You’re at a cocktail hour and see a prospect you’ve been pursuing forever. You’ve never met, but you know who she is and she probably knows who you are (LinkedIn can hurt us sometimes). What do you do? Do you play cool and act like you don’t know her? Do you gush all over her and try the ego boost approach? Remember, the introduction is not the goal – it’s just the first step of many to reach the goal. Not only do you want to make a positive first impression on your prospect, but you want to position yourself to win business from them one day. Neither of these above approaches position you in the best light.
The best way to introduce yourself to a potential client is with candor, boldness, and appreciation for their time. A simple statement like: "Hi Andrea, my name is Chris Peterson. I’m the president of Vector Firm. My company helps security businesses improve their sales performance through sales training and consulting programs. I’ve obviously heard of your company and have been meaning to reach out to you for a while but haven’t found an appropriate way to do so."
If you’re in a business setting like a cold call or networking event, ask for a meeting or the most convenient way to schedule time on her calendar. Do not try to conduct business during this introduction – they haven’t given you the time.
If you’re at a social event, ask about the event and let the discussion move to a social theme. At the appropriate time in the discussion, let her know what you do and ask for the best way to schedule time on her calendar. Unless she is proactive about scheduling an appointment, don’t ask for one right there. Remember, this is not a business setting and you do not want your first impression to be one of a desperate or aggressive salesperson.
Above all else, always remember that this introduction is the first of many steps to winning business. Your goal is to make a professional first impression.
