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Successfully Meeting And Greeting -
Ten Strategies For Getting Off To A Good Start
Girish Kumar M.
A day in the life of
every businessperson is made up of a series of meetings and greetings.
Whether you are making the initial contact with a client or a colleague, you
want to get off on the right foot. Doing so will make the first encounter
and subsequent ones go smoothly and easily. Getting off on the wrong foot
can make for a difficult recovery. Save your energy for later and use these
simple strategies for a successful start.
Stand up when you
meet someone
This allows you to
engage the person on an equal level - eye to eye. By remaining seated, you
send a message that you don't think the other person is important enough to
warrant the effort it takes to stand. If you find yourself in a position
where you can't stand up (such as being trapped behind a potted plant) offer
an apology and an explanation. You might say something like, "Please excuse
me for not getting up. I can't seem to get around the foliage."
Smile. Your facial
expression says more than your words. Look as if you are pleased to meet the
other person regardless of what is on your mind. Put a smile on your face
for the person standing before you.
Make eye contact
Looking at the people
you meet says you are focused and interested in them. If you are staring off
somewhere else, you may appear to be looking for someone more to your liking
to come along.
Introduce yourself
immediately
As soon as you approach
people you don't know or are approached by them, say who you are. Don't
stand around as if someone else is in charge of introductions.
Include a statement
about who you are when necessary.
It is not always enough
to say, "Hello, I'm Mary Jones." Give more information. "Hello, I'm Mary
Jones. I work for XYZ Corporation."
Offer a firm
handshake
Extend your hand as you
give your greeting. The person who puts a hand out first comes across as
confident and at ease. Make sure that this physical part of your greeting is
professional. Don't offer bone-crushing grips or wimpy limp-wristed shakes.
If you are confused about men and women shaking hands, don't be. There once
was a time when women didn't shake hands with men. We are past that.
Everyone in business shakes hands with everyone else.
Learn how to make smooth
introductions. In business you always introduce less important people to
more important people. The way to do this is to say the name of the more
important person first, followed by the words "I'd like to introduce... "
and then give the other person's name. Be sure to add something about each
person so they will know why they are being introduced and will have some
information with which to start a conversation.
Know who the more
important person is
The client or the
business prospect is more important than your boss. Just hope your boss
agrees.
Pay attention to
names when you meet people
It is all too common to
be thinking about what you are going to say next and not focus on the other
person. If you concentrate and repeat the name as soon as you hear it, you
stand a better chance of remembering it later.
Use first names of
people whom you have just met only after they give you permission
Not everyone wants to be
addressed informally on the initial encounter. It is better to err on the
side of formality than to offend the other person right off the bat.
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