There is nothing more embarrassing than being ill-prepared and unorganized during a business meeting – particularly when meeting with prospective clients who are not only assessing your products or services, but also your overall appearance and professionalism. Everything about you should appear neat and organized. This includes your personal appearance, your communication skills and your overall packaging.
That is why it is critical to be prepared by gathering and organizing your documents well in advance of a meeting with clients. In fact, according to Small Business Trends, most people spend an average of four hour per week searching for papers. Failing to having the documents you need in advance is a poor reflection on you.
Below are several tips to help you get (and keep) your binder organized.
Basic Organizing Techniques
Two basic organizing techniques include using custom ring binders and index tabs. First of all, your binder should be neat and clean, containing relevant information that is organized in such a way that you have clear notes and documents to assist with your speaking points. Your binder should be organized so that you can easily get to any document at a moment’s notice.
Oftentimes during meetings, clients may ask a question that could throw your sales pitch off course. Those are the moments when having an organized custom ring binder is most critical. An organized binder allows you to continue with the conversation in a very structured manner without being thrown off-guard.
Custom Ring Binders
Custom binders are ideal for meeting with potential clients. They suggest that you’ve taken the time to put together packages specifically for meeting with new clients. They also allow you to organize your sales pitch in a manner that places emphasis on your key selling points. Your presentation documents should be legible, preferably in color and organized by tabs. Custom binders also can be left with potential clients, allowing them to go back over the key selling points and provide assistance with making important decisions.
Items that should be included in the custom ring binder consist of product or service portfolios, price sheets, the benefits and features of your products or services, testimonials and blank sheets for taking notes.
Custom ring binders are available as standard three ring binders or multi-ring binders. The ring size of the binder determines the capacity or the total documents the binder is capable of holding. The standard three ring binder is compatible with the standard three-hole punch, otherwise the hole punch will have to be customized.
Index Tabs
Index tabs allow you to organize your information as you would organize chapters in a book. You can use a numerical or alphabetical system, or sort by titles. Index tabs also works well if you decide to use a table of contents for quick referencing. It not only keeps your information organized, but also helps potential customers follow long as you are presenting the information.
When adding extra paper, it’s important to make sure that the holes punched in pre-punched paper are aligned properly with the holes that are punched in the index tabs. If not, there will be an overlap in your documents which will make the document appear unprofessional.
Summary
When you appear organized and well prepared, it can tremendously boost your confidence level, decrease stress, and may you look more professional. Being organized with the use of a custom ring binder and index tabs can help you feel better prepared and give you the confidence you need to nail that business proposal!
