Latest "Business Etiquette" Posts
January 15, 2015
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a gift and not giving it” ~ William Arthur Ward.
Many people are forming good habits in the New Year, such as exercising and eating right. I encourage you to add just one more – a simple daily dose of gratitude. It is an amazingly rewarding way of cultivating kindness, and January is the perfect month to start this new habit—it’s National Thank You Month!
Thank you notes can be sent anytime to anyone to let them know you appreciate them. Here’s the bonus: the amount of effort required to show gratitude is easier than exercising and eating right. In fact, one of my goals last year was to send at least one card a day. I thanked people not only for their gifts, but also for other kind gestures like taking the time to meet for lunch or for showing good leadership skills or supporters of my work. I was, and continue to be, successful in my daily thank you note endeavor. I know what you’re thinking – that you have no time to craft, much less send, a personal note. I use Send Out Cards (which I truly love!). You choose a card template, enter a quick personal message add your own photo, and then simply click SEND. Send Out Cards takes it from there by printing and mailing your heartfelt meaningful message for you.
Just think how delighted one would be to receive your beautiful, personalized note from you.
In addition to sending thank you notes, here are some other quick tips for celebrating National Thank You Month:
- Take a few minutes to think and reflect on all that you have to be thankful for. It could be a call from an old friend to the fresh air you breathe. When you really think about it, the list can be endless!
- Start a gratitude journal. Every day, write down at least one thing you are grateful for. Over time, you will have manifested a fantastic new habit and a thoughtful record of all your many blessings.
- Create an attitude of gratitude. Know that it is not how much you have, but how you feel about what you have that makes the difference. Let people know throughout the day you are grateful that they are doing their job. I’ll bet the bus driver, policeman or barista that makes your coffee would like to hear you appreciate them being on the job.
- Connect with others who are also grateful for what they have, not just in the workplace but in personal relationships as well. These are the people that have positive energy, are inspiring and they cheerfully impact people in valuable ways.
Take note of the warm feelings you get from expressing gratitude. Be thankful, not only in January, but throughout the year to those that mean the most to you. Letting people know just how important and special they are takes just a bit of effort, yet has massive rewards.
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette
October 31, 2014
Getting ready for a business trip abroad? Brush up on the customs and proper etiquette of your host country BEFORE you board the plane.
In Nigeria, for example, it’s extremely rude to rush a greeting. Before you even begin to discuss business, take some time to inquire about the other person’s well-being. The Japanese prefer to do business on the basis of personal relationships, while the South Africans are more transactional and don’t require developing a long-standing personal relationship before conducting business.
The infographic below from http://www.atdcomm.com.au/ covers the dos and don’ts for business travelers in countries from Argentina to India to South Africa.
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette and tagged international travel etiquette
September 25, 2014
When you sit down for dinner at a restaurant, do your eyes dart around the table, wondering which bread plate and water glass are yours? Do you wonder when to start eating—or who pays the bill – when dining with a group of people? And then there’s that extra fork! What in the world is it for, you wonder! Have no fear – I can help you master your dining skills and be more confident, whether you’re entertaining business clients or spending time with new friends.
On October 29, I’m hosting a three-hour dining skills workshop that will help you navigate dining etiquette challenges and give you the know-how you need to succeed in today’s business world.
In this dining etiquette workshop you will learn:
- Host and guest of honour duties
- Toasting etiquette
- Napkin know-how
- Various styles of eating: American, Continental & Asian
- How to be silverware savvy
- …and much more
Register before September 30 to take advantage of special pricing!
Learn how to be comfortable and confident in any situation when dining with others, hosting a dinner, or making a toast.
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette and tagged dining etiquette workshop
September 18, 2014
Did you know that it takes only one-tenth of a second to make up our minds about people? Within a blink of an eye, those we meet decide who we are—our character and trustworthiness. And once that first impression is made, it takes a very long time to dislodge our initial perceptions.
That initial contact we make with others can make or break professional or personal relationships. And that contact doesn’t have to be in person. Introductions, especially nowadays, come in many forms: in person, written, e-mail, on the phone, on Skype, and of course, through social media networks.
It doesn’t matter if you are trying to land your first job, build your professional network or increase sales – how people perceive you is crucial to building a strong personal or professional brand.
On September 30th, I’m hosting a FREE one-hour webinar that will give you the tools you need to maximize your personal impact.
From our one-hour high impact webinar you will learn:
- How to make a good first impression
- Maximize your personal impact
- …and more
Learn how to communicate more effectively and boost your confidence!
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette and tagged Free etiquette webinar
September 11, 2014
In a recent Time magazine cover story, Millennials were referred to as lazy, entitled and selfish. This sweeping characterization of the Millennial generation is unfair, and can wreck havoc on the dynamics of today’s workplace—a place where as many generations are working under the same roof.
The truth is this: each new generation possesses qualities that baffle those before them—each one believing “their” way as the best way. Millennials, for example, have high expectations for their life and of themselves. They are passionate about what they do. Ask a 20-something-year-old this question: “Would you rather have money but work at a boring job you hate or work in a job you’re passionate about and live a more frugal life?” and the answer will more than likely be the latter.
To shift the focus from what this new generation is doing “wrong,” let’s take a look at what we, the older generations, can learn from these young bucks!
Embrace technology
Let’s face it, this one’s a no-brainer. I have an iPhone and still don’t take full advantage of its capabilities. With to-do lists, calendars, GPS, cameras, Skype—and apps for absolutely everything, Millennials are using technology to make their lives so much more efficient.
Do good
The Millennial generation wants to be part of something good. They seek out opportunities to work with companies who are making a difference in the world in some way. I love that this generation feels so empowered – that they realize that “one small step” really does matter.
Challenge yourself
You’re never too old to try something new. If you’re stuck on the “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” mentality, it’s time to take notes from this next generation! Millennials understand that in order to compete, they need to stay on top of trends–to keep learning. They also know that there is ample opportunity to learn new skills online, so there are no excuses.
Partner up
Millennials are very self-motivated, independent thinkers, but the way they approach teamwork differs from generations before them. Nick Morrison, a 22-year-old graphic designer told me: “I like working in a space where people are similarly-minded, but not necessarily working on the same thing. Being able to have someone to bounce ideas off of, instead of two people working on the same thing is great. It’s about learning from other people’s strengths.”
Leave things better than you found them
There is no doubt we as a collective society are far more environmentally conscious today than we ever were. Remember when we didn’t have a box for recycling? According to a recent Pew survey, young people are more supportive of stricter environmental laws and more likely to favor environmentally friendly policies, such as green energy development and tax incentives for hybrid vehicles. Eighty percent of those surveyed said they want to work for companies that care about their impacts.
Another interesting thought: One of my biggest pet peeves is the loud-talker — the one who is invading us with their conversation in public. If you’re hearing someone’s phone conversation, it’s probably not a Millennial. They are more inclined to text than to call (which is SO much quieter in public places!) 🙂
Do you work with Millennials? What have you learned from them?
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette, Everyday Etiquette and tagged millennials
September 4, 2014
Do the words “job interview” make your heart race and your palms sweat? You’re not alone. Whether you’re new to the workforce or a seasoned professional, preparing for a job interview can unnerve you.
If you have a job interview scheduled, here are some things you can do before, during and after your interview to shake off the nerves and make a positive impression.
BEFORE YOUR INTERVIEW
- Do your research. Find out as much as you can about the company you are interviewing with. Learn about the company’s culture and find out the dress code. If you’re unsure, choose to dress “up” rather than dress “down.”
- Organize your portfolio, and bring along a copy of the job description and a fresh copy of your resume.
- A day or two before your scheduled interview, scope out the location. This will help you determine your travel time, as well as where to park when you arrive.
- Make sure that your car is clean. Sounds odd, I know, but sometimes employers look at how you maintain your car as a reflection of how you’ll manage your job
DAY OF YOUR INTERVIEW
- Choose an outfit that is clean and doesn’t need repair. Avoid wearing ill-fitting clothes and extravagant jewelry. Ladies, choose a modest outfit—something that is not too revealing.
- Skip the cologne or perfume. Many people have strong allergies to scents and you d you may be in close quarters with your interviewer.
- Make sure your hands are clean and manicured. If you wear nail polish, go for something understated and neutral.
- Remember this: “To be early is to be on time and being on time is to be late.” Arrive early enough so that you can take a moment to stop by the rest room to check your hair, teeth and clothing.
- Stand up when being introduced to your interviewer. Make eye contact, shake hands (depending on the culture – in North America, palm to palm with two quick pumps.) Greet the person and say how pleased you are to meet him or her. Research shows that that the first impression, or first seven seconds, shapes outcome.
- Follow the interviewer and sit down when you’re invited to do so.
- Never place your handbag or briefcase on the interviewers desk or the conference table. We recommend that ladies bring a clutch and place on lap or behind back on chair.
- Relax. Avoid fidgeting or shaking your leg up and down. Relax, sit up straight and be confident.
- If being interviewed during lunch or dinner, observe all dining etiquette rules. Follow your host’s lead. Avoid ordering alcohol, unless of course you’re being interviewed for a position in an alcohol-related industry.
- Listen carefully to the questions and answer confidently. If you don’t know an answer, be honest and simply say that you don’t know.
AFTER YOUR INTERVIEW
- Within 48 hours of your interview, send a handwritten thank you note to the person who interviewed you. To make it more personal, and make yourself more memorable, refer to an incident that occurred during the interview.
When it comes to job interviews, being prepared and knowing the job interview etiquette tips ahead of time is a great start! Be confident and you will shine!
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette and tagged job interview etiquette
July 18, 2014
I read this the other day and unfortunately, it didn’t surprise me: “Plan any event and chances are one in five of the people you invite will be late.” This comes from a recent study done at San Francisco State University that found that 20% of the U.S. population is chronically late.
All of us have encountered these 20% — the people in our personal and business lives who keep us waiting. And waiting….. However, punctuality, sadly, is something that we rarely discuss. The importance of it, that is, especially in the business arena.
When meeting for business, remember this: “If you’re not 10 minutes early, you’re 10 minutes late.” Or another favorite of mine “If you’re early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late.”
If you’re one of the 20% that is battling lateness, there are things you can do to transform yourself into Punctual Pete (or Patricia).
- Plan ahead. Buy a coffee pot with a timer and set it up so your coffee is ready when you get up. Pick out your clothes the night before. Set your car keys in the same place every night. It’s amazing how much time is wasted running around in the morning. Planning is everything if you are hanging up your tardy hat.
- Track your time. Knowing how to “tell time” is a good place to start revamping your lateness routine. Track how long it takes to shower in the morning. The time it takes to get to the office, etc. You will be surprised at how far you are off the mark when you see those numbers on paper!
- Be realistic. Chronically late people are often unrealistic about how long it takes to do things—to get places. And that’s a slippery slope when you’re running from one meeting to another. If you know you’re going to have a 5-minute walk from one meeting to the next, avoid scheduling back-to-back meetings. Or, alternatively, schedule meetings for 20 minutes, instead of 30 minutes, allowing you time to juggle both.
- Buffer, buffer, buffer. If it takes you 30 minutes to get to the office, and you have a meeting promptly at 8 a.m., leave the house at 7:15. This extra 15 minutes of buffer time will give you a buffer for unexpected delays en route. Even better, check traffic before you leave the house. Yes, there’s an app for that!
- Test the route. Meeting a client at a restaurant across town that you’ve never been to before? Play it safe and map out the route the night before. With GPS apps nowadays, you can easily determine the fastest way to get there.
- Bring along reading material. Being early can be a blessing. While you’re waiting for the other person to arrive, you can catch up on some reading, listen to an audio book or catch up on email. With all the technology we have today, there is no reason you can’t be productive while you wait.
- Stay organized. There’s really no excuse to be late if you use the tools we have today to stay organized. Make sure your meeting calendar is synced to smartphone. Set a reminder for 15 or 30 minutes – giving yourself enough time to wrap up what you’re doing and move on to your meeting.
- Get some zzz’s. If you’re sleeping through your alarm and rushing around to get to work on time, you’re probably not getting enough sleep. Get your day off to the right start by getting in 7- 8 hours of sleep.
Being on time shows others that you value their time. After all, we all know that once it’s gone, we can’t get it back!
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Posted by Margaret Page in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette, being late
April 7, 2014
I’m a huge fan of OpenTable, for so many reasons. You can search for a specific restaurant to make a reservation, or key in an area to find restaurants that have availability for a specific day and time. You can also tailor your search by price and cuisine, and get a preview of special offers around specific holidays.
For sales people meeting with clients for business lunch or dinner meetings, this makes it so much easier to ensure that the client receives all the information they need prior to the meeting. Once you book the reservation, a confirmation is sent to your email and you can then just forward the details to the client.
I use the OpenTable app all the time and it’s great for finding those unique restaurants that you may not know existed. When I was in Toronto for a speaking engagement I was planning lunch with a friend who I know liked interesting experiences. I checked OpenTable and found a chocolate and tea place nearby. And what a cool place it turned out to be! The restaurant was decorated in a modern style, but with a twist. On the walls was a collection of beautiful antique teapots and the glass display case was filled with Technicolor macarons and other delectable goodies!
If you’re trying to make an impression, or want to share a unique dining experience with a friend or a client, OpenTable saves you time and allows you to discover hidden dining treasures. It takes going to a restaurant out of the realm of something you “need” to do and makes it much more delightful.
OpenTable is also testing out another feature that I think will be a huge hit with diners. They recently launched a pilot program in San Francisco that enables you to pay your bill via the OpenTable iPhone app. After you book your reservation you’re asked if you’d like to pay for your meal using the app. If you agree, you simply scan your credit card using the app and your card remains on file. At the end of your meal, just open the app to see your bill. This new feature takes the guesswork out of how much to tip, as well. Just tap a button for 15 percent, 20 percent, or higher – and you’re done. A receipt is then sent to you so you can keep it for your records.
Another benefit? You can earn dining rewards points when you make (and honor) reservations made through OpenTable. Get paid to dine out? Now that’s pretty cool!
Of note: It’s even more important than ever to keep the reservations you’ve booked through OpenTable – or cancel them if your plans change. If you rack up “no-show,” your account will be banned.
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette, Just for Fun and tagged dining etiquette, OpenTable
January 8, 2014
Everyone has a cell phone these days—and many use it for both business and pleasure. In today’s world, you and I are so accessible —but where do we draw the line on communication etiquette.
A friend recently shared that one of her clients refuses to use email. Or at the least, it’s used as a last resort. A young man, he uses his cell phone for all his business communication, and he’s a big-time texter. While my friend does have a cell phone, typically she uses it to call clients, check email and most of the texting she does is for personal communication – quick texts to ask her husband to pick up milk on his way home from work and that kind of thing. Her cell phone is listed on her business card and email signature, but she was surprised when the first text popped up on her phone from this client.
With a growing popularity to text messaging (and mobile phone use, in general), it’s not surprising that texting as a form of business communication is on the rise, but there definitely needs to be some guidelines as to how to use it.
Here are a few etiquette tips to keep in mind:
- Make sure you have the right number. As with email etiquette, begin your initial text message with a salutation so that the recipient is sure the text is intended for him or her. Something like, “Hello Margaret…” If you receive a text message that is not intended for you, be sure to text back with a polite “I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number.”
- Introduce yourself. If you’re text-messaging someone for the first time, they may not have your cell phone number programmed into their phone. Best to start the message with something like “Good morning, it’s Jennifer Lawson from XYZ Corporation…”
- Manners matter. Though it’s easy to send off a quick text, the same rules of courtesy apply. Be cognizant of the time of day – especially if there is a time zone difference. Many a pleasant slumbers have been interrupted by the buzzing and beeping of a cell phone on the nightstand.
- Skip the abbreviations. It’s tempting to use shortcuts, like “u” (you) or “Gr8” (great) when tapping a quick note, and that can appear too casual or unprofessional. Like any type of communication, when writing a text think about who the message recipient. It’s safest to type out the entire word or phrase when communicating with business contacts by text message.
- Think before you text. Avoid sharing anything confidential, proprietary or potentially embarrassing by text message.
- Be patient. Just because texting is “instant” communication, doesn’t mean the recipient is in a position to answer at that exact moment.
- Turn it off. Just as answering your cell phone during a conversation is taboo, texting someone else during a face-to-face is just plain rude. If you must respond to a text message, politely excuse yourself to handle it outside the room.
Do you use text messaging as a way to communicate with business contacts? Share your comments below.
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette, business communication tips, text messaging etiquette
November 15, 2013
Every time you go to a social event, think of it as a networking experience. Right Management reports that 46 percent of respondents found jobs in 2012 through networking. That’s more than Internet job boards, agencies/recruiters and newspaper classifieds combined. You don’t need to carry a resume and portfolio with you everywhere you go, however—a simple business card will do. What you put on that business card will help you get from the introduction to the next step: the interview.
White Space on Business Cards
Leave enough white space on your card so recipients can make notes about you, or so you can make notes to help them remember you. In the same vein, choose a paper stock that’s easy to write on—a highly glossy stock isn’t very friendly to pens or ink.
Your Contact Information
Aside from the obvious name, phone and email address, consider what else you want people to know. If you have well-built LinkedIn, Google Plus and Twitter profiles, include those, but leave off personal Facebook and Twitter accounts that you use to connect with your friends.
If it applies, include a link to a website or blog where you’ve posted your resume and a portfolio of your work. Make sure your site features a professional photo of you, which will help your contacts remember you.
Vanity Calling Cards
Business cards with your photo are overkill. Don’t do this unless you are in the performing arts. When your contacts visit your LinkedIn or other social pages, they’ll see your image.
QR Codes
Marketingland.com agrees: QR codes are a thing of the past. These are quick-response codes that smartphones scan and take users to websites, email addresses or any URL you connect it to. Think about it—when was the last time you scanned one? Use this space for valuable information.
Tag Lines
Just like a business uses a tagline to give the reader more information about what it does, create one to describe and remind contacts who you are and what you do: journalist, financial analyst, accountant, software engineer. Whatever your career’s keywords are, work those in this area.
Design Tips
Keep it simple, unless you are a graphic designer and want to show off your skills (and even then, use a light hand). If you use both sides of the cards, do so sparingly. Leave the back side as open as possible for that white space mentioned in the first tip. This would be a good place for your tagline.
Stay away from script fonts and use colors and fonts that are easy to read. Find an online printing service that makes it easy to design your own card and turns them around quickly. Save the money you’d pay a designer and put it toward your interview suit.
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Posted by Margaret in Business Etiquette and tagged business etiquette
