When a customer contacts you to arrange a meeting, it’s a good sign. They would never bother if they weren’t at least a little interested. The fact that they’re reaching out is a testament to your marketing efforts. It’s a sure sign that you’ve created a lead. Now, you need to turn that lead into a sale.
Shutterstock Licensed Photo – By Alex_Po
For most of us, the focus on doing this is on the meeting itself. We practice presentations until we’re blue in the face and even work on our handshakes. We make sure we’re wearing the right clothes and looking the part.
Of course, all this is essential, and we aren’t here to suggest otherwise. What you might not realize is that many sales fall through before customers even meet you. It’s a harsh reality, and one which many business owners fail to accept. But, first impressions count. So much so that the experiences clients have before reaching you could turn them off your products. Once that happens, even a perfected pitch won’t win them around. Keep reading, then, to find out if the following are putting clients off you right away.
Your exteriors are all wrong
Exteriors matter in business. That should go without saying. What you might not realize is that this alone could ruin your sale. If your exteriors look a little rough, there’s small chance customers will ever do business with you. You aren’t exactly sending out an encouraging message, are you? Even worse, this is an easy issue to negate. Something as simple as a small garden area outside your building can work wonders. Equally, making clever use of your logo could keep customers on side until you get your hands on them.
Getting to you isn’t smooth sailing
In sales, you want to make customers’ lives as straightforward as possible. That ease should start from the moment they arrive at your office. How do you think it’s going to look, after all, if your lift is out of order and they have to tackle the stairs first? Not good, we can tell you. Make sure it doesn’t happen by turning to lift repair as offered by companies like Hin Chong the moment you experience issues. Think, too, about making sure clients can find you easily. If there’s no navigation board to tell them what floor you’re on, you can bet you will have lost their interest by the time they finally find you.
There’s no one to greet them when you arrive
Last, you’re never going to be able to grow your business if clients are left in the lurch once they do arrive. If you don’t have a designated receptionist, they may wander around aimlessly, and get ignored by your staff to add insult to injury. They’ll never part with their cash after that. Make sure it doesn’t happen by having a labelled reception desk for any guests as they arrive. With a bit of luck, you’ll then be able to swoop in and seal the deal.
