Early in my sales career I made a call on a senior executive decision maker. My practice was to quickly scan the room for a subject I could engage the buyer in small talk. As I walked into his office, I swept the room and found a little 49er football helmet on his credenza. The 49ers were my team and I knew their stats and players well. After the handshake, I referenced the helmet and a lively conversation of facts and opinions ensued. About 20 minutes later, I realized I had 10 minutes to get to a next step. The call ended with the prospect asking for a leave behind product brochure and he would call me if interested. I never talked about my service or how it would help him and his organization.
In this article, learn why and how to position yourself and what you do to help the buyer conclude they may want to do business with you in those first precious minutes.