Show Your Customer Your Plans

Imagine getting into the passenger seat of a car with a recent acquaintance. Once you’re buckled in, they immediately start driving. Yes, they make small talk and they seem friendly enough, but they don’t tell you where they’re driving. They don’t explain how they’re getting there. They simply drive.

Now imagine that after you get in and exchange some brief pleasantries, the driver gives you a run down of what’s going on. “Today, we’re going to an event across town. I’m planning to take I-94 and then a few backroads, with some flexibility depending on the traffic. After that, we’ll find a good place to park. Does that sound good?”

It likely goes without saying that the second situation is the one you’d feel more comfortable in.

As salespeople, we design a roadmap that we believe will get us to our ideal destination. We’re also in charge of following it to move the meeting from point A to point B, hitting every stop along the way. But just because your customer is the passenger doesn’t mean they don’t need or want to know how you’re planning to get there.

Your job is to facilitate the meeting. It’s also to make sure the customer knows and feels comfortable with what is going on. Before you dive in, make sure you give the customer an idea of where you’re taking them.

Why You Should Show the Customer Your Plans. 

First and foremost, telling your customer exactly what they can expect from the meeting is a courtesy. It allows the customer to feel more confident in the direction the meeting is heading in, gives them a glimpse of your thought process, and lets them know where and when you’d like to hear input or be asked questions.

This is incredibly beneficial for you, too, as it keeps the meeting on track. When a customer buys into the cadence and flow of the meeting, they’re more likely to follow your plan. They’re less likely to interrupt with questions that the next section of your presentation was going to cover. They’ll be more prepared to give input when you ask for it. They’re less likely to jump to the conclusion of the meeting without giving you a chance to dive into the discovery. When a customer knows what’s coming, they’re in a better position to play ball.

Knowing where you’re taking them also keeps the customer focused. They aren’t wondering what you’re going to talk about next, what the next steps of the meeting are, or worrying that you’re about to ambush them with a contract. They stay present and focused because they know what to expect.

You’re still the driver, and your customer is still the passenger, but knowing the general roadmap keeps the customer from trying to commandeer and change the route.

How to Explain Your Plans. 

Simply put, explaining your plans is sharing an agenda for your meeting in a more conversational, narrative way.

You’ve likely already created a bullet point agenda to keep you on track during the meeting (and if you haven’t, you should). This is an extension of that. Here’s what it might sound like.

“Hello, [customer’s name]. I’m really excited to be meeting with you today. Here’s what I have in mind for our meeting. First, I’d love to spend a few minutes learning more about what you’re looking for, what your team hopes to achieve, and what a successful outcome might look like for you and your company. After that, I’ll share some initial ideas and solutions for how we can help you. As we talk and learn more about each other, I want to make sure I’m finding the right solutions for you, so please feel free to share your candid feedback or any other details that might help.

“After that, we can check to see if this seems like the right fit or not. If it is, we can talk through possible next steps and how we can work together to create a solution that will help your team reach your goals. We can also put some time on the calendar to keep our conversations moving forward. How does that sound to you?”

The goal is to quickly and simply explain what the customer can expect from the meeting. However, it also tells them four important things:

1. You aren’t going to ambush them with a push for a sale at the end of the hour.
2. It may take more than one meeting to build the perfect solution.
3. You’re committed to working with them to help them reach their goals.
4. You’re there to listen and learn - not just sell.

Sharing Your Plans Breeds Collaboration. 

One of your goals with the design of your meeting was to position yourself as a long-term partner to the prospective customer, and not as a salesperson looking to make a quick, singular transaction.

Explaining the path you’re taking is a continuation of that. It shows them at the very beginning of the meeting that your intention isn’t to immediately win their business. Instead, you’re looking to co-create a solution so that you can chart a path forward together.

​Learn More.

Iceberg Selling is a technique grounded in the understanding that for every person, organization, and situation, you can only see 10% of what’s really going on. By adopting the right mindsets, prioritizing building relationships, and approaching customers with genuine curiosity, you can start to explore the other 90% and improve your sales performance. Get the book to learn more about Iceberg Selling.