I don’t remember if I discovered this on my own or was told by one of my many mentors over the years. The advice, “always order a bottomless cup of coffee.”
When offered a cup of coffee at a client’s office, always accept and look for the biggest cup.
Whatever the reason: first call, follow up call, cementing the relationship call, resolving a problem call, having a cup of coffee with the client is the equivalent to breaking bread, you have been welcomed into their house. Also and perhaps most importantly, you will be able to sit with your client for as long as it takes to finish the cup.
I have been able to extend the “I only have five minutes for you” to over an hour by continually taking sips from an already empty cup, until I was able to close the deal. So, you can either talk fast or drink slow.
Best yet, try asking for a refill…
Karl Schwalb
Further Reading on Relationship Building
- The Secret? Ask Questions. A Story about Goldrush Jack (read)
- What Do Referrals Mean to You? (read)
- nterest Questions, Your Key to Conversation Success (read)
- Why “What do you do?” is So Important (read)
- Building a Relationship? Give Options for BOTH Coffee and Lunch (read)
Photography Header Source: DepositPhotos
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