Preparing Yourself for an Important Business Meeting
First impressions are important in a business. We need to appear trustworthy and we need to be friendly enough to convince people to deal with us no matter what it is. If you want to seriously impress clients and investors the next time you walk into a boardroom meeting with a suit, then here are a couple of tips on how you can improve your appearance.
Dress appropriately
The first (and most obvious) change to make is in your clothing. A bespoke suit would the best option because it’s tailor-made to fit and feels absolutely fantastic. It gives you an air of confidence and makes you look more professional. If you’re serious about improving your image to create a great first impression, then make sure you dress appropriately for the occasion. If you show up to a meeting in casual wear such as a hoodie and jeans, then no one is going to take you seriously. You’ll be ridiculed, laughed at and your business’s reputation will plummet.
Focus on body language
Body language is important, so make sure you straighten your back and relax your shoulders. You need to look comfortable in your outfit, and your body language can go a long way when you want to exude confidence. Don’t neglect the importance of your body language during a meeting. Everything from hand gestures to the way you tilt your head can be interpreted in a different way.
Practice speaking
Either talk into a mirror and practice your speech or converse with colleagues to get some practice. Social skills are required when attending an important business meeting. You want to speak loud and clear, but you don’t want to speak over the other attendees. You want to get your point across, but don’t drown out what other people are saying for your own sake.
Protect your smile
If you’re going to be speaking to people up-close, then make sure you schedule a dental appointment before the big day. Your breath needs to be bearable so that people don’t turn away when speaking to you, and your teeth need to shine so you can be confident about your facial expression. This is especially important if you’re going to have your picture taken to appear in different forms of media. At the very least, make sure you chew on some gum or eat a few mints to freshen up your breath.
Stay well-groomed
Lastly, go get a haircut or at least groom your hair properly. Appearances matter in business and first impressions will set the tone for future meetings with your clients. You want to impress them from the very start so that there’s a better chance of them speaking to you and doing business with you in the future. If you turn up looking scruffy with a huge beard and bits of food dangling off your chin, then you’ll impress no one and you could even end up disgusting the investors so much they leave your office. Unless that’s your intention, get shaved and trim your hair to look presentable.