Over the coming months, we’re exploring the commercial behaviours that win and grow work amongst technical experts. Last month, we focused on getting in front of target clients…because if you are not in the room (virtual or physical), well, nothing else matters.
This month, we move to the next stage: Now you’re in the room, how do you show up and get the most out of the meeting.
For many technically strong professionals, this is where things can quietly stall if a conversation doesn’t quite progress as expected. For all intents and purposes it’s polite, professional and informative, but it doesn’t necessarily feel like it’s going anywhere.
Let’s be clear from the start, when we talk about personal impact, we are not talking about personality. This is not about being the most confident voice in the room, the most extroverted, or the most polished presenter. It is about how you are experienced by the client.
In their head they’re assessing if what you’re saying is clear and understandable, do you look composed and commercially aware, do they feel like you’re someone they can trust in front of their own stakeholders? Because in that moment, the client is not just assessing what you know, they are assessing what it would feel like to work with you. Part of that feeling comes from credibility, not just in what you say, but in how you demonstrate that you have seen and handled similar situations before.
This matters because of the same underlying driver we discussed in Edition One: perceived risk. Appointing an adviser carries (potential) consequences; if things go wrong, it reflects on the decision-maker. So in meetings, clients are constantly (and often subconsciously) asking themselves: Do I understand this person? Do they understand my world? Can they handle challenge? Will they make my life easier or more complicated?
Technical expertise is of course still important, but the fact you are in the room at this point they are likely to have ticked the ‘they are technically competent box’, however, it is rarely what differentiates you in that moment. It is how confidently and clearly that expertise is communicated.
Across the firms we work with, those who consistently convert meetings into opportunities tend to demonstrate three things.
Firstly, they bring clarity to the conversation. They have an ability to take something that could feel complex or technical and make it feel structured, logical and manageable (in the eyes and minds of the client). They avoid overloading the client with detail and instead help them see the situation more clearly than when the meeting started. That clarity builds confidence, and confidence plays a significant role in reducing perceived risk. Often, the most effective professionals reinforce this with relevant examples, case studies or insight, demonstrating that they have seen similar situations before and understand how they play out in practice.
Secondly, they demonstrate composure. They are comfortable when challenged, they don’t rush to fill silence, and they don’t become defensive when a question is pushed back on them. They take a moment, they think, and they respond with intent. They are also comfortable exposing potential areas of vulnerability; acknowledging what they don’t yet know or where further input may be needed. This shows the client a level of honesty and sense of control, that whilst sometimes may seem counterintuitive, often builds trust rather than undermining it.
And thirdly, they show commercial awareness. They don’t just talk about what they do, they connect it to what it means for the client. They recognise the wider context; the pressures, the timelines, the stakeholders involved and the potential impact of getting it right or wrong. This is often where technically strong professionals can undersell themselves, because they stay in the detail, whilst the client is thinking about outcomes.
It’s also worth being clear on what strong personal impact does not look like. It isn’t about dominating the conversation or delivering a perfectly rehearsed pitch. In fact, being overly polished can sometimes create distance, whereas a more natural, human approach often builds stronger connection and trust. The most effective professionals create space, they ask thoughtful questions, and they listen carefully. When they do speak, it is considered and relevant.
For leadership teams, this is an area that is often overlooked. There is typically a significant investment in developing technical capability, with an expectation that commercial confidence will follow over time. Sometimes it does, but often it doesn’t, simply because these behaviours are rarely taught or practiced deliberately. Clarity, composure and commercial awareness are not personality traits, they are skills, and they can be developed.
At an individual level, it can be helpful to pause and reflect. Do you make complex ideas easier or harder to understand? How do you respond when challenged? Are you talking about what you do, or what it means for the client? And ultimately, do clients leave conversations clearer and more confident than when they arrived?
Next month we’ll build on this further by exploring one of the most underrated commercial skills: listening.Because the professionals who ask better questions, and truly hear the answers, are often the ones who shape the opportunity before anyone else realises it exists.
If this has got you thinking about how you, or your team, show up in client conversations, then it has served its purpose. Commercial advantage is built through small, consistent behaviours, applied over time.
Until next time,
Gary
We are a business development consultancy which is passionate about helping our clients develop processes, skills and behaviours that will result in increased sales and improved margins. 
