Are your business breakfasts, lunches, coffee worth your time?
Just suppose, just suppose you made a strong connection with people you meet so they wanted to recommend you or your law firm. Want to do it? Here’s how you might start.
Think back to your last breakfast, lunch or meeting with one of your contacts and answer these questions:
- What if any preparation did you do for the meeting?
- What questions did you ask?
- What percentage of the time were you talking?
- What did you learn about his or her company?
- What did you learn about his or her family?
- What did you learn about his or her interests and worldview?
- What did you learn about any opportunities or challenges your contact is facing?
- What questions do you wish you had asked?
- What did you do to follow up after the meeting?
- What do you think the person with whom you met would say about the meeting?
Want some other tips? Read this short Inc. Magazine piece: Business Lunch Etiquette: 8 Rules.