0816_TOEFL-Test-and-Score-Manual-1997

22 ● 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business
If kids, dogs, or family members preclude you from inviting people to
your home office, make reservations.
No matter where you live, you can meet in an elegant restaurant or
hotel lobby. Be sure to scout out the location before you schedule the
appointment. Check out the parking situation. Better yet, look for a place
with valet parking.
Reserve a quiet table far from the kitchen. Make it very clear to the
maître d’ that your meeting is very important to your professional success.
When you arrive and are shown to your table, be sure to give the maître d’
a generous tip ($10 to $20).
Another classy idea: If sharing a meal isn’t an option, invite your client
to join you for tea or cocktails at a luxury hotel. Late afternoon is an excellent
time for a leisurely business meeting because it doesn’t interfere with lunch
or dinner plans.
If your client prefers to skip the food and drinks, just meet in a secluded
section of a fine hotel lobby. If you are well dressed and quiet, no one will
ask you to leave. My favorite hotels for meetings are the St. Regis and the
Regency in New York City. Poolside at the affordable and funky Sportsmen’s
Lodge in Studio City, California, is the perfect meeting spot for my film
projects or auditions.
GREAT
Work the Phones or Walk the Floor
Publishers Weekly named Elaine Petrocelli, co-owner
IDEA
of Book Passage in Corte Madera, California, bookseller
of the year a few years ago. She’s earned a national reputation by battling
nearby chain stores and online book sales. Book Passage, with stores in
Marin County and San Francisco, is known for its stellar customer service
and educational outreach programs and events.
Every year, Book Passage hosts about 700 author events, seminars, and
workshops. They keep in close touch with 40,000 customers via newsletters
and via their web site: www.bookpassage.com. (I will be signing books at
Book Passage’s San Francisco Ferry Building location in April.)