today’s bissett bullet: “take control of the first meeting with a potential client by gently setting the agenda at the beginning.”
by martin bissett
having no agenda means that a meeting can flow in the wrong direction and it may be difficult to steer the conversation back to where you need it to be. there is a real danger that you will leave without getting what you came for. setting out the agenda in too formal a tone, however, will do you no favors either. a prospective client who is meeting you for the first time may feel on the back foot and the meeting will be closed down before it’s even started.
the word “gently” is key here. setting out three things you’d like to cover during the meeting and asking your prospective client if that agenda suits them rarely meets any kind of resistance.
today’s to-do:
practice setting out the meeting agenda with a colleague so it feels natural when you gently steer your next prospect toward staying on track.
see more bissett bullets here