Picture the scene: You have a big business deal to close with a major company. They have decided to meet with you in person over dinner at a fancy restaurant. As it is said, the first impression is the most important step that could result in a beautiful relationship or utter disaster. So how do you make your first impression a positive one with your business partners? We at Griffin Transportation are here to give you some tips you need to close the deal.
- Dress
There is a saying that goes: dress for the job that you want, not the one you have. Your wardrobe is really important to your appearance. You have to dress appropriately according to the setting and type of restaurant that you are heading out to for the business dinner. It is common to go for business suits and nice-looking clothes. However, no matter how nice and expensive your business suit is, you won't leave a strong positive impression if your clothes are stained and/or wrinkled. Before you walk out the door, make sure your clothes are cleaned, ironed, and everything looks good. One look at your proper clothing from your potential business partners and they will see you as a professional.
- Vehicles
You have to have a way to get to and from the restaurant. Just like your clothes, your car has to look decent enough for your business partners to have a good impression of you. If you arrive at the restaurant in a broken and worn down car, you will not be taken seriously, no matter how good your clothes, skills, and manners are. Griffin Transportation is here to help. We can provide you with a slick Vancouver limo that will be the talk of the night and turn heads. When you pull up in a car from Griffin Transportation, your business partners will have a lasting positive impression of you when you get out of the car.
- Arrival
Once you have your car and clothes ready, it is time to arrive at the business dinner. This is really important to start things off. Please put your phone on silent. It would be rude to be in the middle of dinner and have your phone going off at the wrong time. Please arrive on time or early for the business dinner. Showing up late without a legitimate reason makes it appear that you don't care about your company or your business partner. Once you arrive at the restaurant, give a firm handshake and greet everyone with a polite disposition. You don't have to be super friendly, but acting nice is helpful and makes things go smoother as the dinner goes along.
- Dinner Time
This is the most important part of the dinner. Once you walk into the restaurant, everything will depend on how well the dinner goes. Try to avoid placing too many unnecessary things on the table to make room for everyone in your party. Clutter makes things more awkward. Do not sit down until the host of your party sits down. This is a show of respect to the host. If the host hasn't arrived yet, the most senior member of your party should sit down first. Remember your table manners and the place setting of your plate, glass, and utensils. You have to remember all of this to ensure that you have a solid business dinner.
