Professional or Friendly? (or both?)... By Darren Saul

To get started let me reference a few definitions from the “Dictionary of Darren”:

Professional = stiff, polished, guarded, unapproachable, without soul.

Friendly = at ease, authentic, fun, engaging, relationship building.

Which would you like to be when you are in your next customer/prospect meeting? (or any interaction for that matter)

Walking into a client meeting in your swimmers may get you an initial laugh but you may be perceived as being without credibility. On the other hand, a 3-piece Armani suit, brief case and monotonic drone about YOU and YOUR SERVICES might also put your audience to sleep. The answer lies somewhere in the middle – a brief case packed with Minties maybe…

This is a topic that I am extremely passionate about as I have always loved to challenge convention (just for fun) and have always admired the success of those who lead their fields doing things THEIR WAY regardless of the critics. The majority may criticize but one cannot dispute their success. And the FUN they are having along the way!

But I digress – back to the point.

Too many of us get caught up in the “herd” mentality of doing “what should be done”, doing “the right thing” or simply doing “what most people do?” instead of acting from a place of authenticity and being who you want to be. Of course you always need to strike the correct balance between coming across as a clown or a hypnotist but you will judge each situation according to your audience.

The whole purpose is to allow you to break down barriers and build fantastic relationships, not the exact opposite.

SOME TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED:

• Smile and show some teeth (only if you have some)
• Raise your blood pressure a little (be positive, energetic and excited to be there)
• Shake hands like you mean business!
• Have fun!
• Bring a little humour and creativity to the meeting
• Ask millions of questions about them and their experiences BEFORE droning on about you and what you can do
• Mirror their body language when necessary
• Speak to them as if they were your closest friend and not the tax department (unless they were giving you a refund)
• Use the volume and tone of your voice to engage your audience – that’s what it’s there for
• Keep it interactive for them if possible
• Always speak with honesty
• Never be aggressive - let them have fun and they will come to you sooner or later
• Remember and use their name (it’s one of the sweetest sounds to them)
• Only provide info. when asked for it
• Give value and awesome service wherever you can – where nothing is ever too much trouble
• Don’t be scared to push boundaries a little – safety is mediocrity!
• Believe in yourself and your service!
• Be natural – be yourself!!

Professional or Friendly?

The answer is both!