Business meetings might not have the same appeal as they once did, but they’re not obsolete. Often, the only way to connect with a client and convince them of your products and services is to speak face-to-face.

However, a meeting, whether online or in-person, isn’t a guarantee of success. If you want more conversions, you must structure the sessions so that they are productive. Otherwise, potential clients will switch off, and your odds of a sale or investment will plummet.

You can’t let that happen, which is why you should continue reading. Below you’ll find four tips to guide you through the choppy waters that are client meetings.

Don’t Waste Time

Time-wasting happens in many different forms. You might be late and finish late, which is disrespectful to the people who turned up early. It’s also a bad reflection of your brand. Alternatively, you might not say anything of worth for an hour, or you could be on-point for thirty minutes, and ramble for the last fifteen.

Not only is wastage annoying, but it’s expensive as more than $37 billion is spent on unproductive meetings a year in the United States. Messing with clients’ bottom lines is a surefire way to be rejected.

Tailor Your Message To The Room

A business meeting is formulaic, which is a gift and a curse. The gift is that you can use a framework to produce the foundation of your content. The curse is, you run the risk of being unoriginal. A unique presentation is far more appealing as it hits on notes the client wants to hear, solving problems they have, or don’t know they have, and adding value.

To get a communications degree online is a fantastic way to tailor your message. After all, not everyone is a gifted orator just because they can talk in public. Learning the art of speech is imperative.

Make Time For Questions

Talking at a group of people isn’t a useful plan. Anyone can appear polished when they have time to prepare. What clients want to know is how you operate under pressure. Answering questions that come up during the meeting is a powerful way to highlight your expertise as it’s off-the-cuff. Also, the answers provide extra context for the buyers in the room. By tackling the potential pitfalls, you showcase why they need the product or service.

Have Fun

“Professional” isn’t a euphemism for boring. Lots of entrepreneurs fall foul of this myth in an effort to come across as reputable. However, most people hate sitting in a dark room listening to boring facts. It’s monotonous and not enjoyable, which is part of the reason meetings aren’t as popular today.

Thankfully, you can make it fun by maintaining a light atmosphere. Make jokes, smile, and use your body language to indicate you’re playful and serious in equal measure. It’s tempting to use devices to break the tension, but screens can distract people from your message.

Meeting a client is always a challenge as you have a lot of convincing to do. However, these tips should make it less daunting.