Preparation always prevails

In the cycling world, a word often used is “mechanical” as a noun. It is used when there is a problem with the bike such as a broken chain, a flat tire, or a faulty gear shifter. A mechanical will often happen during a ride; hence it is encouraged to bring the necessary tools with you to fix the problem to complete the ride.

A pet peeve of mine is when someone shows up for a ride with a pre-existing mechanical that needs to be fixed before we can even start. I get it. We are all busy, but when my window of ride time is tight, do not cut it short by having to fix a mechanical before we even get started on our ride! Take care of it the night before.

Showing up prepared for an important client meeting is no different in the business world.  It often improves the quality of the conversation and shows respect for the person(s) with whom you are meeting.

In certain situations, winging it might work, however, in most scenarios investing time in your preparation is a habit most of us can improve. Here are a few ideas for you to consider to properly prepare for those important client meetings.

1. Research as much as you can on the individual(s) with whom you are meeting. Look them up on Google, LinkedIn, Twitter, their firm, or company website.
2. Look for common interests, associations, schools, mutual connections, or anything else that might warm up the conversation. Trust is often built quicker when you have mutual interests and/or relationships.
3. Learn more about their firm or company especially as it pertains to current news. Recent events can not only be good conversation-starters, but it also tells the client that you are paying attention to their business environment.
4. Use your research to come up with some interesting questions you can ask beyond the basic questions. It stimulates a much more dynamic conversation that is more on point with what the client cares about.

In today’s busy environment, it is easy to get stretched thin in our personal and professional lives. If you want to improve the quality of the conversation with a prospective client, an existing client, or even a referral source, invest the time to prepare for that meeting.

Do not show up to a meeting with a “pre-existing mechanical” that can easily be avoided with advanced preparation. All parties involved will appreciate it.