4 Tips for Meeting With Clients in the Current Climate

This article was written by Derek Goodman - INBIZABILITY

Meeting with clients and potential customers is one aspect of doing business that has recently radically evolved. In-person meetings look different, and even those that are virtual require consideration of the environment you’re in. AMA Consulting Services shares four tips for setting the stage for successful gatherings in today’s world.

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Virtual Meetings

1. Show Yourself in Your Best Light

Lighting is the number one determinant of how you and your surroundings will appear in a video call. While natural lighting is flattering, it can be difficult to ensure it shines in precisely the right way when your meeting time comes, so it’s important to have other means of perfecting your lighting.

Some people may achieve this using lamps or overhead lighting in their home offices. For others, ring lights are wildly popular and effective tools. While they typically have a stand that allows its placing to be adjusted, you can also get smaller versions that connect directly to your laptop screen. Many come with different color options, including warm and white versions, with the ability to adjust the brightness.

2. Have a Professional Background

We’ve all read horror stories about poor choices for Zoom call backgrounds. Make sure your backdrop isn’t one of them by being mindful of what's behind you. You may need to adjust the desk in your office to give yourself the best placement for video calls.

If there isn’t an option for a natural professional background in your office, consider investing in a background screen. There are thousands of screen options you can choose from, including some that affix to your wall and others that have a separate stand.

In-Person Meetings

1. Put Safety First

Clients need to know that they can feel safe coming into your office and that appropriate health measures have been taken. Some precautions you can take are very straightforward: Open the windows to let in fresh air when possible, have hand sanitizer and masks readily available and arrange furniture so that participants may keep some physical distance between them.

Other ideas include investing in an air purifier with a HEPA filter, which studies suggest can effectively minimize the spread of viruses. Using UVC in your HVAC system has also been shown to help with disinfection.

Embracing technology to minimize contact eliminates the need for many physical exchanges that previously would have been opportunities for germs to spread. Invoicing and payment software options abound, and clients will likely appreciate having to haul less paperwork around.

2. Consider Comfort

When chatting with customers, ensure their comfort in your office. Depending on the length of time a meeting lasts, they may be seated for quite a while, so invest in ergonomic seating that will be comfortable for long discussions.

If presentations are part of your conferences, ensure the seat from which visitors will be watching them doesn’t cause their necks or eyes to strain. As with virtual meetings, good lighting makes a world of difference, but the ability to eliminate lights completely for better viewing of presentations is also vital. Light-dampening curtains are an easy way to manage this.

If your home office requires significant updating, keep track of renovations so you can update your home’s value so you may sell it or borrow against its full value. Having a place to host clients in your home office is an excellent home addition.

While the nature of client meetings has changed a lot in recent years, many of the fundamentals have not. Focus on maintaining a professional appearance and tending to your client's comfort, and you should be fine.

This article is brought to you by AMA Consulting Services, where we help small businesses grow through digital marketing solutions and consulting. We know that running your small business does not leave a lot of time to research digital marketing platforms and solutions. Our expertise lies in building digital marketing solutions, using platforms like Facebook and Instagram, and strategies for advertising and promotions. For more information, please contact us today!