6 Tips for Confident Business Networking

What the partners of Leicestershire based 
Morgan Gleave Art & Design 
have learnt during 
12 years of running a small business. 

This is an overview of four related articles recently posted on this blog.

Underpinning everything here is that you should be organised and plan ahead.  

Tip 1:    Look good,  Feel good  

• Ensure that you are well dressed, groomed and accessorised. 

• Decide what you are going to wear, check that it is clean and in good repair well in advance.  

Click HERE for more details. 

Excuse me, folks...I think you need to tone it 
down a tad.  Oh, and nude isn't such 
a good look either...

This little poppet has the right idea.

Tip 2:   Plan 

• Know when and where you are going.  

• Ensure you have everything you need.  

• Decide what are going to say about your business  

• Consider what questions to ask  

Click HERE for more details

Surely it's not THAT difficult to 
think of questions...

An irrelevant but intriguing image. 
Anybody got any ideas about 
what's going on?

Tip 3:  Put your business head on  (Think Worzel Gummidge)  

• Ensure that you arrive in good time to spend a few moments mentally making the transition from travelling mode to Efficient, Confident Business Mode.  

Click HERE for more details 

It's good to have different heads.
Hopefully you will have time to dry clean 
your suit, Worzel.

Goodness gracious me!
You certainly found a handsome head, Worzel.  
Cleaned your suit too.
You're sooooo SEXY Worzel  Gummidge...

Tip 4:  Make your entrance  

Walk in like a film star who is smiling and ready to talk pleasantly to anybody.

Not sure about the off the shoulder look and 

a tad heavy on the make up, but you'll do, Elizabeth.

Well, Richard, you've certainly got confidence...but 
don't you think that a bog standard suit would be better?

Tip 5:  Remember your manners 

Polite

Not polite. 
 (Huh!  Caught out!)

Tip 6:  Have Fun!

Best try to have fun without 

leaping on a fellow networker...

...and rolling around on the floor
 is probably going a bit far too.

You may find the following links useful:

• 4 Step Plan to Boost Your Confidence at Business Networking Events: Step 1 

• 4 Step Plan to Boost Your Confidence at Business Networking Events: Step 2

• 4 Step Plan to Boost Your Confidence at Business Networking Events:  Step 3

• 4 Step Plan to Boost Your Confidence at Business Networking Events:  Step 4

• 10 Things Not To Do at a Networking Event 

• 2 Easy Techniques to Calm and Relax You at (Almost) Anywhere and at Anytime.

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Morgan Gleave Art & Design is not responsible for the content of external sites

10 Things Tradespeople Should Not Do Whilst Visiting a Potential Customers' Home for the First Time

What the partners of Leicestershire based 

Morgan GleaveArt & Design 

have learnt during 12 years of running a small business. 

Actually, these lessons were learnt well before Morgan Gleave Art & Design came into being...

When visiting another person's home to cost a job a significant number of 

trades people forget how to show other people respect. 

This is a little reminder of how to be a respectful guest.


1) DO NOT patronise your potential customer(s).


It does not make you appear more knowledgable. It just makes you seem like a...well a...you know...a...

2) DO NOT stink to high heaven of BO or anything else unpleasant.

Ensure that every orifice is pleasantly fragrant.  

(Especially avoid tripe, baked beans and sprouts.  As for eating them all together, well...)
You fail, and as soon as the front door closes on you, the air freshener will be out and in action.

Leave a trail of stinky haze behind you, and there is little chance of being invited back, no matter how agreeable your quote.

Mmmmm - perhaps this is going a little far.
But then again, maybe not...

3) DO NOT address all your comments to men  and ignore the women - or vice versa.  

It is rude.

You will make at least one person very cross.  

You will be punished.  

You will lose work.

Ignore her at your peril!

4) DO NOT behave as if your potential customer is an idiot. 

If the answer to a query seems obvious to you, take a minute to remind yourself that you have your skills and they have their own skills.

They may not be able to install central heating or whatever you do, but they may be able to prepare a case for court or surgically remove a tumour from a brain.  

What if s/he is a dentist and you find yourself in a surgery, mouth open, syringe coming closer, closer, closer... ? 

Never mind, administering the anaesthetic is always the most painful part of dentistry.  Well,  it is usually...unless the dentist is not in the best of moods...  

Pretty yellow hat for him.  Does clash with her
blue/green one.  Perhaps they should co-ordinate...

5) DO NOT trail mud, dog poo, chewing gum or anything else yucky through someone's nice clean home.

Your name will be mud - or more likely, poo...

Do you think that mud and...er...the other stuff...would
show on this carpet?

6) DO NOT even think of being rude to or about peoples' pets.  

Pets are part of people's families and you will lose serious Brownie 
Points if you diss them.

Who could be mean about these little poppets?
Surely they are both angels and never put a paw wrong...

...  but Evil Kitty on the other hand...
Best not cross him!

7) DO NOT flirt with a potential customer.

You may well lose the customer.

On the other hand, perhaps you will gain a customer and get yourself into a pickle....

Look at them all!  Does anyone listen to advice?  No they do not!  

Well, they will just have to get themselves out of any pickles they get into. 

Oh my giddy aunt!  Look at those two below...well!  We all know what sort of pickle they will be in!

Oh well, this is being loaded on St Valentine's Day...

8) DO NOT suggest that your fee will be lower if you are paid in cash or that the householder could claim from their insurance by lying about the cause of the problem. 

Not everybody is dishonest and you will lose the job.

The rational behind the decision will be that if you are willing to fiddle HMRC or an insurance company, then surely you will be willing to fiddle the householder.

Further, you do not know who you are speaking to.  A tax inspector for example...

Absolutely not!  This is not an imaginative invitation 

to a saucy party with the couple above! 

It is a WARNING

A totally irrelevant image here for no good reason.

9) DO NOT swear or make any -ist remarks (sexist, racist etc). 

It is not big and it is not clever. 

It will offend people and it will lose you work.

Think before you speak!

What is the norm for you may really 

shock and offend someone else

10) DO NOT tell your potential customer your life story. 

They are not interested no matter how politely they listen.

They just want you to complete your task as quickly as possible and then clear off and leave them in peace.

If your potential  customer looks like this, you can be absolutely
sure that you have talked too much.

You may find  10 Things Not To Do at a Business Event useful too.

Do you have any comments?

How about sharing this post?  

Perhaps you would like to subscribe to Morgan Gleave Art & Design's Blog so that you can keep up to date with the bits and bobs we put up.

Morgan Gleave Art & Design is not responsible for the content of external sites