| Business meeting etiquette for professionals |
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| Wednesday, 11 June 2008 18:20 | |
 Graphic Credit: Katie Skow at Entrepreneur GoddessFirst and foremost, it is important to walk into a business meeting, or any meeting for that matter, with CONFIDENCE. Know who you are and be comfortable in your own skin. If you are not confident, people can easily pick up on this and may be reluctant to do business with you. Another vital key is to use COMMON SENSE at all times of your life. This is particularly important if you are in a business meeting and want to see that person or company again. Turn off your phone or set the ring to silent. Fielding or answering incoming calls, checking your email, or text messaging during a meeting is rude and inconsiderate. It communicates you have better things to see and do rather than give full attention to those you are meeting. I have been stuck in meetings with people doing all of these things and I find that they are not fully attentive and sometimes miss very important points. If you must leave your cell phone on, check your email, or answer a phone call the appropriate thing to do is apologize in advance to the person you are meeting. Make eye contact. Why is everyone so afraid of eyes? You do not have to maintain eye contact every second, but several sources recommend eye contact 80 to 90 percent of the time.This is easier if you are with a person or a group one-on-one in a conference room or office. However, if you are meeting in a public place such as a coffee shop or restaurant, it is even more important to take extra care and not be distracted by the your surroundings (you know, all those crazy people having silly conversations around you). Posture goes in hand with eye contact. Keep your back straight and head up. Be sure to communicate you are fully present and interested in what the other person has to say. Do not to slouch, turn your body away from the person, or hold your head down. Speech. Avoid cursing, using slang, fillers, and words including like and you know and totally. Save it for the mall or wine with your girlfriends...like, you know? Totally! Gossiping about others during business meetings should be strictly prohibited. For the record, I also advise against vicious gossip in your private life as well. If someone is trash talking another person in front of you, what are they saying about you behind your back? Never say anything negative about someone that you would not want repeated in front of that person. If you do not have something nice to say, do not say it at all. I"m sure you have heard that one before today! But if you feel you must say something, try to remain diplomatic at all times. Throw out your gum before the meeting and do not talk or chew food with your mouth open. Gross. Need I say more? Act how you would like people to remember you. Be poised, polite, and polished while exuding confidence. However, don’t pretend to know-it-all (you really do not know everything) because nobody likes people who act like that. Also, avoid any and all tacky or impolite behavior. Follow these guideline with common sense and watch your small business grow! For more information on how to find business clients, check out this previous post. Enjoy the journey, Katie Skow Entrepreneur Goddess |