Don't Screw Up a Meeting By Making One of These 7 Mistakes

Relationships are the key to survival and success for entrepreneurs, and first impressions usually turn into lasting impressions. As an advisor to many early-stage entrepreneurs, I caution them to always be prepared for that chance meeting with a famous investor, a potential partner or an industry guru. It’s not smart to believe that your passion and gift of gab will impress anyone.
Advance homework and preparation is key to every good first impression. With smart people, you can’t bluff your way past tough questions, and talking more and louder about your dreams won’t fill the gap of relevant content. Despite the fact that you can’t predict the circumstances of every first meeting, there are many faux pas that you can avoid, including the following:

1. Failure to recognize an important person before introduction.

Every entrepreneur should build a “cheat sheet” of 10 key individuals they hope to encounter at any given meeting or networking opportunity. The impact of responding first with facial recognition from LinkedIn or Facebook is huge compared to possible alternatives.
Related: 5 Strategies for Subtly Dominating Meetings

2. Start talking immediately about your project and background.

Asking questions and listening will leave a greater first impression more often than talking. Even more impressive are targeted questions that indicate you already have done your homework on their current role, expertise and company affiliations.

3. Quick to name-drop common friends and business links.

A mention or introduction from a shared friend will always give you an advantage. But be cautious about dropping names of people who may not really know you, or whose recollection of you may not be so positive. The investors I know are quick to do some real due diligence. Read More