Green Business Directory - Sealing The Deal More Than The Business Meal

Doing business over meals is really a ritual that has existed for centuries.  Taking clients to breakfast, lunch or dinner has long been an efficient method to build relationships, make the sale or seal the deal.  These business meals are essentially company meetings. Knowledge of your product or your service is crucial towards the achievement of the meeting, but so are your manners.  Too many individuals jeopardize an opportunity because they fail to use good dining etiquette.  Here are a few basic rules to make the encounter pleasurable and profitable.

When you make your reservation, let the staff know that you will be dining with customers.  If your guests suggest a restaurant new to you (perhaps you’re hosting customers out-of-town), call ahead and speak with the maitre’d.  Make it clear that you will be having an essential company meal and picking up the check.

Confirm the meal appointment with your customers the day before if you are meeting for breakfast or that day if you’re having lunch or dinner. Points do happen and mix-ups occur.

Arrive early so you can attend to last minute details.  This really is the ideal time to give your credit card towards the maitre’d and avoid the awkwardness that seems to accompany the arrival of the bill.

Beyond being polite, where you seat your visitors is strategic.  Whenever you are entertaining 1 client, sit next to every at a right angle rather than across the table.  With two clients, put 1 across from you and the other to your side.  Should you sit between them, you’ll appear as if you are watching a match at Wimbledon as you try to follow the conversation.

Keep an eye on the time, but do not let your visitors see you checking your watch.  Breakfast should typically last an hour; lunch an hour and a half.  Wrap up your company dinner in two to three hours, no more.

Handle any disasters with grace.  With all your attention to detail, points can still go wrong. The food might not be up to your standards, the waiter may be rude or the individuals at the next table boisterous and out of control.  Whatever happens, make sure you aren’t the one to lose control.  Excuse yourself to discuss any difficulties using the staff.  Your guests will feel uncomfortable should you complain in front of or to them.

Your conduct more than the meal will determine your professional success.  Should you pay attention towards the details and make every effort to see that your clients have a pleasant encounter, they will assume that you simply will handle their company the same way.  Before long you could have them eating out of your hand.

Get  your FREE internet marketing training. Visit www.gbb.org/doubleyourleads to access over 50 hours of videos packed with practical strategies and tools to help you double your leads!

If you want to read more on how this program can help you, check this article out: Green Business Directory