Those who work in sales constantly need to look to win new business. Doing so, however, is not always the easiest of tasks, especially as many organisations remain cautious about spending money in the challenging economic climate.

Luckily, there are plenty of things salespeople can do when meeting with clients to increase their chances of converting leads into new business. First of all, let’s look at the pitch you deliver. This is crucial in terms of determining whether or not a would-be client wants to do business with you, so the importance of planning exactly what you are going to say really cannot be underestimated.

If you are not already doing so, it is a good idea to think about using an ‘elevator speech’. This business concept is based on the notion that a businessperson needs to introduce themselves, the product and/or service their organisation offers and why they deserve attention in the time that it takes to travel several floors in a lift.

Ideally, such speeches should not last any more than a couple of minutes, so you may need to put in a significant amount of practice to ensure that you don’t spend too much time talking non-stop. Otherwise, you might find that listeners’ minds will start to wander and they don’t pay attention to what you have to say.

Regardless of the company you work for or what you are trying to sell, you should remember that virtually everyone you present your speech to will ask themselves “what’s in it for me?”. As such, you need to be certain your pitch highlights precisely why you (and your organisation) are worth people’s time and money.

While putting in plenty of practice is vital in coming up with a well-prepared pitch, a good salesperson should never deliver speeches that feel robotic. Instead, you ought to be prepared to tailor your talk directly to would-be customers and, of course, be ready to answer any questions that are put to you.

As a pitch ought to capture people’s imagination and make them eager to learn more about what you offer, you should spend a little time considering what things potential clients will be most interested to find out more about. How much a service will cost is often a common query among would-be clients, so it’s definitely worth having these figures to hand.

With any luck, your speech should do enough to convince a business to sign up to receive your organisation’s offering or at least encourage them to set up a second meeting in the future. Regardless of the outcome of the initial meeting, it is a good idea to give those you meet a corporate gift before you leave their office.

There’s a wide range of promotional gifts, though it is perhaps best to offer goods that executives and other decision makers will be encouraged to use on a regular basis. This could include, for example, business card holders, fountain pens and paperweights. No matter what you choose, make sure your company’s logo is clearly visible on the items you give out. That way, your brand, organisation and even your sales pitch is likely to resonate long after the meeting has ended.

Studies from the British Promotional Merchandise Association show that 56 per cent of people feel more favourable about a company that has supplied them with a promotional product. So, it could be that being given a gift gives the additional push needed to buy whatever it is you are offering.

If you’re a salesperson, please let us know what steps you are taking to make sure you are always in a position to secure new business by leaving a comment below.