids start to play with the family dog. Do you think you’ve closed the sale? You are one step closer.

End every meeting with action steps

People meet many other people everyday. If you don’t close your meeting with the next steps, you will not be remembered and chances of you getting the other foot in the door will be limited. End each meeting with the action items you will do to move things forward as well as the action items that your customer must do to move things forward. Having this discussion brings commitment from both parties on the table. You can then say goodbye with a smile knowing that you have offered help someone actually needs and you’ve also set up yourself to make a comfortable follow up call based on your agreed action items.

Continue reading »]]> Avoid the trap of hiring misguided fresh graduates. Here are 3 steps to help them deliver what is expected of them and reduce the time to competence.

A common gripe among HR executives I have met is how to instill a better attitude among fresh graduates. For one reason or another, students who are fresh out of college seem to have a sense of entitlement they bring with them on their first day of work. While there are of course exceptions to this bunch, let’s look into some ways to give them better guidance and get them on board faster.

1. Include core values in your orientation

Many companies still give the first day orientation to new hires with the “what to do” and “what not to do” concepts in mind.  Day one offers the fresh graduate a gamut of policies to guide him on the job– from standard office hours to the dress code policy. What some companies often forget is the values that each employee should bring to work and what behaviors accompany these values. The next time you have an orientation for new employees who are fresh out of college, try sharing with them what the company stands for and what behaviors should be exhibited to communicate these core values. It will go a long way in ensuring that your new hires don’t quickly become new fires.

2. Use realistic job previews

n a study conducted by Dr. Ray Glennon of SHL, best of breed organizations provide new hires with online job simulations for them to get a glimpse of what their position entails. A job simulation is an online tool that measures how an employee would most likely respond to the demands of particular job roles such as customer service, sales and administration. From the fresh graduate’s perspective, this makes an impact on the company’s hiring process. While from the company’s perspective, it is another way of telling new hires what your standards are.

3. Find a one-week mentor

Yes, it’s true that most employees are scheduled to report to a manager once they get on board. However, with the daily demands of work, managers often look to these new hires to hit the ground running. Assigning a colleague to mentor the new hire on policies, procedures and “how things work around here” will surely reduce errors and make him feel that he is now aligned with the organization’s strategy. It also doesn’t hurt that he has made one friend at the office.

This blog is written by Anj Vera, Business Alliance Director of Assessment Analytics, January 2013

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A silent but crucial responsibility you have as a leader is challenging your team. This can spell the difference between a productive year and a year of repeats and boredom.

As managers and leaders in our respective organizations, we find ourselves immersed in meeting Mt. Everest-like targets, launching new products or opening new offices across the world. An often overlooked area of importance is how we build and grow our teams with us. Here are three new ways that you can challenge your employees to keep them engaged while also increasing your productivity and setting you up for a year of success.

1. Offer new responsibilities that are currently yours

Delegation is a tricky word—if used the right way, it can reveal time that you can spend in more productive ways; and if used the wrong way, it can be perceived as laziness or complacency. From a manager’s perspective, it is actually many other things. Showing employees that you are entrusting them with some of your responsibilities tells them that their work is important and means a lot to your success. It also communicates that you value their input and want them to expand their learning. Providing employees with new tasks will challenge them to do better and become the people you would like to have on your boat. Ultimately, it also sends out a message to the entire company that your leadership is not insecure. You are willing to let the spot light shine on others without having to weaken your own.

2. Ask them to prepare their growth plan

Asking employees to list down their areas of improvement creates an intentional atmosphere for growth and development. Employees should be encouraged to take responsibility for their success because after all, they will benefit the most from it. As a leader, your task is to support the vision they have for themselves and to create a nurturing environment that aligns with the goals of the organization. In John Maxwell’s book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth, he said “that the sooner you make the transition to becoming intentional about your personal growth, the better it will be for you, because growth compounds and accelerates if you remain intentional about it.”

3. Give them a reporting function

There is something about presenting in front of a group that sends chills even to the most confident person. Giving team members a reporting function will not only challenge them to increase their presentation skills but also allow them the opportunity to learn more about the topic they are reporting. By giving the floor to your employee during your next team meeting, you are giving them a long term challenge that can be overcome eventually. It also gives you the added benefit of spotting potential leaders—those who have really poured in the time to learn more and develop a knack for presentation.

This blog is written by Anj Vera, Business Alliance Director of Assessment Analytics, January 2013