by Randy Place
Taking note of interviews and sales meetings means making notes after those meetings. Note taking is a major selling tool for job hunters and salespeople. Why take notes? To help you write follow-up letters and proposals. And to make planning next steps a whole lot easier.
The best note taking is right after interviews and sales calls when your memory is fresh. Studies show, we forget much of what we’ve heard — even after only a few hours have lapsed. Just find a quiet spot to take copious notes about –
- Who said what
- What went well
- What went wrong
- And your plan for following up.
When you don’t have paper handy to take notes, especially while networking, write them on the backs of business cards you receive. This will help you recall conversations and plan appropriate follow-ups.
As mentioned earlier, the best notetaking is right after business meetings while conversations are still fresh in your mind. While taking notes during interviews and business meetings can impress some of your prospects, others could be annoyed and distracted watching you, with eyes lowered, scratching away on a pad while avoiding eye contact with them.
To spend your time listening, reacting, answering and asking questions while focusing on your prospect allows you to be spontaneous and to show more interest in your target and surroundings.
You score a double whammy by taking notes soon after interviews and sales calls. You now have material for follow up letters and proposals. And from your notes, appropriate next steps can be listed.
Your Career Service mentioned writing notes on the backs of business cards. Click here to read, “Business card use for business,” a previous post on Your Career Service
