Sometimes a change in setting is all you need to make people feel comfortable and ready to talk. Today sales trainer Tessa Stowe shares the power of the coffee shop meeting – and really, who doesn’t want to get out of the office for a piece of coffee cake?

Just imagine that you have a senior position in a company with quite a few people reporting to you. From the moment you walk into the office, you automatically act and talk your role. You have lots of responsibilities and you take them seriously. When people meet you in the office, you play the role as that is what people expect of you. Your days are very full, rushing here and there.

Now suppose that in the middle of your hectic day, you are invited out for a coffee with a friend where you know you can relax for a moment and just be yourself. How good is that? How re-energizing is that in the middle of your busy day?

Years ago, I was selling a multi-million dollar billing system to a telecommunications company. I needed to meet with a lot of different people to put all the pieces of the sales "puzzle" together. Scheduling meetings was always difficult as they had very few meeting rooms.

So as a matter of necessity, I started inviting people out for a coffee meeting - with cake if they wanted it. As we stepped out of the office environment and into the coffee shop, a curious thing happened. More often than not, the person I was having coffee with left their role behind and I had coffee with just that "person."

We would spend the first few minutes just enjoying the shop environment and discussing what they were up to personally. As a result, they would begin to unwind, relax, and start to be themselves as opposed to their roles.

Then when we came to getting down to business, I'd be in a place of greatly appreciating their help and any insights or tips they could give me. It would be as if a flood gate had opened up, and the information and help would flow. They would be very open with me.

At the end, I was always thanked for the coffee and told how much they had enjoyed the conversation, and that we must do it again soon. They had valued the experience and getting out of the office. When I next rang them and said "Let's catch up over coffee", they would do their best to fit it in their schedule. They wanted to get out of the office and go for a coffee. My colleagues were constantly amazed at the ease with which I got meetings, and with just about anyone.

So what are the lessons that I learned from coffee shop selling?

1. If you meet people in their office, they will more than likely act the role they play in that environment. Take them out of that office and into a coffee shop type environment, and you will have a higher chance that they will relax and be more like themselves.
2. If people feel relaxed in your company, they will open up to you.
3. If you make it enjoyable to meet with you, people will meet with you.
4. If you show that you appreciate someone's help, they will help you.

So when you can - and I know it's not always possible - instead of having office meetings, invite your prospect out for a coffee and make it an enjoyable experience for both of you. Do this and you'll be amazed at how much your prospects will go out of their way to help you and to meet with you - for a coffee and chat.

Tessa Stowe teaches small business owners and recovering salespeople simple steps to turn conversations into clients without being sales-y or pushy. Her FREE monthly Sales Conversation newsletter is full of tips on how to sell your services by just being yourself. Sign up now at www.salesconversation.com.

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