*Polish Your Business Image By Minding Your P's And Q's

Polish Your Business Image By
Minding Your P's and Q's

Etiquette. The word may bring to mind images of the Victorian Era. But fast forward into contemporary times and you’ll find that basic etiquette helps you present a positive image to clients and peers.

The skills required to project a relaxed and competent image now receive attention from all types of professionals, including small-business owners who want to successfully present themselves with style and aplomb, explains Jane Wilger, president of Wilger Image Development in Minneapolis, Minn.

Wilger provides commonsense guidelines for situations business people frequently experience -- dressing for success, body language, business meals, introductions and even using cell phones. Here she shares a few of her favorite tips on modern-day manners.

Introductions
Introductions appear simple. However, in these first few moments, everyone involved makes critical first impressions. “Always stand up when being introduced to someone,” says Wilger. “If you’re sitting across a large table, it may not be possible to reach across and shake hands, but you can at least stand.”

The name of the person of highest rank, or the person of honor, should be spoken first; all others are being presented to that person. For example, “President Clinton, I’d like you to meet Bob Smith.”

“The person of highest rank,” says Wilger, “is first the client, or any person who is outside of your organization, unless they are a member of your family. Second, it is the person with a higher position, so that a manager would be introduced to a vice president.”

Handshakes
“Whether you’re a man or a woman, business can still be won or lost on the basis of a firm handshake,” says Wilger. Men and women should shake hands with each other the same way as woman to woman or man to man. Offer your hand turned at a 90-degree angle to the floor. Don’t hold just the fingers or try to crush the other person’s hand with an iron grip.

During a cocktail hour, hold your drink in your left hand. This keeps your right hand free for handshakes and prevents it from becoming cold and wet while cradling a glass.

Some men wait for a woman to offer her hand to be shaken, rather than automatically extending their hand to her. Wilger advises women to “get your hand out there right away so there’s no confusion.” She offers the same advice to anyone who might have a disability in their right hand or arm. “Bob Dole puts his left hand out there to shake right away, and people just learn to shake left hands with him.”

Dining
“Your napkin should go into your lap within the first 10 seconds of sitting down,” says Wilger. Once in your lap, the napkin should not be placed on the table again until everyone leaves at the end of the meal. If you need to stand or leave the table during the meal, place the napkin on your chair.

Wilger’s often asked how to remove food particles that get stuck in your teeth. “The rule is that it should come out the same way it went in.” If it went in by hand, such as olive pits or bits of nut shell, it goes out by hand. If it went in on a spoon, such as something in a soup, it should come out by spoon. Exceptions to this rule are small clean items such as fish bones, which likely went in on a fork, but can be removed by hand.

Wilger advises being as discreet as possible. Attempting to cover up what you’re doing by hiding behind your napkin actually draws more attention to the process than if you try to quietly remove the problem food.

Paying the Bill
If you anticipate a scuffle about who will pay the bill, or if you simply want it handled in a swift, subtle way, Wilger offers this suggestion: “Arrive at the restaurant a few minutes early, tell them you are entertaining a client, and ask them to run your credit card through. Then the bill will come straight to you. All you have to do at the end of the meal is figure the tip and sign your name.”

Telephone Manners
Wilger recently added cell phone etiquette to her bag of tips. “Technology poses some etiquette questions that are entirely new to us. For example, cell phone time is often expensive. Don’t ask to use someone’s cell phone unless it’s an emergency, especially if that person is a client. Regardless of whose phone it is, always offer to pay for the call.”