The Art Of Meeting And Greeting – A Guide
Meeting and greeting people effectively can help you to form meaningful relationships in work and life.
From introducing yourself with confidence, to learning how body language affects how you are perceived, this comprehensive guide will equip you with the skills needed to make positive first impressions.
This guide has been kept short and simple, to give you a nice effective overview to help you with meeting and greeting new people.
Although this can be used in most settings, we’ll be covering it from an angle when engaging people for new business.
Read on to learn how this information can serve you.
Meeting And Greeting Tip #1 – Make A Good Impression
Making a good first impression is an essential part of meeting and greeting people.
When introducing yourself, make eye contact, offer a brief personal comment, smile and shake hands firmly.
Before you start speaking, draw in a breath to steady yourself and maintain your confidence.
Be aware that your body language can affect the perception of you – standing or sitting confidently with open posture will create a positive image.
Smiling goes a long way.
It puts people at ease, and makes them feel welcome.
It also gives you a great first impression that you can be trusted. This is crucial when building rapport.
If the muscles tighten slightly around your eyes, you know you’ll be showing a sincere smile.
Meeting And Greeting Tip #2 – Be An Active Listener
Active listening is one of the most important skills when it comes to making meaningful connections, and after initially meeting and greeting your potential clients.
Take the time to really tune in to what is being said—both verbally and non-verbally.
Give your full attention, avoiding distractions such as looking away or scrolling through your phone mindlessly.
Ask open-ended questions to show genuine interest and make sure to respond appropriately as this will demonstrate that you care about what is being discussed.
Use active listening techniques like mirroring and paraphrasing to summarize what you’ve heard for better understanding.
A lot of people when meeting and greeting new people, generally listen to respond; meaning they listen to think about what they should say next.
Instead – actively listen to completely be present with the person or people, and to truly gauge what it is that they’re saying.
This doesn’t have to be too overbearing either.
Take a moment to read the room, which gives you time to build some context and read the behavior of your surroundings.
Meeting And Greeting Tip #3 – Get To Know Them Prior
Before you meet someone, take the time to find out a bit about them.
Knowing a few details in advance will help pave the way for successful conversations.
Check their social media accounts and read up on any professional background information if available.
If they’ve written an article or created a YouTube video on a particular topic, it’ll go very far to learn how that person feels prior to meeting and greeting.
Research ahead of time so that common topics are covered and that conversations can start off on the right foot.
It’s also important to be aware of any potential cultural, religious or personal sensitivities to ensure an appropriate dialogue all around!
Tip #4 – Use Naming Cards If You Can
This one is dependent on the setting; however naming cards can be very beneficial when meeting and greeting new people.
Naming cards are a great tool to help you remember people’s names and make meaningful connections with them.
When meeting someone for the first time, take note of their name, pronunciation, and perhaps even a few details about them.
This information can be written down onto a naming card as soon as you meet them.
That way, when they come up in conversation in any setting later on, you have easy access to all the information you need to recall!
Tip #5 – Get Connected On Social Media
Finally, the last but not least of our meeting and greeting tips, is to get connected on social media.
However; do this if the occasion calls for it, and only if it’s appropriate to do so.
Taking your interactions online can help you bridge the gap and maintain those relationships that began in person.
With the rise of social media, it’s easier than ever to stay connected with someone you just met in passing, or even when traveling around the world!
Creating a profile and connecting with people on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook is one of the best ways to stay connected and build meaningful networks.
For business meeting and greeting opportunities, LinkedIn generally is the most socially acceptable option.
For more casual meets, other platforms may be more suitable.
Meeting And Greeting – Our Conclusion
With some of the basics covered in this article, meeting and greeting should be simple, casual, and easy.
Even if it’s for an important meeting – remember to be comfortable, stand tall, and remember that the person meeting you may be feeling the same way (even if you’re slightly nervous or anxious).
Follow the tips in this guide, and you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of meeting and greeting.
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