Manners That Sell

Creating Positive Personal Impact - Career Success Advice

Just in time for those of you who are looking for some solid career advice and ways to promote your professional life, I have partnered with Bud Bilanich, The Common Sense Coach.  We have coauthored a book called Success Tweets for Creating Positive Impact, being released this month. This is the fourth in a series published by Bud Bilanich.

For a sneak peek at a few of the tweets that you will find in Success Tweets for Creating Positive Impact, you can read Bud's blog post announcing our venture. We cover 15 topics including:

• Personal Branding
• Dressing for Success
• Business Meal Etiquette
• Building Strong Relationships
• Networking Etiquette
• Successful Social Media
• Customer Courtesy
• International Business

I'll keep you informed about the publication date so you can be among the first to get a copy, either on line or in print, of Success Tweets for Creating Positive Impact.

Meanwhile, remember that adding polish builds profits!

Lydia

 

 

 

 

Don't Tweet From The Church

Don't tweet from the church.  That's the headline from an article published by the Associated Press today. Who ever would have thought that the time would come when people would have to be told not to take their cell phones to the royal wedding or if they do, to turn them off and certainly not to tweet or update their Facebook status during the ceremony. We have certainly sunk to a new low when it comes to etiquette and protocol.

As a business etiquette expert who speaks and writes about the rules of manners on a daily basis, I was surprised that I was surprised. I can understand the need to explain proper attire in today's world of jeans and flip-flops and to advise people on when and how to interact with the Queen.  After all it is not every day that one is invited to a royal wedding.  But not to tweet. Shouldn't anyone included on the guest list have knowledge of at least the basic rules of good manners?

My favorite quote from the article is this: "The ultimate faux pas would be to have your mobile phone go off in the Abbey, even if you had 'God Save the Queen' as your ringtone."

Is it just me?

So Who Does Get the Armrest?

I just came across a delightful article about airplane etiquette, or perhaps the lack of it, written by Scott McCartney for the Wall Street Journal.  His research and comments struck a major chord with me as someone who finds herself in the air more than on the ground. Anyone who flies and finds himself in economy class has been subjected to all sorts of indignities and inconveniences.

As the seats get smaller and the people get larger, the traveling public is constantly battling for space whether it is for the armrest, legroom or breathing space.  McCartney suggests that as airlines cut back on amenities or charge fees for former perks while pushing the seats closer and closer together, they are to blame for the decline of civility among passengers. 

Even more interesting to me are the differing opinions on what is acceptable behavior, what is tolerable at 30,000 feet and what is not.

1. Should you take possession of the armrests when you are in the middle seat?
2. Should you push your seat all the way back without considering the person behind you?
3. Should you bring messy, smelly food on board?
4. Should you stand to let a fellow passenger out?
5. If you are the window seat passenger, how many "breaks" do you get?
6. What is the correct way to wake a sleeping passenger?
7. How loud should your headset be?

Here is my pet peeve.  When the plane is late and there are passengers on board with tight connections to their next flight, do you really need to remain in your seat until those people get off?  I rarely see people showing this courtesy.

Flying is no longer for the faint of heart but one thing to keep in mind is that while you have no control over the behavior of others, you can take charge of your own.

I once heard a pilot in his initial announcement remind the passengers that for the next few hours we should consider ourselves one big family.  I don't think he had "family feud" in mind.

 

Inviting Clients to Your Home for Dinner

Kraft Foods has just released a new series of ads that will be aired on television over the coming year.  The first one aired Sunday night, January 16th, during the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl on ESPN.  The ads promote the all-American favorite, Mac & Cheese, and star the homeless man from Ohio with the "Golden Voice".

The scene is set in the home of the typical business man who has arrived for dinner with his business client in tow.  You get the feeling that the guest's arrival was unannounced and unexpected by the wife who is clearly unhappy. The son is sitting in the background offering his view on what is taking place.  The client/guest is obviously uncomfortable as he realizes that this was not a preplanned event with all parties in agreement.

So what should you do if you want to invite your client to your home for dinner?  Is it even necessary?  Under what circumstances should it be done?

Inviting a client to your home for a meal is less common today than in the past.   Business people typically entertain clients and associates at restaurants.  However, when there is a client who travels frequently, rarely has a home-cooked meal or has traveled from a foreign country, an invitation to a private home can be an unexpected treat. It is also a good way to build that important business/friendship relationship.

It should always be done under the right circumstances.  Keep in mind these few points:

1. Check with your spouse first. That means asking permission.
2. Be sure that your home environment is welcoming. That means no sick and crying babies, no out-of-control teenagers or unruly pets.
3. If you have pets, make sure your guest has no pet allergies or phobias.
4. Your home needs to be clean, comfortable and ready for guests.
5. Be aware of your guest's dietary preferences. Inquire about allergies or restrictions. Your client may be a vegetarian so ask first.
6. Keep an eye on the time for the sake of your business guest and your family.

Being invited to someone's home is an honor.  It is important that everyone involved sees it that way and finds it to be a memorable event for all the right reasons.

If you want to learn more about what I have to say regarding inviting business clients to your home for dinner, read where I am quoted in the Dallas Observer in an article titled “Just What Year Does Kraft Foods Think This Is?”.

 

About Lydia Ramsey

Lydia Ramsey is a business etiquette expert, executive etiquette coach, professional speaker and author of Manners That Sell™, offering keynotes and seminars to corporations, associations, colleges and universities. Contact her at 912-598-9812.

Do you have a need for a business etiquette speaker? If so, learn how you can hire Lydia.

Pass It On

If you have clients or colleagues who might enjoy my business etiquette newsletter, let them know they can register here for their own copy!

 

Etiquette Tip of the Week - Elevator Etiquette

If you work in a tall building, taking the elevator or the lift is inevitable. People take it for granted, making it the site of some of the most common etiquette blunders you’ll ever encounter in the workplace.

These simple rules apply universally.

1. Stand back and allow others to exit before you board.
2. Hold the door for those hurrying to get on. Don’t stand idly by while the door shuts in someone’s face.
3. Give people their personal space in an uncrowded elevator.
4. Don’t call out your floor to the person standing nearest the buttons as if that person is the lift operator. If there is space to do so, press the button yourself.
5. Avoid carrying on conversations, personal or business.
6. If you are wearing a backpack, take it off and hold it in front of you so that it does not become a lethal weapon.
7. Using your cell phone is an absolute “no-no.”  The elevator is not a phone booth.

Treat the elevator as an extension of your workplace, and behave as if your most important client is in there with you. Being polite in the office elevator is the first step in the right direction in workplace etiquette.

Clearing Your Head

Every Wednesday I receive a Marketing Minute tip from marketing guru, Marcia Yudkin.  Each one is valuable, but today's tip really struck a chord with me.  I don't know about you, but I find that in today's hectic world with instant and constant access to people and information, it is hard to just sit back, relax and take a "time out."  It seems, after reading Marcia's tip today, that not doing so is counterproductive.  Our brains evidently need to have some down time in order to function properly.

May I suggest that you take one minute to read Marcia's article, then sit back and chill for fifteen? I intend to do just that as soon as I post this blog.

Here's the link:

http://www.yudkin.com/markmin.htm