NH Etiquette: How to Act When You’re Visiting an Office for the First Time

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Whether you’re a career woman or a business person, you will visit offices. Eventually, as you rise in whatever niche you’ve carved out for yourself, you will find that you might need to talk business or broker deals and this might entail your going into an office to meet with your prospect or client or an investor. So how do you conduct yourself when you’re visiting an office for business? Here are a few tips.

Introduce Yourself

Even if you heard the secretary introduce you before you entered the office, still introduce yourself to the person. Something simple like…

Good morning. My name is … from (your business/office). Thank you for seeing me today.

Greet with a Firm Handshake

(Unless you’re a Yoruba girl and the person is decades older, then you might want to add a courtesy into the mix).

The first thing to remember is that in the book of etiquette, a woman has to first offer her hands before a man can shake them. You are the woman so don’t wait for the other person to offer his hand – unless it’s another woman. Stretch out your hand with a warm smile, meet the person’s eyes and give a firm handshake.

Ask if it’s Okay to Sit

It is the height of bad manners to enter someone’s office and just plunk down on a sit without first being invited to do so. The ideal thing would be to wait for the person to offer, but since this is Nigeria and we’re being realistic, you can compromise by asking if it’s okay for you to take a seat and wait for permission before sitting down.

Note: If someone comes into your office, don’t wait for them to ask. Just say ‘Please have a seat.’

Thank the Person Before Leaving

Once you’re done with your business, be courteous and thank the person for his or her time before walking out of the office.

Finally, be confident. Confidence means knowing what you’re bringing to the table and it also means doing your homework. So do your research, have your facts at your fingertips and know just why you’re in that office.

 

Further Reading

10 Tips on how to shake hands with confidence

What does your handshake say about you?

 

 

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