The words we use just to request a meeting with a prospect or customer is the one variable that, more than any other single variable, determines the outcome of that meeting.
Take for example, calling an existing customer contact to request a meeting for what we refer to as a โknowledge call.โ In this case, you want to meet with your good contact and truly do something different from what you normally do when you meet with this contact.
Letโs say Al meets with Charlie every month or so to work on several day-to-day service and technical issues. Things are going smoothly at the moment. No major technical issues need attention. So, Al decides that, this time, he wants to meet with Charlie to step back, go into homework mode and try to get his arms around the bigger-picture business issues at Charlieโs company (i.e. do a knowledge call). Alโs not going to get into the usual service/techie stuff. In fact, heโs never really had this type of meeting with Charlie, so it really is something different.
What does Al say to Charlie when he calls to schedule the meeting? Could he say nothing and just schedule the appointment like it was any other? Sure, heโd get the meeting, but Charlieโs going to be confused at best when Al starts asking all kinds of questions about Charlieโs business.
Letโs look at some language Al might use. He might say, โI want to come in and do a โknowledge call.'โ That could work, and Charlie will certainly let him in, but only after asking Al what new sales training seminar he just came from.
Maybe Al should just call it like it is and say, โI want to do something different.โ After all, he does, doesnโt he? Yes, but Charlieโs likely to view the meeting with a level of suspicion, or at best, confusion.
How about, โI want to come in and โask you some questionsโ about your business?โ He is, after all, going to be asking plenty of questions about Charlieโs business. But itโs pretty much a guarantee that Charlieโll ask Al, โJust what kind of questions do you want to ask me?โ Now, Alโs dancing to reply.
โInformation,โ yeah thatโs it. Alโs looking to get information. Why not tell Charlie? So he says to Charlie thereโs some โinformation Iโd like to get.โ OK again, heโll get the meeting, but not before Charlie says, โWhat information do you need?โ โWell, itโs not exactly like that,โ as Al finds himself dancing again.
Try this one: Al says, โIโd like to come in and talk about business issues.โ Now weโre getting somewhere. It is after all, business issues that Alโs looking to learn more about. Except thereโs one problem. Charlie thinks Alโs coming in to discuss some kind of pricing issue.
And finally, just to make sure Charlie knows this isnโt a โsalesโ call, Al assures him with, โIโm not going to try to sell you anything.โ Now, thatโs comforting!
These are by far the most common ways the Alโs of the world would request such a meeting. Will they get it? Probably. Will it yield its desired outcome? Not likely. And itโs not for wont of good questions to ask; Alโs got a list a mile long.
What if Al was to call Charlie and say (after the usual warm-up), โCharlie, Iโd like to get together. But this time, Iโd like to go in a little different direction than we typically do when we meet. Normally, we get together and work on various technical issues. This time, Iโd like to leave the technical issues at the door, take a step back and sort of go into homework mode so I can get a better understanding of the bigger picture business issues there at XYZ Company. Iโm sure you can appreciate that the more we understand your company as a business, the more value weโll ultimately be able to bring you as we look forward in our ongoing business relationship. Make sense?โ
In the dialog above, Al is establishing that he wants to ask Charlie questions about his business, do something different, get some information, and of course, heโs not going to try to sell him anything. But he does so using words that paint the right picture and, as a result, sets himself up for a very successful meeting with his good contact Charlie.
Jerry Stapleton is the founder of Stapleton Resources LLC, a Waukesha-based sales force effectiveness practice. He can be reached at (262) 524-8099 or on the
Web at www.stapletonresources.com.