Observe your client’s place for topics of interests you can use as lead-ins to sales, closing talk, or filler.

It’s funny how we take observation for granted. Imagine you spend hours of research on this client and can practically recite the history of the company, sales percentages, ROI, etc.. but when you see them face to face, you have absolutely nothing to hold their interest besides the service/product you offer and they blow you off without hesitation because they’re “busy.”

Don’t get me wrong, research is important for any sales opportunity, essential actually. But if all your homework is done, getting the client’s attention and holding it is even more key. By entering their establishment, you have the greatest advantage of all. Observe your surroundings. Are there trophies, photos of family, awards, certain types of clientele, etc…? What’s the style or decor like? Is there anything you can latch on to that you have knowledge of?

For example, you notice on the client’s wall there are framed awards of their restaurant for the past 5 years. Then you see photos of their restaurant when they first were a Mom and Pop diner, then a restaurant, and finally a franchise. With this, you can approach the client and offer features such as online ordering, videos, or something more advanced because you gathered that they have been proactive with the growth of their company and have “gone with the trends” and are open to change. If you researched that their company has been open for 13 years and only the past 5 years have they begun receiving awards, it could very well be because of their willingness to reboot their company image. That’s your introduction; your sales theme.

There’s so much you can get from doing a little detective work while you’re waiting to see the client or even if you scope out the place before you do a cold call or show your intentions of giving them a marketing or product solution. Never take what you see for granted.