Etiquette is code of social behavior and most of our business meetings and business conversations demand a certain level of etiquette. If you as a professional want to create the right image for yourself in the minds of your fellow professionals, then you have to follow a certain etiquette.
Whether it’s your face-to-face business meeting or a telephone call or a virtual conversation, you are always supposed to behave in a certain dignified manner. Though workplaces around the world have now become less formal and less hierarchical, but it does not give you the flexibility to behave in an unprofessional manner.
Business Etiquette
Etiquette Tips for Formal Business Meetings
- Learn to shake hands firmly. Your handshake speaks a lot about your personality and a lot of people create a perception about you based on your handshake.
- Learn to dress up professionally for any meeting and try not to behave in an unprofessional manner. Unprofessional behavior includes making casual comments or trying to interrupt unnecessarily when your colleague is speaking in front of others during the meeting.
- If you are a salesperson, then you should carry all the necessary documents to the sales meeting and should also try to record all the relevant data about your client.
- Respecting the time of your client and other colleagues is an important part of business etiquette. Always be present for the meeting at least five or ten minutes prior to the scheduled meeting time.
- Always prepare before going to a business meeting. Get into the habit of making notes and a presentation before the meeting.
- Never use a mobile phone during the meeting. Keep your mobile on vibration if you wish to keep track of your important missed calls.
- Sharing business cards in the right way is extremely important. Receiving the business card in the right way includes holding the card with both the hands in some of the Asian countries. Follow the etiquette used in your country, but always take a little time to read the card before putting it into the card holder.
- Always give respect to the people around you. Being courteous is an important part of what we call as manners, and they are taught to all of us right from our childhood days.
- Always maintain an appropriate body language during meetings. A firm handshake, maintaining eye contact while conversing with others, correct posture and accurate facial expressions are all part of your body language etiquette.
What Should You Avoid During a Business Meeting
- Never touch the other person in an inappropriate way. In some countries it is considered an offense, and this makes the act look highly unprofessional.
- Do not make any personal calls from your office or your client’s place.
- Try to stay calm during a meeting. Avoid making unnecessary distractions with your actions.
- Speak in a gentle manner and avoid being too aggressive.
- Do not gossip during office hours about your colleagues or clients.
- Never dress or behave in an inappropriate way.
Telephone or Virtual Communication Etiquette
- Focus yourself on the purpose of the call or meeting and try to be more attentive to the people involved in the call.
- Do not eat or drink when you are on a call or in a virtual meeting.
- Dress appropriately for a formal virtual business meeting.
- Introduce yourself to the client and ask him in a very polite manner to introduce himself to other participants in the meeting.
- Cell phones should be kept on vibration in a meeting, and all the missed calls should be taken in a private corner in the office.
- Always ask for the agenda of the meeting beforehand. This will save your time and the time of other participants.
- Always log in early to show respect for everyone’s time.
- When you are not speaking keep yourself on mute, so that the noises in your workplace do not create a distraction for others during the meeting hours.
- Keep your video on while logging in for the meeting to create a professional environment during the meeting.
- Maintain a strong focus on your meeting and avoid unnecessary distractions like getting involved in other tasks during the ongoing meeting.
Business etiquette is a mix of dressing up, conversational skills, and body language. Dressing up professionally along with a regular show of good etiquette and excellent conversational skills can create the much-desired professional image for you in your workplace.
