The Great Sales Conversation in the Bar

A night in November some years ago I attended a business event in Sweden. I was exhibitor and had talked superficially with a million people that day – or almost :) Busy, busy, busy!

I had received a huge stack of business cards and handed out the same amount – a lot to catch up on, but no warm leads.

Now it was time to relax in the bar after a hard day’s work, and there – bam! I had a great strategic conversation and a new customer.

Why did it happen in the bar?

I had time, and so had my new customer. We were relaxed, and it was ok to spend time together.

Strategic sales take time – we need to be present in the conversation, curious about the other person and what we can learn from each other, and most importantly open for new information, that we had not seen coming.    

If we rush, we miss a great deal, so we need to take the relaxed atmosphere from the bar into the sales conversation and our meeting rooms.

How?

First, I make room for deeper and longer conversations if they occur. I try not to book my meetings too tight, so I have time to stay in the conversation, and don´t have to rush to the next. At business events I make peace with the fact, that I probably won´t talk with all exiting people at the event – but I will have exiting conversations in return.  

Second, I put in extra time for travelling, so I have time for the unexpected conversation at the airport, delays or other challenges, and still arrive in good time without a stressful mind.  

Third, I enter the meeting openminded with full engagement and focus on the present moment – not the traffic jams on the way to the meeting or the tasks after. If I need a minute in the car before I enter, I take it. I want to meet people with full attention.  

Fourth, I am prepared for the unexpected – I have a plan, but it is adjustable according to the new input I get in the conversation. Main purpose of the conversation is to understand how we can become better together – not to deliver a sales pitch.

I know this won´t bring drinks and dance to the meeting room, but the relaxed engaging atmosphere will hopefully set the scene for great sales conversations :)