"Know who you're selling to," advised Mike Raymond, president, ProForma M&E Promotions, Som-erset, N.J. "Keep your mouth shut and let them tell you what they want--find out what they need and who they're targeting."
Knowledge of your client's company and goals is the key.
"Ask the customers how they advertise. If they tell you they don't, then they need to see promotional products that have worked in a previous campaign. Ask if they exhibit at trade shows. Ask if they have any experience with promotional products. Ask, ask, ask. It may put doubt in their mind that not doing anything is not good and it may add to your credibility with intelligent and probing questions," Goodwin advised. "Ask them if they market themselves and ask if they've grown substantially in the past three years. It should be a no-brainer. Then ask if their competitors have grown. If the answer is 'no,' then they don't care and convincing them will be a tough one."