Sales challenge: customer meetings are moved forward at short notice or cancelled – how to save?

Statistic shows that of 100 demand generation meetings alt least 30-40 % are beeing canceled with short notice, 0 - 24 h. ?

In this article I want to share a couple of pro tips on how to avoid that the customer cancels the sales meeting and what to do if so happens.

Whith these tactics you will be able improve your booking vs completed ratio and your meeting recovery ratio.

The customers justify this by saying that they do not have time or manage to do this right now, that other things have come in the way.

This can really screw up a sales forcast, put a stop to the sales process and, above all, leave you hanging in limbo.

Selling is often down to small details? - the MEDDICC sales method gives ways to deal with these

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What happened, why cancel the sales meeting?

To begin with, the client's motive is true. They see their calendar jam-packed with meetings. Maybe they should have done something before the meeting that they didn't have time for, for example thinking about what the value of a solution might be, talking to someone to anchor the idea or just reflecting. And then the meeting appears in the calendar. The customer's first impulse is to cancel the meeting or to move it.

You don't have to be a trained psychologist to realize that the customer feels overwhelmed!

The first thing we salespeople do is throw ourselves on the phone to try to get hold of the customer and book a new meeting. But mostly without success. The email doesn't work either, no response.

In fact, a lot of the sales process stops here – we never get hold of the customer again.

On other occasions, the customer returns later and the sales process can continue after this interruption.

How should we act to avoid these canceled and rescheduled meetings?

1. Have an ongoing contact with the customer

See the booked sales meetings as milestones, then decisions must be made and progress made. The work takes place between the meetings. Therefore, have ongoing contact with the customer between meetings. The best way is to send SMS / email with 1 question - which is easy to answer. It keeps you in touch the whole time during the shopping trip.

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An effective way is to send an email / SMS and write

- "I have a request / idea - call me as soon as you can"

- "There was something you said at our last meeting that made me wonder one thing - call me as soon as you can"

- "I would need your help with something - call me as soon as you can"

You don't have to write what you want or need or want help with - all you want is to catch the customer's attention.

With these short messages, you create a feeling of PRESENCE and COMMITMENT and that the customer is NEEDED - you build an ease and desire to talk to you.

Switch between email and SMS - vary yourself.

Remember to create positive emotions around you!

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2. Remind about the meeting a day or two before

With today's competent CRM system, it is easy to insert a reminder 48 hours before the meeting. Kindly remind, ask a question and suggest an agenda. If you process many customers at the same time in a similar way, you can certainly create a standardized message that is automatically sent out.

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Example

“Hello (customer's first name)!

It will be incredibly exciting to discuss further how you can get closer to (the goal of the sales project) I look forward to our meeting (date and time)! In fact, my team and I have already started some questions and ideas that I am dying to brainstorm with you.

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What questions do you have for me? I am an expert in (area) and my clients often take the opportunity to discuss concerns that have arisen since we last had contact.

It can be (give examples of frequently asked questions)

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A question: Who else do you want to bring to the meeting?

If something happens at the last second, you can reach me at this number. I almost always answer.

Greetings

Seller"

You build anticipation and joy with your message. You must position yourself as an expert in your field. Create a balance of power between you.

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3. Create a cliff hanger before every meeting

End each meeting by pitching what will happen at the next meeting, that you will show them something they will really like! Or ask the customer what they want to see at the next meeting.

"At our next meeting, I will show you how you can take action immediately"

"At the next meeting, then we will go into the future, you will see how you can go from (the current situation) to reaching your high goals (goals) in less than (time)."

“What do you want to see next meeting? I think you want to go take our discussion further?”

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What to do if the meeting is cancelled?’

First, here is what not to do, dont jump on the phone with the customer. They just cancelled and dont want to talk to you. They are busy. Take it easy and relax.

Instead you can write a text / email:

”Hi? (customer name) – I saw you just cancelled our meeting – it seems that you are busy and have a lot to do right now.

I have a super quick question I need your help with, can you call me as soon as you can?

I wish you a great day!

Seller.

PS you can book a new meeting with this link to my calendar

OR

Would the (date) be too soon to meet?”

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Summary

Book the meetings as close as possible, avoid long periods of silence, make regular contact with the customer. Ask questions and create engagement. Try to create positive energy around you. I know that all this can be difficult when you as a seller have lots of meetings on the calendar and barely have time to breathe yourself. This is precisely why it is better to concentrate on fewer processes and run them than to have an enormous number.

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Jens Edgren