Business Dining Etiquette - How to Avoid Dining Blunders That Even the Most Successful Executives Make
Business Dining Etiquette - How to Avoid Dining Blunders That Even the Most Successful Executives Make
Years ago, as a novice fundraiser I sat between two VIP's from separate corporations. One was drinking my water and the other was eating from my bread plate. I had many options - none of them good. Should I drink from the next person's water glass? Should I skip the breadbasket? Should I tell them? What a dilemma! How we handle uncomfortable situations is what set's us apart.
A Successful Business Meal Requires Thought, Planning and Attention to Detail!
Your dining skills will be observed and evaluated as you carry on a professional conversation with an existing client or as you attempt to build a relationship with a new client.
So yes, table manners really do matter! They provide an opportunity for your client to see a polished, poised and sophisticated executive versus someone who is uncomfortable, awkward and ill at ease. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that dining, unless done well, could be disastrous to your reputation.
10 Business Dining Etiquette Tips to Avoiding a Dining Disaster During Dinner with a Potential Customer
1. If you were the one to extend the invitation, you take care of everything from the valet to the tip. As the host (or the invitee) you are responsible for making sure that every part of the business meal goes smoothly, from beginning to end.
2. Give your client an indication of what he or she may order by making suggestions. The key is to familiarize yourself with several menu items and demonstrate your knowledge by offering tips on what are the favorites and specialties.
3. Drink from your own glass. A sure way to negate your own professionalism is by making the mistake of drinking from your client's water glass or eating from their bread plate. Your drink will always be on the right and the bread plate is on the left side, above your dinner plate.
4. Remove any foreign object from your mouth by covering your lips with a napkin and removing the object with your index finger and thumb. If you feel too uncomfortable, excuse yourself from the table and take care of the removal in the privacy of the restroom, away from the table.
5. Salt and pepper are married. Always pass the salt and pepper together, even if your client only asks for salt. This small skill shows the savvy client that you have some form of dining training.
6. Try a bit of everything on your plate unless you have a food allergy. You will come across as juvenile if you eat your steak and potatoes and turn your nose up at the peas and carrots.
7. Do not monopolize the conversation. Show a genuine interest in getting to know your client better by asking thoughtful questions about "safe topics" such as sports teams, hobbies, movies and other general interests. Avoid personal questions that may make your client feel uncomfortable.
8. When leaving the table during the meal place your napkin on your chair and push the chair back under the table. It is not important to announce where you are going, especially when it is the restroom.
9. Closing a deal is not your primary focus. Use this time to promote good will rather than attempting to make a sale. Remember, your focus is on building the relationship - and that's why you should also follow up in writing with a quick thank you note that thanks your prospect or client for his or her time.
10. Review some difficult menu terms. Quiche Lorraine is not pronounced "Quicky Looraine" and Prix Fix is not an expensive sports car.
Remember, your behavior at the dining table is a good indicator of what your client can expect in an important meeting or merger. Taking the time and effort to hone your dining skills is an investment in your future success.
Business Dining Etiquette How to Avoid Dining Blunders That Even the Most Successful Executives Make - To learn more about this author, visit Diane Gottsman's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Free Download - Business Dining Etiquette - How to Avoid Dining Blunders That Even the Most Successful Executives Make By Diane Gottsman |
There is nothing more uncomfortable than sitting across the table from someone you are trying to impress and not knowing what fork to use. Or, as a guest, wondering what part of the menu you should order from or when to make a toast. Or, what to do if you found yourself with a huge piece of gristle in your mouth?
Years ago, as a novice fundraiser I sat between two VIP's from separate corporations. One was drinking my water and the other was eating from my bread plate. I had many options - none of them good. Should I drink from the next person's water glass? Should I skip the breadbasket? Should I tell them? What a dilemma! How we handle uncomfortable situations is what set's us apart.
A Successful Business Meal Requires Thought, Planning and Attention to Detail!
Your dining skills will be observed and evaluated as you carry on a professional conversation with an existing client or as you attempt to build a relationship with a new client.
So yes, table manners really do matter! They provide an opportunity for your client to see a polished, poised and sophisticated executive versus someone who is uncomfortable, awkward and ill at ease. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that dining, unless done well, could be disastrous to your reputation.
10 Business Dining Etiquette Tips to Avoiding a Dining Disaster During Dinner with a Potential Customer
1. If you were the one to extend the invitation, you take care of everything from the valet to the tip. As the host (or the invitee) you are responsible for making sure that every part of the business meal goes smoothly, from beginning to end.
2. Give your client an indication of what he or she may order by making suggestions. The key is to familiarize yourself with several menu items and demonstrate your knowledge by offering tips on what are the favorites and specialties.
3. Drink from your own glass. A sure way to negate your own professionalism is by making the mistake of drinking from your client's water glass or eating from their bread plate. Your drink will always be on the right and the bread plate is on the left side, above your dinner plate.
4. Remove any foreign object from your mouth by covering your lips with a napkin and removing the object with your index finger and thumb. If you feel too uncomfortable, excuse yourself from the table and take care of the removal in the privacy of the restroom, away from the table.
5. Salt and pepper are married. Always pass the salt and pepper together, even if your client only asks for salt. This small skill shows the savvy client that you have some form of dining training.
6. Try a bit of everything on your plate unless you have a food allergy. You will come across as juvenile if you eat your steak and potatoes and turn your nose up at the peas and carrots.
7. Do not monopolize the conversation. Show a genuine interest in getting to know your client better by asking thoughtful questions about "safe topics" such as sports teams, hobbies, movies and other general interests. Avoid personal questions that may make your client feel uncomfortable.
8. When leaving the table during the meal place your napkin on your chair and push the chair back under the table. It is not important to announce where you are going, especially when it is the restroom.
9. Closing a deal is not your primary focus. Use this time to promote good will rather than attempting to make a sale. Remember, your focus is on building the relationship - and that's why you should also follow up in writing with a quick thank you note that thanks your prospect or client for his or her time.
10. Review some difficult menu terms. Quiche Lorraine is not pronounced "Quicky Looraine" and Prix Fix is not an expensive sports car.
Remember, your behavior at the dining table is a good indicator of what your client can expect in an important meeting or merger. Taking the time and effort to hone your dining skills is an investment in your future success.
Business Dining Etiquette How to Avoid Dining Blunders That Even the Most Successful Executives Make - To learn more about this author, visit Diane Gottsman's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 | |
 |
No article feedback found. |
| |
Leave Your Feedback |
 | |
| |||
Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
|||
Anne BarrAnne Barr has over 26 years experience in sales and marketing, six years as a franchisee. She has assisted over 367 business owners and purchasers to achieve their goals in career change, transition and exit strategy. She holds the designation of Certified Franchise Executive from the International Franchise Association, Certified Business Intermediary from the International Business Brokers Association and Board Certified Broker from the Texas Association of Business Brokers. Anne is active in professional organizations, networking groups and volunteers for non-profit entities. As owner/operator of four successful businesses, Anne has proven people skills and enjoys helping clients find the right "fit" in business ownership. Visit www.FranchiseOpportunitySpecialist.com for more information about me and my company. - Visit Anne Barr's Website |
|||
Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
|||
Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
|||
George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
|||
Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
|||
David BarrDavid Barr is the President of Venture Opportunities, Inc. David has been a professional business broker/intermediary since 1980 focusing on General Business Brokerage and Mergers and Acquisitions representing client transaction value from $400,000 to $20,000,000. Mr. Barr has handled the sale of over four hundred and fifty companies. David earned a university degree from the State University of New York majoring in economics and business. David holds the Mergers and Acquisition Master Intermediary and the Certified Business Intermediary designations from the International Business Brokers Association. He is also a Senior Business Analyst and a Texas licensed Real Estate Agent. For more information about David and Venture Opportunities, visit www.bizdealmaker.com. - Visit David Barr's Website |
|||
Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
|||
|
To learn more about the Evan Elite Author Program please contact us. | |||
 | |
|  |
Subscribe to Diane's articles
 | |
|
|  |
 | |
|
| |
 | |||||||
|
 | ||
|
||
 |
||
 |
||
|
| ||
 |
| Have you written articles that would be of value to entrepreneurs? Become an expert on our site by publishing them! Expose yourself to a wide audience, drive more traffic to your website and get more sales! Click Here for details. |
|
|
 |
| Modeling the Masters: Learn the true secrets behind Walt Disney's business success factors & grow your company! Video produced by Phanta Media |
|
|
 |
"Learn straight from Evan how you can Make a Full Time Income (And More) from a Website"
Click Here To Learn More |
|
|
|
|
Get advice & tips from famous business owners, new articles by entrepreneur experts, my latest website updates, & special sneak peaks at what's to come!
|
|
|
 Basic SEO Guide Your Life Your Legacy Intentional Leadership Integrity Dream Boards Human Resources Checklist |
|
 | ||
 |
Top 50 HR Blogs 2009
Top 50 HR Blogs 2009 | |
 |
Guide To ERP Software
Business Management Software | |
| ||
 | ||||
| ||||
|
| ||||
| ||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||||||||||
|
Email us your ideas on how to make our website more valuable! Thank you Sharon from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for your suggestions to make the newsletter look like the website and profile younger entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez and Sean Combs!
|
|
|
