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Ranvijay Singh

Lunch meetings versus meeting at the office

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Are you into sales or business development? Have you ever invited your client to discuss business over lunch? What's the % of deal closure - business meetings over lunch Vs business meetings in office premises?

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Sujoy Chaudhary
In office meetings, it is easier for your client to introduce you to more people in person. I'd recommend lunch for either first meeting or after deal closure. In other stages, it is more important to meet more people in the company who can get excited about what you offer.
Abadesi
Presumably you're talking about B2B? I do most sales (more like partnerships really) virtually these days but when I worked on multi-million dollar valued accounts in past jobs we would take clients out for lunch quarterly. I think tons of business can convert without an IRL meeting these days.
Ranvijay Singh
@abadesi, agreed. But, if the deal size is higher then in most cases clients/accounts need to meet partners, consultants and account manager prior to closing it.
Abadesi
@ranvijay_singh do you have data based on your own experiences about which option is most likely to convert into paying clients?
Ranvijay Singh
@abadesi, In my personal experience, I closed more than 80% of the deals on lunch, coffee and sometimes at bar.
Sohaib Nadeem
The lunch meetings in my point of view can have a good impact on the meeting in particular. How? The mind is really at ease and the discussions are not pressurized. Engagements increase and it helps in increase in productivity. While the meetings in offices are much more professional and I sometimes do prefer in offices than in lunch areas as it sometimes goes off topic and that is the hindrance in lunch meetings, not at all reliable. While office meetings are centered throughout the session on the topic on hand though in someplace I have seen, the meetings are rather dull and kills the spirit.
Jonathan Sun
Neither! Personally a light afternoon coffee/tea does the trick. Costs less on both sides as well