How should I greet my potential big client?

[sky753]

Hello Everyone,

I will call my potential big Italian client who will go back to Italy from a 10 day business trip in China next week.

I would like to know here what it is appropriate for me to say at the beginning of the call? Can I say " How is your business trip in China?"

What I will add here is that I have never met the client but just called him three times and is waiting for his comments on our product prices, which has been Emailed to him one month ago!

Regards

Sky

[PROESL]

Originally Posted by sky753

Hello Everyone,

I will call my potential big Italian client who will go back to Italy from a 10 day business trip in China next week.

I would like to know here what it is appropriate for me to say at the beginning of the call? Can I say " How is your business trip in China?"

What I will add here is that I have never met the client but just called him three times and is waiting for his comments on our product prices, which has been Emailed to him one month ago!

Regards

Sky

Hello Carlo. This is sky753. How are you?

That's good.

So how was your business trip?

Talk for a little while longer, and then say this:

I was wondering if you've had a chance to review our prices.

Maybe he'll say he's been too busy and hasn't had the time. If that's the case, then say this, possibly:

I understand. I know what you mean. All of us have busy schedules. Would it be okay if I called you, say, in about a week to talk about this?

Assuming he says yes, say this:

Would it best for me to call in the morning or in the afternoon?

You could try to narrow it down to a specific date and time, but you have to be very careful. Don't make it sound in the least like you're trying to pressure him or make him commit to anything. You have to listen very carefully to how he sounds. Listen to his tone. If he hesitates, try to understand why he is hesitating. Be observant. It could be better to just leave it that you'll call in about a week, assuming he says yes to that.

Use polite and indirect language. Use "could" and "would". Don't use simple sentences. Use complex sentences. They sound less direct: Do you think we could set up a time to talk about this next week?

If he agress to this, and then says nothing else, you could say something like this:

Would Thursday be okay?

Is 10 AM good?

Yes, 10 AM your time, in Italy.

[sky753]

Originally Posted by PROESL

Hello Carlo. This is sky753. How are you?

That's good.

So how was your business trip?

Talk for a little while longer, and then say this:

I was wondering if you've had a chance to review our prices.

Maybe he'll say he's been too busy and hasn't had the time. If that's the case, then say this, possibly:

I understand. I know what you mean. All of us have busy schedules. Would it be okay if I called you, say, in about a week to talk about this?

Assuming he says yes, say this:

Would it best for me to call in the morning or in the afternoon?

You could try to narrow it down to a specific date and time, but you have to be very careful. Don't make it sound in the least like you're trying to pressure him or make him commit to anything. You have to listen very carefully to how he sounds. Listen to his tone. If he hesitates, try to understand why he is hesitating. Be observant. It could be better to just leave it that you'll call in about a week, assuming he says yes to that.

Use polite and indirect language. Use "could" and "would". Don't use simple sentences. Use complex sentences. They sound less direct: Do you think we could set up time to talk about this next week?

If he agress to this, and then says nothing else, you could say something like this:

Would Thursday be okay?

Is 10 AM good?

Yes, 10 AM your time, in Italy.

Thanks a million for your valuable post and your time!