The Importance of Framing Your Business Discussions!
We’ve all experienced it… jumping into a scheduled discussion – whether we’re leading it or just participating – and before we realize it, things have moved to feeling like a freight train out of control. How did things get so unwieldy and just when did the discussion fall apart? Well, quite frankly, control was lost way before the scheduled discussion. The first time you experienced this painful process was hopefully the last because you quickly realized the, oh, so important need to frame business discussions.
Everyone appreciates the flow of a well-orchestrated meeting because it means the objective of the request or need was understood – and care was taken in letting the participants know their time was valued. But providing an agenda does not an effective meeting make. There’s a lot of preparation involved in having something appear so effortlessly efficient. Once you get a handle on the “before, during and after” elements involved, you’ll have built yourself a consistent roadmap to be followed for every discussion, whether with a large group or in one-on-one, casual meetings.
Here are the things to keep in mind for your framing process:
• Understanding Needs Prior to Scheduled Discussion – Prior to a formal meeting or discussion, take the time to understand the needs of the person requesting your time or services. What do they need? Why did they contact you? What do they expect? How are things working for them today? What are their immediate needs? What do they see as long-term requirements? What’s their budget? What else do they want you to know so you can make this an effective meeting for everyone involved?
Yes, it may feel like 20 questions, but it’s imperative to ask these questions to make sure you understand the requestor’s needs. And… you’ll need to frame this preliminary discussion. “Thanks so much for your call, Ms. Prospect. I appreciate your getting in touch regarding our services. In order to make the scheduled discussion with our team productive, I’ll be asking some preliminary questions now so we can come to the meeting with valuable information specific to your needs. How’s that sound?” Always be sure to get agreement from the prospect/client before moving on.
• Rallying Internal Troops Prior to Scheduled Discussion – If you’ve invited team members to participate in your discussion with a prospect or client, make sure you all are on the same page with knowing specific roles in the discussion. This means having a preliminary meeting with them as well to frame the upcoming scheduled meeting. “We’ll be having a discussion with a prospective client. I’ll be leading the meeting and would like you to participate as well because of your expertise. This is how I see your role… This is when I’ll ask for your participation… I’ll handle timing and budget questions… Please don’t interject or offer things without my guidance or request in the meeting.”
It’s imperative you set the stage with your team prior to the scheduled discussion. Nothing is worse for a client or prospect to experience than lack of organization or communication when you’re trying to sell the value of your service.
• Frame, Frame, Frame in Scheduled Discussions – There are elements that should be a natural part of your discussion: Greeting the participants on your call, providing introductions for all who are there, clarifying your role and the roles of the participants.
Then, based on the pre-discussion that you had with the client/prospect, give an overview of what you’re going to talk about. Ask the client if there’s anything else they’d like to add. (If there is, you’ll need to quickly determine if that can be “rolled” into this conversation or if it’s better served at another time.) You can address that by saying, “Thanks, Ms. Prospect. I’d like to save those points until the end to determine if it’s been addressed in today’s talk or if we need to schedule additional time later this week. Does that work for you?” Talk about what you agreed to and when you’ve finished, give a brief overview of everything you’ve talked about.
If at any time it feels like things are starting to get off track, pull the conversation back in by getting folks on the right subject or gently steering them back to their appropriate roles. If there’s something that’s better discussed “offline,” let them know you’ll link back with them to do the necessary follow-up. Remember, your role is to make this a productive process for everyone – and you’re in charge.
• Wrapping It All Up – When you’re done with the discussion, always end with an action item. That may be scheduling a follow-up session or a commitment from you to get the paperwork to your new client with a promise of a phone call on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. CT to button things up. Make sure you stay connected, even if it’s putting someone on your newsletter distribution.
And, before saying goodbye, be sure to ask the requestor if there’s anything else happening that they’d like to discuss. We were once able to make a $70,000 sale by asking our client, “What else are you managing these days that you feel we should know about?” Not a bad return for a three-second question.
Remember… this is an opportunity for current and future clients to experience your work style in action and can be a determining factor in them hiring and/or staying with you. They’ll appreciate you’ve done the legwork prior to the discussion and that you value their time—and your own—to make sure the meeting is productive. Let them experience your framing process; it will let them see you understand their bigger picture.
Lori J. Clark is the Founder and Lead Administrator of Clark VA Solutions, www.clarkvasolutions.com, a virtual assistance practice delivering services based on a strong, 30-year professional career of administrative skills and practical experience. Clark VA Solutions’ niches include serving C-level and executive-level entrepreneurs, writing services, corporate/business transcription, administrative planning and brainstorming/structuring service offerings for success.
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