A few weeks ago, I had my first in-person customer meeting since late February. Since we were meeting in a city that was not allowing residents of certain states – including mine – about 15 of us met at a hotel near the airport that was outside the city limits.
I have been traveling for business and leading meetings for 26 years, but this trip had me tingling with excitement. I approached the airport with enthusiasm and butterflies; the shuttle to the concourse felt like a roller coaster; I smelled every flower in the hotel lobby; and walking to dinner was like a mindful passage out of Nepal. I could not wait until our meeting the next morning at 8:30!
Then I arrived. Most of the people were already seated and staring at their phones or laptops. There were a few people chatting, but no more than groups of two. It was strange.
This was a group that knew and liked each other quite a bit. At any other time, we would have started the meeting 15 minutes late because everyone was catching up with each other. Hugs were replaced with hand waves from across the room. Stories were replaced with one-word answers. Eye contact was minimal. At first, it was tough; however, as the day progressed, we evolved toward our dynamic – not completely, but there was progress.
Since then, I have had two other similar trips that have been much better, because I was much more prepared. So, instead of tip-toeing through your first in-person meeting in months, check out these expectations and best practices that will help you prepare for productive – not strange – in-person customer meetings:
1. Expect a colder-than-usual welcome. It simply is not the same as it was right now. That does not mean it has to be bad, but it is different. One of the differences that I have noticed is that people are not as warm and affectionate as usual. Although this is obvious – masks and six feet of distance do not invite affection – it still surprised me.
2. Offer an abundance of bottled waters. If you are hosting, prepare to offer a ton of bottled waters. I use a rule of thumb of two per person per hour – yes, that is excessive and you will not need all of it, but your audience will feel comfortable that they have access to all the water they want. If you are not hosting, then buy a case and bring it to the meeting.
3. Elbow everyone. You will notice most people that would be hugging, shaking hands, and chatting are sitting down and checking email. Be the ice-breaker. Once you start doing the elbow-bump with everyone, the mood will lighten.
4. Set up the chairs far apart and have sanitizer for everyone. This is a nice touch. Give away a small hand sanitizer to each attendee of the meeting, and if you can, add a sticker with your logo to each bottle.
5. Practice pulling down your mask and smiling. One of the biggest challenges in communicating today is that we do not see each other smiling. Make it a habit to pull down your mask and deliberately smile at people. This takes some coordination, so practice it at home. Seriously, it takes practice!
6. Dress sharply. Even though the pandemic has been kind to casual dressers, there is no excuse to be lazy as we move back to personal meetings; in fact, it is a great opportunity to show off and differentiate yourself from the pack.
7. Act overly responsible. Your position should be to provide a feeling of reasonable comfort for everyone in attendance – that means offering an option for those who would rather join remotely.
Chris Peterson is the founder and president of Vector Firm (www.vectorfirm.com), a sales consulting and training company built specifically for the security industry. To request more info about the company, visit www.securityinfowatch.com/12361573.
