Kosta_Konfucius

Sales Rep

Acclaimed Answer

Am I Wrong

Curious what peoples thoughts are on setting up in-person meetings, even though there is a high possibility that the meeting needs to be switched to a virtual format? Since flights have not been booked or got approval to meet with X Client.

For instance, let's say you send a message to someone stating, "I am going to be in Boston on June 5th, are you free to connect while I am in town?" However, you might not receive approval to fly and meet them in person, so a week out you include a Teams Link and switch it.

These emails typically get people to stop ghosting however, it kinda of seems sleezy

The leads to me thinking if is okay to set in-person meetings with no flights booked or approval yet with a low % of it actually happening. Does it set false expectations and lead to future distrust?

Or is it best to book the meeting and no matter what you get to reconnect with them

🔎 Prospecting

👑 Sales Strategy

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17 comments

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Sunbunny31

Politicker

7

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

Ah, the classic bait & switch.

That said, meetings are free, so if a message about being in the area gets a response and a meeting, you have accomplished something and changing the meeting approach doesn't lose them anything. Particularly if you do it well in advance, apologetically, and politely. "Hi prospect, my travel plans have unfortunately changed, but I'd still really like to connect. Would you be open to Zoom/Teams/Webex, and I'll change the meeting in the calendar?"

One thing that could change that would be if they bring people in from other regions for the meeting. Then it would be my last choice to go to plan B and hold a virtual meeting.

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

3

Sales Rep

Yeah it’s an effective approach but it is a bait and switch

Sunbunny31

Politicker

3

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

If you never intended to travel in the first place, yes, but of course you wouldn’t let them know that. Sometimes also indicating your willingness to visit in person is enough - over the years I’ve had many companies respond to an offer to meet in person, but then mention the dates/times don’t work and request virtual meeting or a call instead. It’s really all in how you position it.

WheelofCheese

Opinionated

4

Sales Executive

I wouldn’t say you’re going to be in town unless you really are. If you’re confident you’ll get at least one meeting out of the flight, wait until you get approval before you book your flight. I’d try to set two meetings when/if you get approval.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

4

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

The tactic can be used to gain travel approval, however. If you know you're likely to get approval to go with x meetings booked, one strategy would be to offer to meet with customers during a set period to see if you can line them up. If you end up getting fewer than you need, you could then switch to virtual. You basically have to work things in tandem, which is a bit of a juggling act.

oldcloser

Arsonist

3

💀

I’m an advocate of the “gonna be in town” thing. If the reason you’re gonna be there is to meet with a competitor, you get some Fomo factor. Current air travel insanity is fair justification for “for doesn’t look like I can be there after all. Let’s fake it- here’s a zoom link”

You can get away with it once. I have no issues with it.

CuriousFox

WR Officer

3

🦊

Yeah....I don't do that.

HVACexpert

Politicker

2

sales engineer

What’s stopping you from actually traveling?

Kosta_Konfucius

Politicker

2

Sales Rep

Having to expense flights for earlier meetings can be tougher for green accounts

Maximas

Tycoon

2

Senior Sales Executive

Believe it's way better to book the meeting no matter what you get to reconnect with the,since the first option may take away prospects confidence in dealing with you in the future especially if it was spotted as a repeated behavior,so it's better not to consider it for not being that beneficial IMO!

poweredbycaffeine

WR Lieutenant

2

☕️

I’ll just ghost your teams meeting.

jefe

Arsonist

2

🍁

I like to start things off more honestly, personally. But you also gotta eat..

Pachacuti

Politicker

1

They call me Daddy, Sales Daddy

Covid really tanked in-person meetings. Covid taught us that many mtgs can now be done virtually which makes it hard to get that in person mtg.

Sunbunny31

Politicker

1

Sr Sales Executive 🐰

It also enabled companies to reorg divisions so that they aren't necessarily at one central office. Many of my enterprise customers have very dispersed teams now. Can make it tough.

Chep

WR Officer

1

Bitcoin Adoption Specialist

Do what you gotta do king

CPTAmerica

Opinionated

0

President/CRO

Starting with a lie is not a great approach

RelationshipMaker

Opinionated

0

Head of Sales

So long as no one gets hurt, it’s fine. How many times have any of us said “I’m in the area on Wednesday and could call past? …..” and got the meeting.
Setting it up and postponing it later is more acceptable now in the post-Covid world.

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