If you’re starting your own business or you already have your own business then sooner or later you’re going to end up in a boardroom meeting.
Personally I really like going to clients at their homes as everything is so relaxed and I can normally turn up in my regular shorts and a T-shirt but this is a boardroom we’re talking about so I’m not recommending that here.
I have been running a successful website design company in Cape Town South Africa for over two years now and we’ve been in and out of more boardroom meetings than I care to remember so I’ve put together a few suggestions on how you may want to handle things in the boardroom.
1) Dress Appropriately: Not every boardroom meeting is going to require you wear a shirt and tie, in fact most of the boardroom meetings we go to are a more smart/casual affair, no tie. If it’s a large corporate company you’re dealing with and those at the top are shirt and tie folk then you might be better off doing the shirt and tie thing otherwise a smart/casual look is normally good.
2) Be Confident: Some boardroom meetings can be a little intimidating when you first go in, large medieval looking tables surrounded by high back chairs, don’t let this intimidate you. Be bold and confident. The clients you are dealing with need to feel secure if they are going to be doing business with you and showing confidence in your services and products will put them at some ease.
3) Crack a Joke or Two: A good sense of humor and the odd funny line to make a potential client laugh can score you a lot of points. Be very careful here though, it must seem natural and be well timed. Don’t go into a boardroom meeting and open thing’s up with something like “Did you here the one about the two squirrels in the park”. If nothing funny crosses your mind during the boardroom meeting then don’t force it.
On the other hand, be sure to laugh if your client cracks a joke but again, let it be natural laughter and not a sudden outburst of false hysterics.
4) Smile a Lot: Don’t sit there looking like half your family just got wiped out in a freak snowstorm. Put on your best natural smile and make eye contact with whoever’s speaking when you do it.
5) Be Courteous and Well Mannered: Remember your please and thank you’s if you’re offered something to drink or eat, show some appreciation. When the meeting’s over and the time comes to exit the boardroom and leave your potential client, be sure to smile, shake hands and thank them for their time. If you’ve promised a quote for a service or products, be sure to follow up and deliver on time as promised.
A lot of things in the business world boil down to plain old common sense and the boardroom advice I’ve mentioned here is exactly that.