Creating a successful first meeting

High 5 For Small Business: Creating a successful first meeting It's been said that every person you meet can be a potential client. The problem is that many business people take this concept literally and dive right in with their sales pitch, often resulting in short conversations and lost opportunities. Here's 5 tips to help you get the most out of that first face to face introduction. Don't talk business - unless they want to. Let the other person guide the conversation. Talking about food or sports could lead to a very productive conversation. Take a genuine interest in them. Learn about them and their business. Think of this as the purest form of market research. Don't waste your time - or theirs. You're not going to connect with everyone you meet. If that chemistry isn't there, politely end the conversation and move on. Play match maker. Referring contacts and resources makes you a person worth knowing. And your thoughtfulness will come back to you many times over. Follow up. Propose a phone call or meeting to continue the conversation. Ask if they're on LinkedIn. Be sure to send an email letting them know you appreciated their time. Keep it personal and light. The business part will take care of itself. _______________________________________________________________________________         Cheers, Marc Gordon marcgordon.ca PS. Looking form more High 5 articles? Find them all in one place. Click here! ________________________________________________________________________________ About Marc Gordon Marc Gordon is a marketing consultant, professional speaker and author specializing in small business. His articles have appeared in hundreds of publications, journals, and blogs throughout North America. His online show, marctv, has been rated one of the top 25 B2B blogs on the web.   Marc Gordon c/o Fourword Marketing Tel: (416) 238-7811 Visit marcgordon.ca or fourword.biz for more information. Watch the newest episode of marctv.