Recaps
Here’s a recent meeting recap that Michelle (the salesperson) sent to her client (Chad):
Meeting with Chad Cheddar (Chad’s Cheese Markets)
Key discussion points
- Chad’s overall Cheez Wiz business expected to be up 40% over next 12 months due to local hummus shortage.
- Chad is excited to try new Zesty Ranch flavor Cheez Wiz with fall promotion.
- Chad to promote Sarah Swiss to CCO (Chief Cheese Officer) Western Region as of 6/1.
Chad’s next steps
- Intro email to Sarah to introduce Michelle-thank you!
- Send Michelle fall promotional template.
Michelle’s next steps
- Contact Sarah to arrange initial meeting for week of 5/12.
- Send Zesty Ranch samples to all relevant locations ASAP.
Thanks again for your time today Chad.
Michelle Muenster
All cheesiness aside, these quick recaps are critical in furthering relationships and strengthening your credibility with prospects and clients. You may not be selling cheese (like our representative above Michelle) to a market owner (Chad), but if you serve and sell to internal or external clients, you can be most effective by using regular email recaps like the one above. Writing simple summaries after meaningful phone or email contacts is an easy way to separate yourself from competition while also helping your client and yourself! Top performers tell us they keep the following in mind when using recaps:
- It’s for the client and YOU. Clients and prospects typically love recaps because you are saving them work by summarizing meeting highlights (now they don’t have to do their own summary). These short summaries end up helping sales reps as much as they help clients: 1) they’re easy to forward on to others and make it easier to get other decision makers involved if necessary; 2) they keep momentum after the meeting or call as another touch with the client; 3) next steps are more likely to happen when they are documented; and 4) the summary can be easily pasted into your customer relationship management system.
- Speed counts. Provide email recaps to clients and prospects within 24 hours of the meeting or call. Being speedy with your recaps creates a pattern of quick service. Amazingly, you’ll stand out just by doing what you say you’ll do. During the meeting, you can tell the client that you’ll be sending a short recap, so they can keep an eye out for it. You create an extra opportunity to deliver on time.
- Keep it simple. 5 page recaps make it difficult to pull out the key points. Many use the structure above: Key Points; Customer Next Steps; Salesperson Next Steps. One successful salesperson recently pointed out a best practice when recapping next steps: “If the next steps are all the client’s responsibility, I make sure I come up with some next steps for me too. This makes it clear that we are both taking action to move toward their solution and that I’m not simply waiting for them.”
An email recap is a small time investment that makes a big difference. Get out of your comfort zone and try some quick recaps this week. Your clients will be impressed and thank you. And you’ll thank yourself even more when you recognize how it strengthens important relationships. Keep making it happen!