The juggle

If you're a client of mine then you're the most important thing in my world.  Every last one of you.

A key reason for going with a smaller supplier is that the service should always be better.  It is beholden upon me to be more attentive, more flexible and, well, friendlier than larger competitors.  This is especially true with face-to-face meetings early on in the relationship.

Right now I have two potential new clients (one in the UK, the other in Europe) who have both requested high-level, multiperson meetings before December.  Ignoring those dates where I have other commitments I'm only left with 17 days between now and November 30.

There is an art to drafting the email that implies: -

(a) My diary is entirely at your disposal so take as long you need... 

But also: -

(b) Not really, so hurry up

My solution was to choose the client that I think is more likely to move quicker (based on the size of the meeting more than anything else).  I emailed only her offering the choice of all 17 days.  Happily I got a rapid response so could then immediately give the other client any of the other 16.

Reading back on this it seems like common sense but years ago I learnt the lesson the hard way when (my only) two potential clients insisted on a meeting on the same day.  That cost me 50% of my customer base.