To sign profitable deals and win giant clients in the business world you would need to develop your skills for making the kind of first impression that wins potential clients, customers and partners at business meetings or appointments. And in most cases you have less than five seconds to be assessed. In this short time, the other person forms an opinion about you based on your appearance, your body language, your demeanor, your mannerisms, and how you are dressed.
These first impressions can be nearly impossible to reverse or undo especially after the deal is lost or transaction aborted. Therefore we will be exploring some useful hints that will help you along this line.
Pass the Punctuality test
There is no excuse for running late when meeting a first-time business prospect. Plan to arrive five minutes earlier. If the place of appointment is 15 minutes away from your location, add another 5 minutes for contingency purposes. Arriving early is far better than arriving late when trying to create a great first impression.
Relax and Be Yourself
If you are feeling uncomfortable and on edge, this can make the other person to feel uneasy and that’s a sure way to create a wrong impression. If you are calm and confident, so the other person will feel more at ease, you are sure to create a solid foundation for making that first impression a good one. One way to calm yourself when you’re about to get in front of an important ‘stranger’ is to spend a few minutes earlier consciously visualizing the person as pleasant.
Don’t Misrepresent Yourself
The person you are meeting for the first time does not know you and your appearance is usually the first clue he or she has to assess you. But it certainly does not mean you need to look like a model to create a strong and positive first impression. The key to a good impression is to present yourself appropriately.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So the “picture” you first present says much about you to the person you are meeting. Is your appearance saying the right things to help create the right first impression?
Start with the way you dress. What is the appropriate dress for the meeting or occasion? In a business setting, what is the appropriate business attire? Suit, blazer, casual? And ask yourself what the person you'll be meeting is likely to wear. If your contact is in advertising or the music industry, a business suit may not strike the right note! Also, a good haircut, clean shave, modest make up are few things that can make your grooming appropriate and help you feel more confident.
A Winning Smile!
Somebody once said, “Smile and the world smiles too.” So there’s nothing like a smile to create a good first impression. A warm and confident smile will put both you and the other person at ease. So smiling is a winner when it comes to great first impressions. But don't go overboard with this - people who take this too far can obviously appear insincere.
Be Courteous And Attentive
Good manners and a courteous behavior would help to make a good first impression. In fact, anything less can ruin the one chance you have at making that first impression. So be on your best behavior! One modern manner worth mentioning is to turn off your mobile phone. Your new acquaintance deserves 100% of your attention. Anything less and you’ll create a less than good first impression.
Be Open and Confident
When it comes to making the first impression, body language as well as appearance speaks much louder than words. Use your body language to project appropriate confidence and self-assurance. Stand tall, smile (of course), make eye contact, greet with a firm handshake. All of this will help you project confidence and encourage both you and the other person to feel better at ease.
Strike Amusing conversations
Conversations are based on verbal give and take. It may help you to prepare questions you have for the person you are meeting for the first time beforehand. Or, take a few minutes to learn something about the person you meet for the first time before you get together. For instance, does he play chess? Does she love children?
Is there anything that you know of that you have in common with the person you are meeting? If so, this can be a great way to open the conversation and to keep it flowing.
Be Positive
Your attitude shows through in everything you do. Project a positive attitude, even in the face of criticism or in the case of nervousness. Strive to learn from your meeting and to contribute appropriately, maintaining an upbeat manner and a smile.
Most importantly, commit everything into the hands of God and know that there will be no regrets if you know you did your best. With the above tips you can be sure that the big business breaks you desire will soon become a reality.
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Showing posts with label business. Show all posts
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
ELEMENTS OF A WINNING BUSINESS PROPOSAL
There may be times in your small business life when you will have to submit a business proposal to gain business from another firm, corporation or government. It is your ability to present yourself as the best person for the job that puts you ahead of other contenders.
What is A Business Proposal?
Unlike a business plan, which is written to run your company and raise capital, a business proposal is a document you prepare in order to bid for business from another company. There are two types of business proposal that can help you gain more jobs to grow your own business.
Solicited Business Proposal. In this case, a corporation or government body seeks a company to run a project or complete a task for them and allow companies to bid for the project. An open bid is placed on the market with other companies competing for an interview spot. The winning candidate is offered the project. In national newspapers you will see various companies and government parastatals inviting companies to submit bids to run a project for them.
Unsolicited Business Proposal. At some point, your small business may want to do business with a larger company or forge a joint venture. For instance, you may notice a problem in a company, to which you know your business can solve at an affordable rate. The proposal you will write in this case is an unsolicited business proposal. A well-written business proposal can win the hearts and minds of your target audience.
If you need to write a business proposal to win a bid, you will need to know the key winning elements of a successful proposal. Make sure your proposal stands out in the stack of competitor proposals by including the following elements:
7 Elements of Winning Business Proposals
SOLUTIONS: That is the only language that companies understand. If what you are talking about doesn‘t solve their problems, they may not even read it through. After you have written a lead paragraph on the company's needs and problems, follow up with a solid presentation of how your business can provide solutions. The key here is to promise solutions you can deliver.
BENEFITS: All winning business proposals clearly outline for the company the benefits to be gained from doing business with you. Solutions can be provided by anyone but what peculiar benefits will they derive from doing business with you? Your proposal must answer this question. If your small business can offer complete confidentiality and meet tight deadlines state it in your benefits section.
CREDIBILITY: This is often the overlooked portion of a business proposal but all winning proposals glow with credibility. If you have worked with clients in the same field or have an award-winning business, then attach such evidences to gain credibility.
SAMPLES: A business proposal with samples and evidence of your ability to deliver is vital to gaining the winning bid. A small sample of your work can show your ability to do the job. You may also attach pictures as proof of what you have done in the past.
TECHNICALITY: A winning business proposal is all about communication. Speak in a language spoken by your intended audience. If the proposal evaluators are from an engineering background or financial department, use the appropriate jargon.
QUALITY: Let the quality of your paper, envelope and letterhead design reflect quality and professionalism. You may not be there when the proposal gets read and therefore you are likely to be judged by the quality of the materials in which your proposal was packaged. Therefore use the best materials and expertise available.
BREVITY: Avoid writing long proposals. Go straight to the point and go into details only when you need to prove your expertise. And as much as possible, make every written word in your proposal count. If yours is a relatively small business, a 3-5 page proposal is ideal for you.
Ultimately, the best business proposal is none. When your company is well-positioned and unique in the marketplace then it is only you who can meet the needs of the company requesting the bids. If a private school is looking for a web designer and your company specializes in web creation for the education industry you might be able to circumvent the proposal process.
In the end, you may not win all bids, but will win jobs that best match your business to the prospective business.
What is A Business Proposal?
Unlike a business plan, which is written to run your company and raise capital, a business proposal is a document you prepare in order to bid for business from another company. There are two types of business proposal that can help you gain more jobs to grow your own business.
Solicited Business Proposal. In this case, a corporation or government body seeks a company to run a project or complete a task for them and allow companies to bid for the project. An open bid is placed on the market with other companies competing for an interview spot. The winning candidate is offered the project. In national newspapers you will see various companies and government parastatals inviting companies to submit bids to run a project for them.
Unsolicited Business Proposal. At some point, your small business may want to do business with a larger company or forge a joint venture. For instance, you may notice a problem in a company, to which you know your business can solve at an affordable rate. The proposal you will write in this case is an unsolicited business proposal. A well-written business proposal can win the hearts and minds of your target audience.
If you need to write a business proposal to win a bid, you will need to know the key winning elements of a successful proposal. Make sure your proposal stands out in the stack of competitor proposals by including the following elements:
7 Elements of Winning Business Proposals
SOLUTIONS: That is the only language that companies understand. If what you are talking about doesn‘t solve their problems, they may not even read it through. After you have written a lead paragraph on the company's needs and problems, follow up with a solid presentation of how your business can provide solutions. The key here is to promise solutions you can deliver.
BENEFITS: All winning business proposals clearly outline for the company the benefits to be gained from doing business with you. Solutions can be provided by anyone but what peculiar benefits will they derive from doing business with you? Your proposal must answer this question. If your small business can offer complete confidentiality and meet tight deadlines state it in your benefits section.
CREDIBILITY: This is often the overlooked portion of a business proposal but all winning proposals glow with credibility. If you have worked with clients in the same field or have an award-winning business, then attach such evidences to gain credibility.
SAMPLES: A business proposal with samples and evidence of your ability to deliver is vital to gaining the winning bid. A small sample of your work can show your ability to do the job. You may also attach pictures as proof of what you have done in the past.
TECHNICALITY: A winning business proposal is all about communication. Speak in a language spoken by your intended audience. If the proposal evaluators are from an engineering background or financial department, use the appropriate jargon.
QUALITY: Let the quality of your paper, envelope and letterhead design reflect quality and professionalism. You may not be there when the proposal gets read and therefore you are likely to be judged by the quality of the materials in which your proposal was packaged. Therefore use the best materials and expertise available.
BREVITY: Avoid writing long proposals. Go straight to the point and go into details only when you need to prove your expertise. And as much as possible, make every written word in your proposal count. If yours is a relatively small business, a 3-5 page proposal is ideal for you.
Ultimately, the best business proposal is none. When your company is well-positioned and unique in the marketplace then it is only you who can meet the needs of the company requesting the bids. If a private school is looking for a web designer and your company specializes in web creation for the education industry you might be able to circumvent the proposal process.
In the end, you may not win all bids, but will win jobs that best match your business to the prospective business.
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