Events are excellent times to interact with potential clients and you can go to dozens of events every year. However, it’s essential that you take advantage of these businessopportunities in a way that attracts your clients and doesn’t scare them away. This is why we’ve put together a list of tips that will help you when interacting with potential customers atall of your events.
These are our tips for your potential customers and growing your business opportunities. You can do one, or you can do them all to help increase your chances of success and to be honest, some are super basic yet still important. We had some fun making the list. Enjoy!
Tip 1:Stay in a RelationshipBuilding Mindset
Go into every event you attend with the mindset to build relationships with your potential customers. Your main focus is starting to build a healthy relationship from the start instead of focusing on tactical deliverables. This mindset can make you seem more open and approachable to any potential clients you run into during the event.
Tip 2: Take Time to Research Prior to the Event
What types of clients will be at this event? What are their goals and do they align with your businesses? It pays to take a little time and research the event before you go to it. This research allows you to be able to align your approach with what your potential customers come to the event to find. You have a greater chance of converting people.
Tip 3: Two Ears / One Mouth
"Think about it. If a person approached you, interrupted your conversation, handed you a business card, talked about themselves and left,would you take it? "
The answer is probably not, and this is one way to turn your potential customers away. Take a few minutes and talk to people when you approach them, and be ready to listen and act interested. They’re more likely to remember you, and it helps to create a positive relationship. Do not simply talk about yourself, you have more ears than mouths so listen more than you talk.
Tip 4: Engage and Be Specific
It’s critical that you are very specific about what you do and what you offer. It’s even better if you can tell your customers how you can help them with your products or services. This doesn’t have to be a drawn-out process. Instead, it can be a few-minutes of conversation that is concise and to the point. This is often referred to as your elevator pitch.
Tip 5: Prepare Conversation Starters
Few things are more awkward than approaching someone and watching the conversation die after the introductions. In addition to helping you avoid this disastrous pause and reducing your anxiety levels, they can also help you come off as confident and charismatic to any potential customers you approach. Generally, people like to give their input and have an opinion, and you can build a conversation off of this.
Tip 6: Maintain the 80/20 Rule
You never, ever want to dominate the conversation when you’re networking or interacting with potential clients. A rule you should try and follow is the 80/20 rule. This rule means that you listen to what people say 80% of the time, share your own opinion 10% of the time and ask questions for the other 10%. People are generally interested in hearing what they have to say, and then they’re more receptive to what you have to say.
Tip 7: Be Authentic and Honest
The best thing you can do is speak openly, honestly, and authentically about your work. Be truthful about what you can offer and your limitations because your potential clients will find out very quickly if you overpromise and under deliver. It can cause them to question everything you’ve told them so far, and this is how relationships deteriorate. If anything, scale what you can do back slightly.
Tip 8: Put Your Phone Away
Yes, your phone is an excellent distraction to take you away from uncomfortable situations. However, they’re also an easy way to project that you’re disengaged and not interested in what’s going on right around you. Keep your phone in your pocket if you have to have it on you. Ideally, you want to avoid the temptation of using it during the event.
Tip 9: Avoid Being Too Casual with Your Language
Language is starting to change and get far more casual, and this is bleeding over into the business sector. Even if this is true, you want to err on the side of caution. Regardless:
"Someone you meet for the first time is generally not someone you call 'mate'. Get to know them first."
Definitely don’t use language that someone may find offensive or vulgar. Keep your four-letter words amongst friends or people who you know well enough to know they won’t get offended.
Tip 10: Business Cards Last
Handing someone your business card should come at the end of a conversation, and not the beginning. You want to have a meaningful conversation and spark a working relationship before you hand out your business card. Leading with your business card can come off as impersonal, and this can turn your potential clients off. Networking is about so much more than collecting business cards, and you want to keep this in mind.
Tip 11:Practice Your Listening Skills
You want to lean toward your client, make eye contact and show them that you’re paying attention. Repeat back something they have said to you, this reassures them that you have heard what they are saying. Remember their name and use it, use open body language, no crossed arms.
Tip 12: Yes Is Not Always The Answer
If you say yes to everything your potential client asks, it’s a fast way to over commit yourself. You could quickly find yourself unable to meet your deadlines or commitments, and it can cause your client to question your ability. Learn your boundaries and learn how to address requests you don’t have time for.
Tip 13:Be Humble
You may be an expert in your field, but you don’t want to sound boorish or condescending to the people you interact with. This goes hand in hand with being a good listener. Never assume that you know the problems your clients have and go from there. Instead, work to foster conversation.
Tip 14: Remember Your Manners
Yes, networking is all about making new connections. But, you don’t want to break into conversations by interrupting whoever happens to talk when you walk up. This is incredibly rude, and you may see people walking away. Instead, wait for natural breaks in the conversation and introduce yourself.
Interacting with potential clients can be very stressful, but these 14 tips for client interaction can help ensure that you hit all the right notes. You’ll start to see more connections that carry over into your daily business dealings, and you’ll start to form connections that strengthen your business network and help retain clients.
I bring a wealth of expertise and experience in the realm of business networking and client interaction. Over the years, I've actively engaged in numerous events, honing strategies to effectively connect with potential clients and foster meaningful relationships. My insights are not just theoretical; they stem from practical experience and a deep understanding of the dynamics involved in successful client interactions.
Now, let's delve into the concepts outlined in the article about interacting with potential clients at events:
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Stay in a Relationship-Building Mindset:
- Emphasizes the importance of focusing on building relationships rather than immediate tactical outcomes.
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Take Time to Research Prior to the Event:
- Highlights the significance of researching the event, understanding the attendees' goals, and aligning your approach accordingly.
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Two Ears / One Mouth:
- Encourages active listening over self-promotion, emphasizing the importance of genuine conversation and interest in others.
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Engage and Be Specific:
- Stresses the need to clearly communicate what you offer and how it can benefit potential clients, often referred to as an elevator pitch.
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Prepare Conversation Starters:
- Recommends having engaging conversation starters to avoid awkward pauses and create a confident and charismatic impression.
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Maintain the 80/20 Rule:
- Advocates following the 80/20 rule in conversation—listening 80% of the time, sharing opinions 10%, and asking questions for the remaining 10%.
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Be Authentic and Honest:
- Emphasizes the value of authenticity and honesty in discussions, cautioning against overpromising and under-delivering.
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Put Your Phone Away:
- Advises against using phones during events to project engagement and interest in the surroundings.
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Avoid Being Too Casual with Your Language:
- Recommends maintaining a professional tone and avoiding overly casual language, especially with individuals you've just met.
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Business Cards Last:
- Suggests handing out business cards at the end of a conversation to ensure a meaningful interaction before exchanging contact information.
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Practice Your Listening Skills:
- Provides tips on effective listening, including making eye contact, repeating back information, and using open body language.
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Yes Is Not Always The Answer:
- Encourages setting boundaries and learning to decline requests when necessary to avoid overcommitment.
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Be Humble:
- Advises against sounding condescending and encourages humility, fostering genuine conversations rather than assuming knowledge.
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Remember Your Manners:
- Stresses the importance of entering conversations politely, waiting for natural breaks, and introducing yourself without interrupting.
These tips collectively form a comprehensive guide for successfully navigating client interactions at events, ultimately contributing to stronger business connections and client retention.
