What Do You Do After Introducing Yourself?

Here's the scenario:

You've found a prospect. You are at the beginning of a meeting with them (b2b or b2c). After you introduce yourself and chit-chat for a while, what do you do next?

Please share your strategy with the SalesPractice community.

I typically begin a questioning/probing phase after a brief introduction. My company is well known in the transportation industry, so very little intro is needed. However, due to the number of new leads I deal with, I don't have time to be strung along by those that either aren't interested or simply don't have the resources to purchase the product(s). so if they begin to balk or hesitate, I stop and requalify them to uncover any obstacles or find out which stage of the buying process they are in currently.

If it's a chance meeting because we happen to both be somewhere, Skip, following the chit chat I say what I do and have to offer.

In that kind of situation there's time for conversation about what I do and offer if that person wants to engage in it. If it's engaged in it has all the looks of a typical sales conversation where finding out if the other person has a need, want, and willingness to buy provided my product can meet his/her conditions of satisfaction are met and so are mine is the goal. That's it!

If it's a telephone call I typically engage in a one minute intro and offering ending with "is that something you want or are looking for?" If no it's "Goodbye." If YES the conversation becomes a trust and respect to see if I want to do business with that person and if that person needs, wants and is willing to pay for what I offer provided he/she meets my conditions of satisfaction and visa versa. That's it.

Professionals sales is all about meeting needs and wants and willingness to buy in an interpersonal environment of mutuality with complementary condiditons of satisfaction being met. All of that is to say that focused inquiry and questioning, defining those conditions of satisfaction, and engaging in a strong positive relationship is everything that counts.

MitchM

I ask questions to find out what they need or want and how I can help them. I want to know where they are at in the process so that I can pick them up at that point and carry them forward.

My general introduction (for situations where the meeting wasn' speifically arranged to talk abotu something) typically includes a couple of brief examples of the sort of client problems I work on - along with the statement that the way I work is to focus on the specific challenges and issues faced by my clients.

That then provides an intro to ask them if they have similar challenges or issues (if they haven't already jumped in by then).

Ian

I almost always in person and on the phone in both warm and cold calls start probing as soon as possible. it is an essential part of my rapport building and sales process. It is hard to start selling before you know what the needs are.

Originally Posted by bmtrnavsky I almost always in person and on the phone in both warm and cold calls start probing as soon as possible. it is an essential part of my rapport building and sales process. It is hard to start selling before you know what the needs are.

What actions do you recommend for rapport building?

That's a tough question... because for me that process never stops, but in the beginning when we are chit chatting I am actually asking a lot of open probing questions and listening closely. I try to make connections between myself and the client whether it is with kids, college, hobbies, whatever. I also throw out a lot of "cookies" (positive affirmations) whenever I can. I try to stay away from the generic "That's awesome!" comments and tend towards the specific I'm glad to see you are very research minded. Not many people understand the number of things they need to consider when making a decision like this.

The real key is being yourself and being real. if you are fake or just trying to force a connection it will come across that way and they will turn off. It is important that you act like you care because you really do.

I think this is an important consideration in any kind of sales.

-Brad

in the textbooks, first you introduce yourself, chitchat for a minute, then go into a little about the company, then the general questions, then probing question, determine the best product that will match the clients needs, explain the benefits/features of that produce, then close the sale.

well thats the textbook flow of a sales presentation, good luck.

Luke V.

I'm exceptionally skilled at listening and engaging the other person in conversation that puts him or her at ease telling me lots of personal things. What I'm doing is deciding if this is someone I want to do business with, someone I can trust and respect, and someone who is a potential high probability prospect.

MitchM