Good communication is as invigorating as a decent cup of coffee…and just as hard to sleep after.

After meeting with potential clients for the first time, I play the meeting on a continuous loop… all night.

If you’ve arranged the meeting, then you’ve got your foot in the door, now all you have to do is impress them.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Most importantly do your homework on your client/your company/market you are in, a Google search takes seconds but can reap great rewards.

2. Choose your meeting place wisely, if it’s a cafe, is there a quiet room you can use, out of the way so you can talk in peace? If not, is your space free of clutter yet reflective of your personality? Can you show off your talent without it being too obvious?

3. Dress smart/professional, but not out of character; you should also feel comfortable.

4. Be aware of your body language – you may be nervous, but try not to show it. Take a deep breath, smile and enjoy it.

5. Start with small talk and don’t go straight to business as you will overwhelm the situation.

6. Buy decent coffee – I know we own a coffee business, but I cannot stress enough how little effort it takes to serve amazing tasting coffee.

7. Now you can talk business – make sure you’ve also researched your competitors and the industries aligned with your business.

8. Gently critique your business: what are they good at, what are they not good at, list how you can help them improve.

9. Ask them what they like about your business, what they don’t like, and what they are looking for.

10. Ask open-ended questions, take notes, and repeat your answers so you know the information is correct.

11. Only say “Yes” or agree to work with them if you are 100% sure you can deliver.

If the client has taken the time to meet with you, they may want to work with you.

Take whatever information you have, write it down into a contractual agreement, making sure both parties understand the fine print…and are both happy with it.

Amazing coffee isn’t expensive and if you do it right, your prospect will be impressed from the start.

The most important thing to remember: customers just want you to be able to solve their problems.

Have you done that?