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Your Business Card

June 27, 2010 by 8 Comments

Do you have a business card?  If you do not you need to get one.  You do not want to attend a networking group or interview without one.    Your business card says something about who you are.  It should have your name, title, email and phone number at the least on it.  Some people like to place a saying about their business or what they are known for on the back of the card.

I thought this was a good idea and use to have a saying on the back of my business card until it was suggested that I leave the back of the card blank.  This was done to allow the person who I left the card with a place for them to write a note on the back of my card.  People write where they met you,  their impression, or as a reminder to send your some type of communication.  I left the back of my business card blank from that time forward.

I recommend using a high quality stock paper for your business card and recommend getting the card laminated too.  Your business card will feel rich in hands of the person you give it to and leave a good first impression. Be sure to obtain the business card of the person you are speaking too.  It is an opportunity for you to reach them again in the future.

Filed Under: First Impression, Job Search, Video Tagged With: , , ,

Do Not Overlook The Details

June 21, 2010 by 4 Comments

We all have heard that we need to dress for success and I would like to clarify this statement.  Dressing for success might mean different things to different people.  Some people think of dressing for success as wearing a suit with a white shirt and tie if you are a man or a suit jacket and skirt if you are a woman.  This is true but we need to look a little deeper and pay attention to the details.

Shoes – What type of shoes are you wearing?  Depending on the culture of the organization that you are planning to do business with or going on a job interview will determine the type of shoe you wear.  This is especially true for women.  You do not want to wear too high of a heel especially if the office standard dress is conservative.  Men should make sure that their shoes are polished and absent of any marks or blemishes.  You may consider carrying a disposable neutral color shoe shine packet in your pocket just in case your shoes get scared in your travels.

Cleaners – Prepare yourself for the meeting in advance by placing your suit for this meeting in the cleaners.  Ideally you want to wear the outfit that was newly cleaned.  This will ensure that it is pressed and will present you in the best possible light.

Eat in Your Undies – Now I know this might sound strange but I recommend that you eat breakfast before you get dressed for the meeting.  This will prevent you from spilling something on the outfit you are going to wear.  It would be bad if you spilled something on your outfit for the day and had to wipe it off.  But worse than that, you might spill something and not be aware of it.  Eating and doing your morning preparations, brushing your teeth and the like should be done prior to dressing in the outfit that you plan to wear for the day.

Paying attention to these details will help you dress to make a good first impression.   Please feel free to share tips and strategies that you use when dressing for an important business meeting.

Filed Under: Business, First Impression Tagged With: , , , ,

What Your Hand Shake Says About You

June 19, 2010 by 5 Comments

When you prepare to shake someones hand what is going though your mind?  I ask this question because how you answer it speaks to your success in making a good first impression.  Have you ever met someone for the first time and when they shock your hand they squeeze it so hard that it feels like they are trying to hurt you?  You remember the incident but it did not leave you with a good first impression.

How about the hand shake you received when it appeared that the person hardly wanted to touch you?  There hand was limp, pointed toward the floor and they pulled away as soon as possible.  They left an impression too, but not one that was welcoming or fostered the opportunity to develop a trusting relationship.

How you shake hands is vitally important to developing a good relationship.  You should offer your hand and lean forward (to show interest – inviting a return hand shake).  When you receive the other persons’ hand in yours I recommend that you make eye contact and smile.   This will help to instill trust and open the opportunity to develop a relationship.  Making first contact with someone new is like a waltz.  It is a dance done with grace and dignity.  The approach is slow, intentional and deliberate.  You do not want to have a rock and roll approach where you are moving without an anticipated next step.

You make a physical connection when you shake hands.  I know that you want it to be a good, lasting and positive impression that you make when the hand shake is over.  Feel free to share your hand shaking experiences both good and bad below.

Filed Under: Business, First Impression, Relationship Tagged With: , , ,

Your Body Speaks Even When You Do Not

June 17, 2010 by 8 Comments

Did you realize that more than 70% of our communication is nonverbal?  In fact I read an article which said that a recent UCLA study suggested that up to 93 percent of communication effectiveness is determined by nonverbal cues.  What does this mean to you when making a first impression?

As you approach someone they will be watch your facial expressions, eye contact, posture, hand and feet movements, body movement and placement.  All of this happens in less than 30 seconds and people will make a value judgment of who you are and what you are capable of doing long before the first hello.   With this said let’s talk about:

Eye Contact – Depending upon your culture or upbringing how comfortable you are making eye contact with a stranger will vary widely.  If you plan to be successful in business then you need to be willing to talk to new people.  Having good eye contact is crucial to developing a meaningful and trusting relationship.  People want to do business with other people who they trust.  When you do not keep eye contact with someone who you are speaking with it gives the impression that you have something to hide.  So if you are someone who does not maintain good eye contact when speaking to someone new what should you do?

I recommend that you practice.  Where? Everywhere, at the supermarket, in the cleaners, at the ice cream shop, any place that you find people you do not know and that you share something in common with.  What do you share in common?  The location where you are and what you are doing there.  That can be the opening of the conversation, “Did you see any great sales in the circular?”, “I usually come to the cleaners on Wednesday because they give you 20% off did you know that?” , “I love their Butter Pecan  Ice Cream what is your favorite?”  Practicing will make you more comfortable and give you a chance to become more aware of your eye contact.

Another suggestion is to think of the new people you meet as potential new friends not strangers.  These are potential new friends who are willing and able to work with you but you just have not met them yet. I read an interesting post by Marlene Green entitled “We have the power to change our conversation” and thought you would enjoy reading it as well.  Please feel free to share what has worked for you in developing better eye contact when speaking to new people.

Filed Under: Business, Interview, Relationship Tagged With: , , , ,

The Art of Selling Yourself

June 16, 2010 by 8 Comments

Your ability to sell yourself is vital to your ability to develop a relationship.  It does not matter if the relationship is business or personal, the most important thing is to make a good first impression.   How do you make a good first impression?

Smile – You must smile when you first meet someone.  It might seem kind of funny that I even mention it, but you would be surprised at how many people do not smile when they are approaching to meet someone.  Your smile is your greeting card.  It says, hello I am a friendly person and I would be a nice person to meet.  Now let’s think about this for a minute, who would you like to meet a friendly person or an indifferent of uninterested person?  Of course you want to meet the friendly person.

Smiling is just the first step in the process and I hope that when you meet someone today that the first thing you do is smile.  I am willing to bet that the majority of the time you will receive a smile in return.

Filed Under: Branding, Interview, Leadership, Relationship, Your Talents Tagged With: , , , , ,