Not long ago, someone sent me a cry for help. He wrote, “My manager says I’m spending too much time researching the company and not enough time working out what should happen next in the relationship. Shouldn’t I know something about the company before I go in?”
I’m a little torn here—I don’t like to get between a salesperson and his manager. However, I’d say this: Don’t over-research—but do spend a little time gathering the relevant facts. Find out the basics about the company. In today’s selling environment, there is no excuse for “cluelessness” about the company’s products and services. Take a few minutes to pull up the target company’s website. Ask yourself: Who are this company’s customers? Which of our success stories would be most relevant to this company?
When you’ve got the answers to these questions, you should probably move out of “research mode” and think about a different kind of preparation for the meeting.
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