12 Ways to Win the Business 

When you meet with prospective customers what is the actual success rate that you achieve? Is your rate success 50% or 100%? In an ideal world we would all like to win every opportunity we present, after all we know the value we are offering, but do your prospects?

Here are 12 ways you can boost your chances of winning the business:

1. Ask questions to find out how you can deliver the right solution for the customer. Avoid repetition of what you can do and what your offer is.

2. Listen more and speak less. It’s not about you, it’s about your customer, what your customer needs and how you can help.

3. Do you only have one option to offer? What will you say when a prospect says “Can you help me with X?” Say yes with confidence when you know another supplier who you can refer/bring into the opportunity.

4. Before your meeting did you carry out research on your prospect? This will give you an advantage e.g. you can see where a niche opportunity lies that you can offer to help with. Showing interest in where they are currently at is a positive way to build trust.

5. Are your needs visibly more important than your prospects? Keep a customer as priority #1.

6. Do you feel the need to fill a gap of silence? This is often the time when a customer is close to making a decision i.e. weighing up the value of the opportunity presented. Watch for signs and when necessary ask an open question to gain a response.

7. Always ask open and direct questions that allow the prospect to think broadly about what they need.

8. Avoid getting too personal or digging for irrelevant information.

9. Maintain a professional balance throughout the meeting by keeping the conversation on equal footing. Don’t patronize or come across as dominant.

10. Prepare, prepare, prepare. 

11. Be genuine and show concern to build a rapport and to establish trust.

12. Send a follow up email to confirm the thoughts and outcomes of an initial meeting prior to sending your proposal. Act in haste without clarity and agreement, and you can ruin the effort you put in, leaving you with negative success.