Using Lunch & Learns to Generate New Leads pt. 2

Using Lunch & Learns to Generate New Leads pt. 2

In this article, adapted from an earlier episode of our podcast, we pick up where we left off in part 1 of this series. In part 1, we covered the benefits of using a lunch & learn to create new leads and how to prepare for one. Here, we talk about the best way to execute your lunch & learn, from crafting an ideal agenda to the best tips for leaving a good impression.

The Agenda

The agenda for each lunch & learn needs to be tailored to the potential customer. That means researching them ahead of time, figuring out their potential needs, what pain points they might have, and what might motivate them to make a change in security providers. Spend the first five minutes or so focused on creating credibility by sharing your experience with their industry and discussing the problems you know they face.

“Explain, ‘hey, we’ve done this before. We know exactly where you’re at, we’ve been successful with our past customers’,” says Johnny.

By establishing that you understand their needs from the beginning, you have much more credibility when you shift into discussing your own company and capabilities.

A quick overview video can be a great way to make this transition. A good video can lay out the quick highlights of your solution for their specific vertical, addressing any potential questions right from the start. By scripting and shooting quality videos, you make sure each customer hears your best pitch every time.

From there, get a little more customer specific, hitting the finer points of how you’ll deliver their desired outcome. Ideally, have specific numbers that quantify the results you’ll deliver. Bringing in written reports with those numbers to pass around can be a great way to leave them with a reminder of what you can deliver.

Finally, end with some stories of what their day-to-day will look like with your service. Compare and contrast your solution to your competitors, and share success stories with similar customers.

A Sample Lunch and Learn Agenda

Every agenda should be tailored, but this one-hour structure is a reliable starting point. Serve lunch first so no one has to talk and eat at the same time.

Time	Segment	Goal
0 to 10 minutes	Welcome, introductions and lunch	Let everyone settle in before you present
10 to 15 minutes	Your experience with their industry and the problems you know they face	Build credibility early
15 to 20 minutes	A short overview video of your service	Deliver your best pitch consistently
20 to 35 minutes	How you will deliver their desired outcome, with numbers and sample reports	Make the value specific and measurable
35 to 45 minutes	A day with your service, success stories and comparisons	Help them picture working with you
45 to 60 minutes	Q&A, personal introductions and next steps	Answer concerns and gather follow-up details

Show Them a Day With Your Service

Ending with a picture of their day-to-day is one of the most persuasive parts of the lunch. With TrackTik, you can show it instead of describing it. Walk prospects through what a typical day looks like from their side:

Moment	What the client sees	How TrackTik delivers it
Start of the day	A daily activity report waiting in their inbox	Scheduled reports with automatic email notifications
When something happens	An alert and an incident report with time-stamped photos, video and GPS location	TrackTik security incident reporting
During every patrol	Proof that each checkpoint was visited on time	TrackTik security guard tour system
Whenever they want to check	Real-time access to reports and operational overviews	The client portal in TrackTik Security Operations
Monthly review	A concise summary of incidents and trends	Executive summaries from ReportPro AI

If you can, hand them a tablet and let them tap through a sample report themselves. Hands-on proof sticks far longer than a slide.

Closing Out The Presentation

Hopefully you’ll have addressed most potential questions already, but be sure to make yourself available for Q&A at the end. Let the customer dictate how the Q&A goes. If they seem to be in a hurry, answer questions real quickly and don’t wear out your welcome. If they want, though, feel free to let it be more of a freewheeling conversation.

No matter what, make sure you stay focused on the questions you’re asked. Don’t turn your answer into an extended pitch that digresses from the main topic. That’s a good way to get people frustrated and looking for an excuse to leave.

Finally, personally introduce yourself to everyone, give them your business card, and thank them for their time. Not only does this leave a good last impression, it’s an opportunity to collect some information for yourself.

“It’s a great way for me to gather their business card and ask them, ‘What’s the best time to contact you? What’s your portfolio like? Is there anything you saw today that interests you the most?” I tell Johnny. This helps you to craft a personalized follow up e-mail.

Questions to Ask Before You Leave

Use these questions to qualify each lead and personalize your follow-up. For more ideas, see these questions every security company should be asking customers.

• When is the best time to contact you, and how do you prefer to be reached?
• What does your property portfolio look like?
• When do your current security contracts come up for renewal?
• Who else is involved in choosing a security provider?
• What is the biggest challenge with your current provider?
• What did you see today that interested you most?

Tips To Make It Enjoyable

• Have it catered or have an assistant to fill up drinks, throw away trash, bring out dessert. Keep them seated the whole time.
• Keep it positive. Don’t badmouth other companies, don’t focus on the negative perceptions of the industry, keep the conversation focused on how you can help them.
• Keep to the schedule and respect their time.
• Don’t make them talk and eat at the same time.
• Don’t skimp on cost. Have good food, leave a little gift, make it memorable.

Remember, this isn’t just a chance for them to learn about you. It’s also an opportunity to learn about their business and their industry, whatever that may be. It’s also an opportunity to evaluate who you want to work with. “You can pick and choose who you want to work with,” I tell Johnny. “Stick to the positive people you think you’re going to have the best results with, because that’s who’s really going to help you grow your business.”

Your Lunch and Learn Follow-Up Plan

The lunch is only the start. A consistent follow-up plan is what turns a good conversation into a proposal and, eventually, a contract.

When	What to do	Why it works
Same day	Send a thank-you email with your contact details and anything you promised	Keeps the momentum from the lunch
Within 3 days	Send a personalized follow-up based on what interested them, with a sample report from a similar site	Shows you listened and proves your reporting
Within 2 weeks	Offer a property walk at one of their sites	Moves the conversation to their real needs
Ahead of renewal	Check in before their current contract comes up	Puts you in position for the next bid
Ongoing	Share useful articles or local security insights	Keeps you top of mind without a hard sell

A property walk is often the best next step. Learn how to use property walks to win security contracts and why getting the last look helps you win more bids. Throughout the process, keep the focus on their needs rather than your pitch. Here is why prospects don’t like salespeople and how to avoid those habits.

For more on turning a great first meeting into a signed contract, read about winning security contracts without being the lowest bid.

How TrackTik Helps Turn a Lunch and Learn Into a Signed Contract

A strong lunch and learn earns you a second conversation. The service you can prove is what wins the contract. TrackTik, the security workforce management platform from Trackforce, helps security companies deliver that proof from the first meeting onward.

• Proof from day one. The reports, checkpoint data and client portal you demo at lunch are the same tools clients use every day after you win the contract.
• Reporting for multi-site portfolios. Regional managers want visibility across every property. TrackTik Mobile Patrol provides live patrol progress and detailed, customer-ready reports for each client.
• Consistent service at every site. TrackTik Guard Management delivers digital post orders that officers must acknowledge, so every property gets the standard you promised.

Ready to give prospects proof they can see? Book a TrackTik demo and bring the platform to your next lunch and learn.