APU Business

How to Hold an Effective Business Dinner

effective-business-meetingBy Adrienne Erin
Online Career Tips, Contributor

For generations, businesspeople have met over meals to entertain clients and colleagues. However, these events are not solely for entertainment purposes. They also present a great opportunity to either make a strong first impression or solidify favorable opinions people already have. Keep reading to get some tips that will hold true whether you’re hosting a dinner for just one person or several.

Take Care of the Details

Guests want to be able to relax and know everything’s under control when they accept your dinner invitation. Even if you run into a few snags along the way, preparation is the key to proving you’re capable of pulling off a great event. That means thinking of everything from a table reservation to paying the tip. One of the easiest ways to handle the latter is to give the restaurant your credit card information in advance to keep on file and pay a pre-determined gratuity.

Be Mindful of Timing

The day of the week and time of day you choose for your business dinner could have a big impact on how many people attend. People consider Friday night as the start of the weekend, so make sure your dinner occurs Monday-Thursday. Also, aim to finish at a reasonable hour so guests will be in good shape for work the next morning. Trying to have them home and able to watch a 10 p.m. news broadcast if they so choose is a good rule of thumb.

Pick the Venue With Care

The venue for a business dinner is a huge part of creating an inviting, calming atmosphere. If you have a favorite restaurant that always offers delicious meals and great service, that may be a good place to host your gathering. Also, keep in mind many hotels have special areas specifically for social business events. Those are good possibilities to consider too, especially since you can rest assured the staff members there will be accustomed to handling the needs of business guests.

Don’t Jump Straight Into Business Discussions

Depending on the occasion, you may feel especially eager to start discussing business topics, and in some cases, selling yourself as an asset. At a dinner, it’s usually ideal to only start talking about business matters once the main course has been served. Gauge the body language of your guests, though, because their actions may suggest otherwise.

If you wait too long to start discussing business, your guests may start to wonder why they were invited. On the other hand, bringing up business too early at your business dinner suggests that you’re more interested in getting something out of the dinner rather than being courteous to the people you’ve invited.

Send a Follow-Up Email

The day after the business dinner, take the opportunity to send an email to the attendees. Be sure to convey you’re grateful that people took time out of their schedules to come. Also, recap what was discussed over the meal and, if necessary, provide reminders of actionable items. People like to feel valued, and many also welcome a bit of direction if they’ve been asked to do something. Your follow-up email can offer both those things.

Hosting a business dinner can feel overwhelming, especially if you don’t do it very often or the attendees are people you want as future clients or coworkers. However, planning in advance goes a long way, as does taking anything that happens in stride and responding in the best way you can.

Comments are closed.