From a personal point of view I meet clients via 4 Networking (2 local networking meetings), Round Table and recommendations from current clients and friends & family.
I'm sure that there are another 101 ways that everybody else meets clients too.
Most clients drop stuff off to me, one lady I worked on here PC once a month for a couple of hours, another one I go to his house once a month to collect paperwork. I think it depends on the client whether you trust them or not. Mine are all fine.
I meet my clients at a few locations, either the clients premise, the local cafe, pub or hotel (depending on who i'm meeting).
I think it's important that wherever you meet that you arrive early (before the client or potential client) and do as much research or planning for your meeting. It doesn't seem to matter how many meetings have gone before - I always feel like i'm being interviewed and get the jitters prior. It's quite the andrenalin rush - this sounds bad but it's true for me.
This is something I was concidering - but was not sure whether it sets a bad impression on the client....?
I don't think it is. I have a friend who is a software developer mainly for pharmaceutical companies and the NHS. He had a meeting with a senior manager of GSK who opted to meet in McDonalds.
Certainly in the hotels I use I'm not the only person having business meetings.
