Business Meeting Etiquettes

Business meetings is the step where you get maximum chances for final conversion and this is the reason meeting should be highly effective and some etiquttes can bring high impact.Let's start

Remember while visiting your client you must know that you don't influence someone with your organization or product/Service. The client actually want to get influence from you.

1) Attire : That makes the first impression, If your client has called you in his office, you must have formal attire and if he has called you in a restaurant or club, you yourself will feel awkarward in formal attire.  Wearing suit looks good when he himself wears it.  I have visited one of my clients who wear shorts in his office and his staff members too have simlar attire (considering their own working culture), so wearing suit may be awkward or embarassing for you. So your attire must be according to time, place and sometimes client's choice.

2) Checklist: Before moving out from your place, You must recheck that you have all the necessary things which may be important during meeting like, Laptop, charger, USB cable, Pen drive, Presentation, Corporate Profile etc. Your phone and Laptop must be fully charged. 

3) Prior Intimation: You must inform your client about your visit atleast an hour ago, so that he remembers and must be ready about the meeting. Due to busy schedule, clients sometimes forgets about your visit, either may be engaged somewhere or he wanted to reschedule yours. Atleast you will don't waste your time and travelling if he is unavailable for meeting. 

4) Punctuality: Punctuality itself shows your commitments, it gives your client his/her importance. You must know how much time it will take to reach to client adding taxing hiring, traffic delays and take some marginal time to get insured to reach on time.Sometimes we get late, at this situation, it is better to priorly inform him that you will be late for few more minutes and if he can  bear some patience. No doubt your client will be overwhelmed by this gesture. 

5) Greetings: Don't sit directly on the chair and reach on the topic, greet him graciously, If you greet in his own native language, he will be stunned. Start showing your concern towards him, ask how is his family doing (make it personal touch, but don't go too much deep). 

6) Main Subject: A light discussion initially is always relaxing but understand if he is comfortable to have it or not or he directly wants to reach to the point. So before starting to the main subject, we must understand his intentions and listen his plans, requirements, worries. You can also jot down the important points in your diary so that when you start, you must have answers to all of his points. If it is your first meeting and you hardly knows each other, then introduce yourself, your company and then the slowly reach to the subject line. Make sure that your content is not boring, raise questions in between in order to make him active, bring some humours content to make it interesting, Audio visual presentation gives powerful impact.

7)  Question and Answer Sesssion: After finishing your conversation, you ask if he has some points to discuss, Perhaps he might have asked you in between but to give him an open space, this session will make him more comfortable and here you can deduce his intentions

8) Conclusion: Now this is the time you take his feedback, if the meeting has brough any good plans, Conclusion is the most important stage where you understand his priorities and concerns, it also give you an idea that your efforts are succesful or not. This may give you lot of homework too, as you will have tasks to do post your meeting. Acknowledge him for giving time and ask him to visit your place and make him feel free to contact in future. You can bestow him with an econmical gift. 

9) Post Meeting: Send him Thank you email and give him Minutes of meeting, meet your priorities and take follow up with him on regular basis. 

What should be avoided:

1) Monotony: you speak what interest your client, silent gap for longer peiord gives monotonous environment and client may deviate from the topic
2) Disagreements: during light discussion we intend to move our convention in politics or society, Naturally your conversation may enter into some disagreements so don't act smart, accept his view with respect and avoid speaking against his views, rather it is the time to give new direction to your conversation
3) Interruptions: You must not interrupt while your client is speaking, even if he interrupts you.
4) Weird Reactions: Sometimes your client utter a joke which is not funny, but you need to give desired reactions, to inform him that you are with him.
5) Aggression: Be smart enough to be decent, don't show your aggression in asking somehting which he don't want to reveal. Don't pressurise him to finalize the deal
6) False Commitments: Never utter false commitment, since he will be in touch with you 
7) Bringing univited guest: Avoid bringing uninvited or unanounced guest in the meeting
8) Unattentive: Looking on your phone, checking social media updates doesn't look good, Also avoid attending any phone callsin between