If you’re going to ask for the prospect’s time, everyone should know it’s going to be well spent. (Photo: Shutterstock)

We all know how difficult it is to put a new opportunity in the pipeline. Even more difficult is moving that prospect forward to a successful conclusion.

You have to engage them as an active participant. If they’re not willing to participate, this is a huge red flag.

Related: 4 things scarier than a prospecting call

Here are three simple actions you can take that put a bit of burden on the buyer without pushing them away. In fact, these actions will pull the buyer into the conversation and get them invested in the outcome.

Kevin Trokey is founding partner and coach at St. Louis-based Q4intelligence.

1. Always send an agenda

If you’re going to ask for the prospect’s time, everyone should know it’s going to be well spent. This doesn’t have to be complex. Simply send a concise email a day or two prior to the scheduled meeting:

• Remind them of the purpose. • List the key items to be discussed. • Establish what each party needs to do in order to be prepared for the meeting. • Ask if they have anything to add.

It will become clear to the buyer that this is an important meeting, that you will be prepared, and expect the same from them, and that it will be productive.

2. Assign homework

Developing a dialogue with your prospect will be far more effective than the monologue your competition forces on the prospect. But, to get to a dialogue, the prospect must be engaged. The goal of the sales process should be to determine your ability to help them address needs and achieve better results. To help facilitate this, give them an assignment. Ask them:

• What are some significant goals you would like to accomplish in the next couple of years? • What are three things you’re doing now that will make them happen? • What are three things you need to change or start doing in order to make them happen?

Based on what you uncover, assign them an article, a video or some other assignment to help pull them further into the process.

The harder you make them work to work with you, the more likely it will happen. Seems counterintuitive, but it’s true.

3. Send a summary email

Don’t let all of your work and conversations go to waste. Never think they are going to remember the details of the meeting like you do. Not only will they not remember details, they will have forgotten a majority of what you discussed within days.

Follow up with another concise email summarizing key points of what was discussed. Highlight key moments and the needs you identified. Remind them of the significance of addressing those needs, next steps, the timing, and who is responsible for which items.

This will help to keep the conversation clear in their mind and provide a framework on which to attach more of the details and retain it long term.

No, it’s not rocket science

Sadly, it doesn’t take much to stand above your competition.

By communicating consistently and professionally before, during, and after each meeting, you will help them be more engaged. Engagement brings confidence in what you can do for them. You will find them more willing to move forward to a conclusion that ends in your favor.

Read more: 

• For your next prospecting meeting, forget the binder
• Sales lessons from your (much) younger self
• Good brokers, bad conversations