What is important in business is how people see you. You will have to make a favorable impression on the people around you. How to do that is not easy and needs a lot of attention. In this article, I have wrote down a few basic rules and ideas that I always live by.
"Personal appearance," always look well rested and smell clean. Do not over do it with perfumes, aftershaves and other odors. This is a turn off. Always wear appropriate clothing for the job you are going to apply for. If you are going to work on a construction site you should not wear a suite, also the other way around, If you work in a office building wear appropriate clothing. Ladies do not wear low cut dresses that is not appropriate clothing for business. However it is appropriate for a sales department.
The next thing is, what personal items should you bring to a meeting, and how you use them. Again do not bring stuff that should not belong there. It will only be in the way or looked upon strangely. If you work in the IT world and you want to take notes , "ask" before you wipe out your laptop. If the people around you do not feel happy with your laptop on the table always have a backup of pen and paper with you.
What says even more about you is your business card. In the eastern cultures a business card should look vibrant high glossed the flashier the more status you have, in the western culture it is a lot more subdued so if you deal with both cultures having two business cards is not a bad idea. Also be careful that your business card shows everything about you that you want them to know and no more. If you do not want people to know your personal telephone number do not put it on there. You can always write it on the back of the card if you want someone to have it. This will make the person that you give it to feel special. Even if you do it for anybody. When receiving a business card always read the business card, it shows them you are interested. In the eastern cultures it is sometimes seen as a insult if you do not read them or say something about the nice designs.
What can be on a business card. "Everything or Anything "that is not shocking or found to be offensive to the people that would receive it. For example, if you are meeting people that are Muslim do not put anything that looks like a alcoholic reference on there. This means you need to know who you meet and respect their cultures.
This brings up the last point I want to make. Always be prepared. If you meet people try to know as much as you can about them. Google the people and the company before meeting the - they are going to do the same to you and your company. Do your homework, and know the person that you are presenting to. Do not hesitate to call up people who have worked with them before and ask about the people your going to meet.
But always be yourself, if you are not they will find out at some point in the future.
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I am marcel koert. I write artciles not for a living but just for fun. Me and my wife have a site called Artattack2go. Beside these two things i wrok as a IT freelancer for major firms within europe.