10 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS BREAKFAST 

In Mexico, breakfasts are not only a daily activity to socialize among friends and family. Breakfasts are an institution in the uses and customs of the business and political environment, they are par excellence the ideal means to promote gatherings, meet people, present a project or start a business. 

A good breakfast will help you start the day well, but it can also be the seed of a great project. Are you ready? … Here are the 10 tips for a successful business breakfast: 

BEFORE BREAKFAST… 

1.-Set yourself an objective. Before calling a breakfast you have to be clear: why do you call breakfast? And what do you want to achieve?… A breakfast is a unique opportunity to reach that potential client you need, seek investors for your project, give a press interview, receive advice or motivation from a personality, or simply expand your networking.  

2.-The art of establishing relationships. Summoning is the part that most people can be scared of. It is facing the unknown, and what often paralyzes us is fear of rejection. We leave encounters to chance, to fate, but good fortune is capricious and does not always appear when we need it. So where to start? … Make a list of potential people you are interested in joining, select those that are most important to your project, investigate who you might have the most affinity with and who would be easier to establish communication with. If you do not know anyone, or you cannot initiate contact directly, ask your acquaintances if someone can introduce you to that person (if you lack motivation, think that the six degree of separation theory can be effective). If your goal is to establish contact with a company, media or public agency, but you do not know who the right person is, the first thing you should know is how that organization works, the more you know, the easier it is for you to find an open door. 

3.- Do not choose the hot spot restaurant, choose the most suitable. Once they have accepted your invitation, select the place and reserve. The choice of place is the beginning of a successful breakfast; on the contrary, a bad choice can be catastrophic. The breakfast that so much effort and dedication cost you to coordinate can be canceled at the last minute if your guest is not motivated to attend because he (or she) does not like the place you chose, it is far away or he simply does not feel comfortable. Therefore, it is very important that you consider the profile and personality of your client to choose the place. Make sure it is well located and recognized. Avoid trendy restaurants because you would face a crowded, uncomfortable and noisy place. Choose a large table, preferably 4 places if there are going to be 2 or 3 attendees (more than 4 people are a crowd and there is a risk that the objective of the meeting will be lost). According to the personality of your guest, you can suggest a couple of places, however, it is also accepted and sometimes very convenient to open the invitation for your contact to propose the meeting place. 

4.- Prepare your presentation. You already have an appointment! Congratulations! You are about to meet face to face with that person who may be a new client or help you to promote your project. As in other aspects of life, first impressions are important. Think that you will have less than two hours to achieve your goal. Gather information about your guest, their professional background, experience, career and hobbies; And if he (or she) is a public person, monitor the latest news about him (her), company or sector, website and social media. All this information will help you find affinities, know how to start the meeting and even how to be more empathetic. Prepare a personalized presentation that is brief and concise, but above all entertaining, this should be a casual tone, but with the attitude that you are a professional who knows the subject. The tone and rhythm of your presentation will be determined by the degree of interaction you achieve with your interlocutor during breakfast. Set priorities so that the objective of the meeting does not deviate, make a list of the specific topics you want to discuss, anticipate possible questions or doubts, and prepare answers. Finally, prepare an executive document with all the information of your project that you will deliver at the end of breakfast for later consultation. 

DURING BREAKFAST … 

5.-The first impression is what counts. The day has come! … Never give reasons to think that the meeting is not important, so you must be punctual and arrive at the restaurant half an hour in advance to attend to any eventuality that arises as traffic complications or that the reservation has not been respected . Take care of your clothing, your way of dressing speaks volumes about your personality and the professional guild to which you belong. Try to be sober and wear how you do it on a daily basis. Remember that if breakfast is successful, subsequent meetings will be frequent. Having and projecting your own personality speaks well of you. Try to be relaxed, self-confidence will be a determining factor in the success of the meeting. Don’t forget to turn off your cell phone! 

6.- Break the ice. A breakfast should never start with the main purpose of the meeting. Introduce yourself and get acquainted with your company quickly and without presumption. Don’t make the common mistake of talking too much about yourself or your company. Establish good communication using a pleasant tone of conversation in a casual way. Start talking about general topics, although you should be careful with controversial issues. Morning’s news is a good topic, the latest movie, sports event, television series, some gadget, etc. It will never be a good idea to talk or ask about the family, especially when you have just met the person. Try to be empathetic and cordial, focus on your interlocutor, make him (her) feel comfortable, and don’t monopolize the conversation. 

7.-It is time to order. Time is limited, an hour and a half on average, in which you must earn the trust and attention of your potential client. Try to avoid any distractors like answering phone calls or going to talk to people at other tables. Sophisticated dishes, broths or snacks that are highly chopped are not recommended. Remember that the pace of the conversation and the exposition will be up to you, and a food that is difficult to manipulate can be a barrier. 

8.- While you have breakfast. Focus on your guest, gradually introduce the purpose of the breakfast and develop the key points. Let your interlocutor tell you something about his (her) company, his (her) needs or activities, the more he (she) talks, the more you can determine when is the right time to present aspects of your project organically. During your presentation, give your interlocutor useful information, examples of what you have done with other clients, product characteristics, comment on market research data, etc. At the same time, you must be perceptive to discover which are the topics that have most interested you and adapt your presentation along that path. Do not pressure your guest to make a decision or feel committed, avoid imposing fatal dates. Set aside the last few minutes for your interlocutor to share their opinions and ask questions. 

9.- Conclude with style. No matter how confident or disappointed you feel about the meeting, you should never lose your composure or temper. Always leave a door open for an upcoming meeting. Remember that the game does not end when breakfast is finished. In fact, it is only the beginning. VERY IMPORTANT: Whoever invites to the breakfast pays. 

AFTER BREAKFAST… 

10.-Breakfast compromises. The business breakfast is much more than a social event, it must be part of communication, sales, positioning, public relations strategy, etc. Therefore, to ensure success, it is very important to follow up on the commitments made. To be in control, prepare a meeting minutes and email it to your new contact, thank the meeting for the opportunity, list the main topics that were discussed, and if there were agreements or steps to follow, highlight them. Also, follow up on what was agreed. If they asked for documents, send them. If deadlines were agreed, meet them. Be persistent, but do not harass, almost always the best businesses and projects take time to mature, trust, you already took the first step, a good breakfast will always be a good idea to start … Good luck!