4 ways to prepare for a client visit

Image credit: Gabrielle Henderson from Unsplash

Whether freelancing or running a bustling office, you may need to welcome clients now and again. With face-to-face meetings back on the menu, you might be a little rusty, especially if you have carried on meetings over screens for the past few years. Although you could be rusty, you still need to make sure you can welcome these clients properly and make an excellent impression. To ensure they get the right idea about you and your business, here are four ways to prepare for a client visit. 

Let everyone know they are visiting 
Once you have arranged the visit, you should let everyone know who is coming and when they will arrive. Informing your team about visitors will make sure they do not accidentally treat them like a stranger and it can also encourage them to avoid any tomfoolery that may occur within the office normally. 

Announce the end of the day prior and send an email first thing to remind anyone absent the day before. As professionals, you shouldn’t expect too many issues, but it’s always worth telling them to ensure they show off their best selves. 

Clean the Office 
A messy office is far from the professional haven you want to cultivate, especially if welcoming a particularly important client. You and your team should keep the office tidy anyway, but it may be worth hiring an Office Cleaning service to come in the day before to make the workplace as clean and safe as possible. 

The cleanliness of an office can say a lot about a company, so if you want to promote professionalism, this is a fantastic way to achieve that. 

Give them somewhere to wait 
Even small offices should have a waiting room where your receptionist or office manager can welcome clients while they wait for you to greet them. Designing the perfect waiting room is important, and it should include comfortable and clean furniture as well as a place for them to put their bag or briefcase. 

Make sure to offer them a drink when they arrive, and if you have a spot for them to store their jacket or coat, this is even better. You shouldn’t keep them waiting too long, either, as their time is just as important as yours. 

Make getting there easy 
Some offices are not as easy to find as you think, even if you’re located in the city. Because of this, you should make getting there easy. Don’t just send them a postcode. Send them detailed directions and outline any awkward things they should know about, such as one-way streets or road works.

You should also establish a place for them to park, as you don’t want them to park several streets away. You can give up your parking space or set up a spot specifically for visitors so they can park right next to your building and avoid any hassle. 

Welcome
Client meetings can feel intimidating, but they don't need to be. As long as you do everything you can to make the experience as pleasant as possible, you can guarantee a fantastic and hopefully fruitful experience for both of you, which can lead to a better working relationship in the future.