Business Etiquette

Want to set you and your business apart from the competition? An important factor is your business relationship and your people skills. The best way to improve your people skills is to practice business etiquette.

Business etiquette is not meant to be strictly formal. It is really about being kind, considerate, empathetic and respectful. Practicing of right business etiquette at any networking event can be one of the most effective ways to increase awareness of who you are and what you do, meet potential clients, and develop new business opportunities.

The key to follow business etiquette is to remember that it is not about how many cards you give out or what you are selling – but, more importantly, who is doing the selling. It is the person behind the product or service that people trust, admire, respect, and with whom they enjoy dealing. It is this rapport, this established relationship that truly makes a product or service interesting, desirable, referable, and buyable.

There are three parts to a business networking event/meeting: the preparation beforehand, the interactions during the event, and the often forgotten follow-up.

Here are some successful strategies to remember the next time you are planning to attend a networking function so that you appear prepared, skilled, and represent yourself and your company with a level of polish and professionalism that will help to distinguish you at the event and in the business world:

1.Appropriate Dress up: It takes 7 seconds or less for someone to form a first impression of you simply from your appearance – make it a positive and lasting impression by dressing in professional attire, wearing appropriate accessories, exhibiting confident body language, and using specific and deliberate mannerisms.

2.Bring Business Cards and marketing material: Professionals know they are attending a networking event to exchange information about who they are and what they do with one another – however, it is your technique for handing out business cards that can help to further solidify that introduction and open the door for follow-up – or not. . Bring plenty of business cards/marketing material but hand them out in a courteous and right manner.

3. Exhibit an Effective Greeting & Introduction: Always introduce yourself by stating your first and last name in a clear and confident manner, making eye contact, smiling, standing, and extending a firm handshake.

4. Listen First, And then Speak: Now that you have introduced yourself, strategically place yourself in a position to be heard by letting the other person speak first. Most people are preoccupied with what they are going to say when it is their turn to speak, so they only half listen. By asking the other person questions about his/her business first, they will be much more focused on you and, therefore, inclined to pay attention and listen to what you are saying when it is your turn to speak.

When it is your turn to speak, make sure you do not monopolize the conversation. Use the time your counterpart took to speak, as a gauge for how long you should speak. You want to be conscious that the conversation is not one-sided.

5. Follow-up: If you have met and exchanged business cards with someone and they call you, make sure to call them back – it is simply courtesy. Be proactive and show initiative by scheduling a one-on-one meeting with that person, after the event, to learn more about his/her business and how you can help one another to achieve desired goals.

Besides all these exhibit common courtesies also. One should be well groomed and following proper hygiene practice and other etiquette. Make sure your cell phone is off or at least on vibrate, remember your goal in being at the event is to interact – so be attractive and approachable in every way and there should be no distraction in your look and behavior.