Ten quick business lunch etiquette tips
Knowing what to do when meeting a prospect for lunch or going to lunch with the boss or a colleague can be confusing at times. Here is a quick list of items to remember:
1. Be in the present moment with whoever you are with. Limit looking around the room. It is a sign that you are looking for something better. There is nothing worse than having a conversation with someone who is half hearted.
2. Arrive on time. This sounds so common sense. The percentage of people who arrive late exceeds 65 percent. Don’t press your time until the last minute before you leave the office to be late. Do some reading or work with you, get there early, sit in the lobby and work. Or give yourself some space to think about how you want to approach your time together. You present, tone, design, or even plan a quick getaway if the union isn’t working out. The memory implant of your tardiness will always nullify any request for forgiveness.
3. Turn off your cell phone before entering the restaurant. No one around you wants to listen to your conversation. Even if you let it ring, pick it up and then take it outside. Left your lunch buddy alone? This is just rude. If you have an “I don’t care” attitude about this, I’ll tell you a story about a lunch guest of mine who did this and the three prospects he met with didn’t even sit down. They watched her speak, she waved a single 1 minute finger at them, and they turned and walked away. They didn’t even answer her phone calls or emails afterwards.
4. If you are a woman and this is a business, now it is appropriate to get up and shake hands with a man. This overrides the old rule of sitting still. If the meeting is about your spouse’s business and you are coming because other spouses are coming, then remain seated while your spouse stands up. This rule applies to both genders.
5. Offer your hand and give a firm handshake. Sometimes people who don’t like to shake hands won’t know yours. Don’t think about anything if they don’t, this is just their preference. And especially don’t say something cute or funny.
6. Think of an opening statement to make while shaking hands. This is part of your first impression, so get it right. Always use the guest’s given name, either at the beginning or end of the declaration. For example, “Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today, Catherine.” When you need to complete a group of submissions, the highest rank rules over gender.
7. Small talk is important, don’t leave it out. The length of time for small talk depends on many factors. If you are in the presence of famous or very wealthy people and not in a social setting, then the small talk, if any, will be quick and brief. It could be as short as one or two sentences. People who know how much their time is worth, or that they are doing you a favor by being there, also fall into this category.
8. Aha, who pays the bill? If you made the invitation, you are responsible for the check. It doesn’t matter how good they are. If it’s a joint meeting, ask at the beginning or when scheduling lunch about check splitting. Waiting until the check arrives to declare the check split is a sign of professional weakness. If you are meeting with someone who is giving you valuable advice, you have to pay the bill. A personal handwritten follow-up note is also appropriate. If they have saved or helped you earn more money, send them a gift or gift certificate. If you don’t, you’ll never get more of your time again. This has occurred to me, and the person never has time again.
9. Where does the napkin go? Immediately after sitting down, place the napkin in your lap. If you notice the napkin in the glass, it’s usually a sign from the restaurant that the server will place the napkin in your lap. If you apologize during the meal, place the napkin on the left side of your plate or on the chair. This tells the server that you are not done. When finished, place the napkin to the right of the plate and the fork and knife horizontally across the plate to signal the server.
10. What to eat and use first? Which glass or which fork can be confusing. Bread and salad plates always on the left, drinking glasses on the right. The utensils start from the outside in and the dessert fork is next to the dessert plate. Place your fork and knife on your plate to signal to the server that you are done.