Meetings aren’t for everyone. If you’re in retail, or in any kind of business that deals with multiples of hundreds of clients or customers, then you’re probably going to go for some mass marketing and advertising to promote your wares. However, if you are in the B2B market – relationships are key. And the path to a relationship starts with a meeting.
Most people come to us with the same refrain ‘if only I could get in front of more people, I know my sales would increase.’ Still, far too few SME owners are creating a stream of meaningful appointments. Why? The reasons are four fold:
- They’re too busy working ‘in’ their business rather than ‘on’ it and don’t have the time to make prospecting calls.
- They don’t have the know-how to qualify a lead.
- They feel uneasy about making ‘cold calls’ and put whatever budgeting fund they have into ‘soft marketing’ that yields little or nothing.
- They feel uneasy about prospecting.
There are many reasons why people don’t create a stream of well qualified meetings, but trust us, neglecting this aspect of your business is a recipe for disaster. You may have enough clients today, but if you don’t systemise your appointments so that you have a steady stream then disaster will strike at some time.
Ask yourself: how many new prospects am I scheduled to meet next month, or the month after? If the answer is zero or very few then WAKE UP and change that today.
If you meet 8 prospects in one month, then you can expect to make two of those a client this year. The success rate increases if you prepare well and follow up properly (and yes, we help here too). Some people close 50% or more of their one-to-one appointments. From 8 meetings a month this would become 48 new business accounts in a year – wouldn’t 48 new clients per year significantly change your business?
Whatever way you act, just act now. Begin by creating a process of appointment setting. Don’t let it consume your time – contact us and we’ll target your market, construct your approach, and contact key decision makers to bring them to an appointment. All you’ll have to do is turn up and convert! Call us today at 00 353 91 869617 or email at info@connect121.ie.