Question: How do I navigate a successful business lunch?
Answer:
When it comes to business lunches, you can accomplish all of your goals if you are prepared and if you don’t make the following critical mistakes.
1. “Surely one little drink won’t hurt.” Think again. Bad ideas start to sound good when you’re tipsy and you may even become inclined to share off-color jokes or reveal confidences that could sink your career. Drinking clouds your judgment, so unless your clients take the lead, don’t suggest a round of cocktails. If they order a drink, you can avoid an awkward situation by ordering one, too, but make it something light and don’t finish it.
2. “Hey there, sexy.” Never assume your clients are looking for a date. People can appear extremely friendly or open, but that doesn’t mean you should get fresh when courting business with someone of the opposite sex. Never assume familiarity too soon, either. A good rule of thumb is if you wouldn’t address someone of the same sex with a particular nickname, then don’t use it with someone of the opposite sex.
3. “Hrmph, gruulp, brumflen?” Never, ever talk with your mouth full. Take small bites so that if you need to respond to a question, you can chew and swallow quickly. And speaking of talking, never interrupt your guests when they are talking. That is one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make at a business lunch.
4. “I’ll meet you there.” Offer to pick up your clients and drive them to lunch whenever possible. Greeting them in the lobby of their office building is a lot more intimate than trying to find someone new in a crowded restaurant.
5. “That’s not what I asked for; can’t you get it right?” People who are nice to you but nasty to their server are not nice. Always be polite to your server, no matter what happens.
6. “We’re much better than our lousy competitor.” Learn to build better business relationships by outperforming and out-servicing your competition, not by putting them down. Also, if your prospects are already doing business with your competitors, insulting rivals can imply that anyone working with them must be stupid or foolish as well.
7. “Hmmmm ” Ever sit through a meal that is heavy with awkward silence? It’s not necessary. Be prepared for casual conversation by becoming informed. Watch a morning news show, read magazines and best sellers, and learn to ask interesting questions. The odds are no one has asked your clients for their thoughts on travel, gardening, sports or the movies.
8. “What’s 20 percent of this check if lunch was $63.33?” Is there anything tackier than showing someone how much you just spent? Anyone who can read a menu will have a good idea as to how much you’re spending. If you can’t read the check without your glasses, then make sure you have them with you. Never show the check to your guests. Always tip at least 20 percent at a business meal and always pay with a credit card. Cash creates a “let’s all chip in” atmosphere.
9. “I didn’t know that!” Never head off to a business meal without knowing everything you can about your business, your clients’ business or your industry and its trends. Having the inside track will make you shine in your clients’ eyes.
10. “This lunch cost more than my car payment.” Choosing the right restaurant for a business lunch is extremely important. Your choice says a lot about you and how you feel toward your clients.
Too casual or inexpensive and your clients may not feel valued. Too expensive and they may perceive you as wasteful and wonder if you will be that extravagant with their money, should you earn their business.
Written by Robin Jay, keynote speaker, corporate trainer and author of “The Art of the Business Lunch , Building Relationships Between 12 and 2.” Jay is based in Nevada but will be making several San Diego appearances this fall. For more information, visit www.robinjay.com.
