You're there to Sell: approaching dining and drinking with customers

You finally get time to meet with that tough (yet important customer). Your customer wants to meet over dinner. In my business, a lot of information regarding my products is presented over dinner. Sometimes one on one and sometimes in a group presentation. Either way, this is an excellent, albeit expensive, opportunity to sell my product. I cannot, however, truly share the benefits of my products (which I believe will truly improve the lives of my customer and the people he works for), if I am pouring over the menu and contemplating the specials. Even worse, after a couple of drinks, I cannot focus on the technical aspects of a question brought up by my customer. What a waste! Sales people must remember the purpose of ANY and ALL interactions with customers (no matter who they are) is to sell. This, of course, may be on different levels (rapport building for network contacts, gaining access to a decision maker, closing for business, etc). Whatever your purpose, treat your whining and dinning as you would any other sales call. Plan ahead, have resources available, and be as sharp as you can be. When dining out:

1. Go early (even a day in advance) to find a good section or seat that will afford some privacy and a table arrangement that will work best for you to "work the table". (Do I want a big round table, a long rectangle, private room?).

2. Look at the menu before your customers get there. Don't be picky or spend too much time on the menu.

3. Be aware of the VERY EXPENSIVE wines and let the server know you are paying the bill and your budgetary limits. My customers know my expense limits (as they are industry wide guidelines)- you may want to share yours with your customer--or the host customer when your schedule the meeting (use your best judgement here).

4. Don't drink--if you feel so pressured, order a reasonable glass of wine and simply sip it for a toast. Not drinking is the best--keep your senses about you--most people these days understand if you don't drink and simply don't make a big deal about it!

5. Be overly kind to the service (even if they aren't to you). Abusing the "help" is never good, especially in front of a customer---let's face it, you may be their "help" and you don't want them to abuse you.

6. As with any customer interaction, close for next action, whatever it may be. You are spending valuable shareholder dollars to be with that customer, don't make it simply a social call. Get the business.

Good luck and good selling.