The Five Places Where You Should NEVER Meet With a Client
By Jeff Landers
Business publications are filled with
excellent advice for home-based
businesses.
I recently came upon several columns from different publications urging home-
based entrepreneurs to find creative places to have business meetings with their
clients. “I can’t meet in my living room because it’s a dark cave of papers and office
supplies,” says John N. from Tacoma, Washington, “so we have to meet in a public
space.”
John’s meeting room of choice is a diner down the street from his home. He and his
clients talk business over stale coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches. “It’s not the best
scenario, but it’s cheap and my clients don’t seem to mind.” In fact, many
professionals agree with John and say that small business people should take
advantage of cheap public spaces to handle client meetings. They say it doesn’t
impact their credibility, image or reputation.
I completely disagree. This is poor advice for entrepreneurs who are trying to get
their businesses off the ground because – to use a cliché – impressions, especially
first impressions, count.
Who you are, the way you speak, the way you dress, the way your work looks, how
you manage your finances and cash flow, the environment where you work, where
you meet your clients – it all matters. Every little detail sends a message about who
you are and what you believe in. Every detail helps someone make the decision to
say “yes” or “no”, especially if there is a lot of money on the line or if your client has
to justify his decision to his bosses.
That means that every interaction counts. And meeting in a diner over day-old
danish, isn’t going to cut it, if you want to grow your business, get better clients and
make more money.
So, to help you make a better impression with your clients, I have assembled “The
Five Places Where You Should Never Meet With A Client”. All of these places have
been recommended as potential meeting sites by professional consultants.
1. Starbucks or any other Wi-Fi equipped coffee house
Starbucks has really become the king of the cheap public meeting space and a spate
of similarly equipped coffee houses have cropped up on every block. I’ve read that
the plush chairs, “eclectic snack food” and infinite supply of java are the selling
points.
Fine. But you do not want to meet your clients on tiny, coffee-stained tables,
surrounded by students and twenty-something novelists. No, you want to have an
adult conversation and make strong points without worrying about bothering the
folks at the table six inches from you. Starbucks is serviceable and cheap, but it is not
an environment to help you make a strong impression that inspires trust, confidence
and loyalty.
2. Barnes and Noble, Borders or any other high-end book store
Some consultants believe bookstores offer a quiet, intellectual feel when meeting
with clients. This is ridiculous. They think this, of course, only because the place has
a lot of books, not because it sends the message that you are smart, together,
knowledgeable and savvy.
College students and down-on-their-luck artists meet in bookstores. You must create
an image of success, even if you are a struggling start-up. People want to invest in
and work with winners. If you do not take your business seriously, no one else will
either.
3. Public Libraries
Not sexy but definitely quiet. According to some of my colleagues, libraries offer a
place to meet all day and no one will make you buy anything. I’ve been informed
that some libraries even offer conference rooms that you can use.
No matter how practical, the message is that you have no resources. You are telling
your clients that the best you can do is muster up an ill-equipped room in a public
library. There is little opportunity for you to make a huge impression and most
likely, the technology, such as video-conferencing and presentation platforms, will
not be state-of-the-art or reliable.
4. Hotel Lobbies
Hotel lobbies can be quite beautiful and on the outside, seem like a great space to
meet. But they are also busy. There is a lot of foot traffic there, including large
groups of tourists and a few children’s choirs passing through. Hotel guests on
vacation do not care if you make a good impression with your client and the hotel
employees will not cater to your needs unless you are a guest.
You cannot control your environment here. You cannot create a look of
professionalism. You may end up shouting your well-prepared points over a group
of drunken salesmen. Give your business and your ideas a platform that you can
control. The fewer people around, the more decision-making power you have to
make a lasting positive impression.
5. McDonalds or any Fast Food Restaurant
One consultant recently informed his readership that McDonald’s had started
offering free Wi-Fi in some of its urban franchises. This does not mean you should
meet a client there anytime soon. I love the occasional chocolate glazed donut from
Dunkin Donuts and have enjoyed a Big Mac or two over the years, but that is not
something you should share with a client, especially a client whose business you are
trying to win.
You are trying to sell yourself as high-end, something special, a cut above the
competition. When your client thinks of you, you do not want him to say, “That Joe,
we always meet at Arby’s”. You want him to say, “That Joe does some outstanding
work for our firm – what a pro!” These little things stay with people, so make sure
that everything you do represents you well.
Now that you know where not to meet – stay tuned - our next column will give you
ideas on meeting spaces that will impress your clients and help you make the perfect
impression. Click here to go to part II of this article...
Meet the writer
Jeff Landers is a serial entrepreneur who has worked in commercial real estate and
has advised small businesses for more than three decades. His company, Home
Office Success, Inc., has helped thousands of home-based businesses become more
professional, more productive and more profitable. Find out more about Virtual
Office Space by going to Get a Virtual Office
By Jeff Landers
Business publications are filled with
excellent advice for home-based
businesses.
I recently came upon several columns from different publications urging home-
based entrepreneurs to find creative places to have business meetings with their
clients. “I can’t meet in my living room because it’s a dark cave of papers and office
supplies,” says John N. from Tacoma, Washington, “so we have to meet in a public
space.”
John’s meeting room of choice is a diner down the street from his home. He and his
clients talk business over stale coffee and grilled cheese sandwiches. “It’s not the best
scenario, but it’s cheap and my clients don’t seem to mind.” In fact, many
professionals agree with John and say that small business people should take
advantage of cheap public spaces to handle client meetings. They say it doesn’t
impact their credibility, image or reputation.
I completely disagree. This is poor advice for entrepreneurs who are trying to get
their businesses off the ground because – to use a cliché – impressions, especially
first impressions, count.
Who you are, the way you speak, the way you dress, the way your work looks, how
you manage your finances and cash flow, the environment where you work, where
you meet your clients – it all matters. Every little detail sends a message about who
you are and what you believe in. Every detail helps someone make the decision to
say “yes” or “no”, especially if there is a lot of money on the line or if your client has
to justify his decision to his bosses.
That means that every interaction counts. And meeting in a diner over day-old
danish, isn’t going to cut it, if you want to grow your business, get better clients and
make more money.
So, to help you make a better impression with your clients, I have assembled “The
Five Places Where You Should Never Meet With A Client”. All of these places have
been recommended as potential meeting sites by professional consultants.
1. Starbucks or any other Wi-Fi equipped coffee house
Starbucks has really become the king of the cheap public meeting space and a spate
of similarly equipped coffee houses have cropped up on every block. I’ve read that
the plush chairs, “eclectic snack food” and infinite supply of java are the selling
points.
Fine. But you do not want to meet your clients on tiny, coffee-stained tables,
surrounded by students and twenty-something novelists. No, you want to have an
adult conversation and make strong points without worrying about bothering the
folks at the table six inches from you. Starbucks is serviceable and cheap, but it is not
an environment to help you make a strong impression that inspires trust, confidence
and loyalty.
2. Barnes and Noble, Borders or any other high-end book store
Some consultants believe bookstores offer a quiet, intellectual feel when meeting
with clients. This is ridiculous. They think this, of course, only because the place has
a lot of books, not because it sends the message that you are smart, together,
knowledgeable and savvy.
College students and down-on-their-luck artists meet in bookstores. You must create
an image of success, even if you are a struggling start-up. People want to invest in
and work with winners. If you do not take your business seriously, no one else will
either.
3. Public Libraries
Not sexy but definitely quiet. According to some of my colleagues, libraries offer a
place to meet all day and no one will make you buy anything. I’ve been informed
that some libraries even offer conference rooms that you can use.
No matter how practical, the message is that you have no resources. You are telling
your clients that the best you can do is muster up an ill-equipped room in a public
library. There is little opportunity for you to make a huge impression and most
likely, the technology, such as video-conferencing and presentation platforms, will
not be state-of-the-art or reliable.
4. Hotel Lobbies
Hotel lobbies can be quite beautiful and on the outside, seem like a great space to
meet. But they are also busy. There is a lot of foot traffic there, including large
groups of tourists and a few children’s choirs passing through. Hotel guests on
vacation do not care if you make a good impression with your client and the hotel
employees will not cater to your needs unless you are a guest.
You cannot control your environment here. You cannot create a look of
professionalism. You may end up shouting your well-prepared points over a group
of drunken salesmen. Give your business and your ideas a platform that you can
control. The fewer people around, the more decision-making power you have to
make a lasting positive impression.
5. McDonalds or any Fast Food Restaurant
One consultant recently informed his readership that McDonald’s had started
offering free Wi-Fi in some of its urban franchises. This does not mean you should
meet a client there anytime soon. I love the occasional chocolate glazed donut from
Dunkin Donuts and have enjoyed a Big Mac or two over the years, but that is not
something you should share with a client, especially a client whose business you are
trying to win.
You are trying to sell yourself as high-end, something special, a cut above the
competition. When your client thinks of you, you do not want him to say, “That Joe,
we always meet at Arby’s”. You want him to say, “That Joe does some outstanding
work for our firm – what a pro!” These little things stay with people, so make sure
that everything you do represents you well.
Now that you know where not to meet – stay tuned - our next column will give you
ideas on meeting spaces that will impress your clients and help you make the perfect
impression. Click here to go to part II of this article...
Meet the writer
Jeff Landers is a serial entrepreneur who has worked in commercial real estate and
has advised small businesses for more than three decades. His company, Home
Office Success, Inc., has helped thousands of home-based businesses become more
professional, more productive and more profitable. Find out more about Virtual
Office Space by going to Get a Virtual Office
Home Office Weekly is a BackPorch Publishing site Click Here to Get Your FREE SUBSCRIPTION Today! Marcia Passos Duffy, Publisher & Editor Author of Be Your Own Boss 301 Moved Permanently |
| Home Office Weekly Your guide to successfully living & working under one roof! |
| Home Office Weekly Your guide to successfully living & working under one roof! Subscribe Today! Click Here! |
| home | business tips| office space | time tips| home life|inspiration|art|books|tools|site map|about us |
