When you are starting out – whether as a freelancer, a solopreneur, a new business or whatever – and you land your first client meeting, it is totally freakin’ normal to start feeling like a fraud. It’s called imposter syndrome and it creeps into your mind like a grub worm because this you’ve only just started and now you’re faced with the prospect of someone handing you their business – or part of their business – and all the things that could go wrong, including exposure, start rattling around your brain. It’s terrifying, and it could all come to fruition the moment you walk in the door and meet your client for the first time.
That is why we have pulled together this bible full of tips that will help you crush your first rodeo and convince whoever is sat in front of you that you’re the right person for the job.
- Look The Part
This is sooooo important because they will have made their first judgement on you within nine seconds. That means you need to influence them right off the bat. That could mean turning up at their office in a smart truck you hired from Flex Fleet. It could mean walking into the coffee shop in a suit you spent your last $200 on because it affects your personality positively. It could mean getting a haircut and putting on fake glasses because it makes you look sophisticated. Whatever it is, look the part.
- Two Humans Chatting
Don’t leap straight into business chat. Instead, use the first few minutes to get to know them. Find some sort of small talk to engage them with and build a rapport. Where are they from, do they like tacos, on a scale of one to ten how much do they despise Trump, have they got kids. Don’t separate yourselves into ‘the client’ and ‘the employer’, be two humans collaborating.
- Have An Agenda
If you sent this ahead of time, then go you. If not, having an agenda is a great way to ask all those questions you stayed up late the night before writing without missing any. Not only will this help you look professional, it will also disguise your sweaty palms and pounding heart. It also gives the client a reason to trust you and your perceived credibility because, well, you are clearly in control of what you do.
- Ask A Trillion Questions
There is a host of reasons why this is important, but none is more important than levelling out the playing field. Client meetings can feel like you are standing in the docks on trial. Asking questions reduces this feeling. Just make sure you ask intelligent questions that will help you. If you’re a web designer, instead of just asking what they want in a website, couple that up with, “have you seen any sites that you like?” Trust us, that kind of thing will give you a better understanding.
- Come Armed With Research
Oh, Internet, rescuer of so many first-time client meetings. Yup. The internet is basically a free education where you can find out anything (e.g. Ryan Gosling’s chest size is 46 inches). What you need to do is harness its power for research reasons. That means researching the client and their company, it’s competitors and peers. The more information you have the more trustworthy and credible you look. It’s simple math when you think about it.
