Your Opinion on Meetings?

[Blurock]

Now that you've successfully relegated it to a very minor problem, probably not.

Doesn't mean you're off the hook though. That client that told you they'd prefer to go with someone older - time to think about what was their real reason.

Perceptions are important in business. What was the customer's perception of the business and the people behind the business? e.g. It is hard to smile on a telephone and in an e-mail.

Has he seen some of your work and accolades from your customers? Maybe the age thing was just a smoke screen for lack of an excuse or honesty.

[vieome]

I'm just curious as to why you seem to be so adamant that ageism isn't a real thing?

On the ageism thing, I think when it comes to I.T these days, most people expect to be dealing with a young wizz kid when it comes to I.T work they need to be done. Older people might doubt a young persons business skills, but they rarely question the young people on I.T skills.

[Blurock]

We all know that it is easier to call a 10 year old than to try and figure out the tv remote ourselves...

[Phil Cooper]

Meetings:

Where they keep minutes, and waste hours.

[Norri]

I've avoided meetings and phonecalls like the plague in the past few years of business and it has certainly resulted in a loss of sales. It wasn't an issue because my focus was elsewhere but the fact remains: I wasn't selling as much as I could have been.

Having just experienced a bit of a downer this December-February period, I've gotten back on the phone with every single lead and had 2 meetings in the past 5 days alone... the result is staggering... I'm closing nearly every lead and have secured a reseller to on-sell my products to his clients.

People like people. The sooner you can talk with someone, the sooner you can close that deal... if you're attentive and give them what they're looking for.

So while most meetings are useless, sales meetings are not. The stuff before the sale is made is super key to closing. After that, I'd try minimise meetings and use an agenda if at all possible as I've also experienced the problem of driving to a client for 2 questions and that's it. Silliness for sure!

[Blurock]

There are meetings and there are meetings. I have experienced the total waste and boredom of corporate meetings that are scheduled for the sake of having a meeting. Some managers arrange meetings so that they have something to keep them occupied, otherwise they would have nothing to do.

Sales meetings and meeting with customers are important. Your success rate increases with personal contact. Just make sure that the meeting is constructive and concise and never start by talking about the weekend's sport.

Follow up calls keep you in the loop and you can easily pick up whether a competitor is encroaching on your turf. It is then easier to react (or be pro-active) with the appropriate service or product.