What to Order at a Business Lunch
Eat Right: It's the Fuel You Run On!
I really don’t eat HALF of what I’d like to! I could eat molten lava chocolate cake with vanilla bean ice cream after EVERY meal…even breakfast. On those rare occasions when I’m out and the ice cream is real, I can’t believe how delicious and creamy it is. Maybe that’s because the only ice cream I keep in my house is either low-fat or sugar free; no wonder “real” ice cream tastes amazing!
When I’m speaking about how I have hosted more than 3,000 client lunches, I often hear, “How come you don’t weigh 300 pounds?!” As you can see in my interview with MSNBC-TV, I told Chris Jansen that while I was taking clients out to eat several times a week, I had FOUR gym memberships all over town and I worked out A LOT! But what I didn’t get to mention was that I also ordered smart food and I ate my biggest meals during my BUSINESS LUNCHES.
There are so many reasons for ordering a more healthy lunchtime meal – to watch your weight and eat healthy, to have food that is easy to eat (it’s a LOT easier to get small bites of a piece of fish in your mouth than it is to down ribs or an over-sized burger!), and to focus more on the meeting that the eating. But there is another reason why you might want to order salads, fish, or lean meat – especially when out with clients.
Eating smart makes you sharp. Sure, you’ll look successful….but you’ll also be able to THINK like a winner. I spoke with one of my coaching clients today. She sounded tired, worn out, beaten up, frustrated, and down. She was angry at certain things going on in her life and was having trouble remaining optimistic.
About an hour into our session, I realized she had not been eating right. She’s had a kidney transplant and is on more meds than the average person. If she doesn’t eat, the meds mess up her stomach. If there isn’t healthy food prepared, easy to prepare, or ready to eat, she’ll eat what she can. Sound familiar? Of course it does…we ALL do that!
My client has an extra challenge, though. She is blind. She can’t just jump in her car and run to the store or Whole Foods to pick up a healthy meal or snack! A few bus transfers and an hour later, she MAY find something decent to eat.
It’s funny…she came to me to help her with her speaking and writing career. She is getting her Masters in Interactive Design so she can help other people by developing user-friendly software or by designing buildings for optimal accessibility. I am not a nutritionist. But if this woman is not able to think clearly or function, then before I can help her to write or speak professionally, we have to put some of the best fuel in her tank….(her THINK TANK!)
Failing to eat healthy food is a lot like trying to run a car on corn syrup instead of gasoline. Sure, it might get down the road a bit before it conks out, but it will eventually kill the engine. Cars need fresh oil, gasoline, spark plugs (ENERGY) and healthy tires. Why can’t we view our bodies the same way? Let’s put the right fuel in so we can perform at our best! A business lunch is no exception – eat smart to stay sharp!
Client Lunch? Happy Hour? Try My Favz!
The best drinks in Las Vegas are here...
I haven’t written a dining review in a while and I’m well overdue – since it seems I’ve been out socializing…drinking and eating a LOT lately…for business AND with friends! When I’m out and about and just loving a place, I want to share it with my readers. I have a few places in Las Vegas that I absolutely adore. They are consistent, the service is outstanding, and they are perfect for what I want at the time.
Whether I’m meeting a client for happy hour, taking clients or friends to a business lunch, or just building relationships, having a list of the best restaurants in Las Vegas handy makes scheduling networking and socializing events much easier.
I had dinner recenly with Mitchell Davis, owner of ExpertClick.com and the Yearbook of Experts. I use Expert Click to send press releases. Mitchell was visiting Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show and was staying at the Rio. He suggested we have dinner at Gaylord’s Indian Restaurant. When I saw a list of specialty drinks that featured a cardamom martini, a black raspberry martini, and an elder fizz, I couldn’t resist. I love Indian food and especially the exotic flavor of cardamom.
I ordered a cardamom martini, which was masterfully blended by Jozef. Jozef is an artist; he keeps fresh ginger and cucumber, cardamom pods which he grinds up on the spot, fresh nutmeg…and many more special ingredients lined up at the back of the bar.
Gaylord's @ The Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
For weeks, I thought about that delicious martini. I craved another one and talked about it so much that within a few weeks, my friends and I were at the small (REALLY small – just six seats!) bar, ready to see if it was as amazing as I remembered.
Phil Robertson, president of Common Sense Consulting, and Mike McGettigan from Langan had grown tired of hearing me boast about this heavenly cocktail. They soon concurred, however; this martini is heaven on a stem. Jozef went all out and – knowing he had some aficionados – created several amazing drinks for us.
With his incredible array of fresh ingredients, Jozef was ready to make whatever we wanted. He put some “secret” ingredients into our first martini; watching him work was better than watching a television cooking show! He took extra care and worked hard, and finally presented us with the much anticipated blends.
We drank them slowly, savoring their fresh, unique flavors and some lively conversation. I can’t recommend this little treasure enough – but make sure you go when Jozef is working. The food at Gaylord’s is the best Indian food in Las Vegas, but why not go when you can have a cardamom martini, too?!
Another consistent, delicious getaway is Grape Vegas at Town Square. It’s a fun, cozy spot with a great happy hour. Their wine list is impressive. General Manager Jennifer Gaydeski and Manager Kevin Mahony each stopped by to make sure everything was wonderful…and it was.
One of the aspects I really like about Grape is that it’s a kid-free zone, which is as it should be. Even though the space can get noisy – especially during a Friday night happy hour – it’s nice to know that it’s adults only. Kids, BTW, are allowed on the patio. The restaurant displays the somewhat exotic artwork of Las Vegas artist A.D. Cook on the walls, and it is not necessarily anything you’d want to explain to a child. It’s subtle and beautiful, but naked breasts abound.
I recommend you sample their menu of treats while you enjoy your happy hour. One of my favorites is a flatbread with fig, prosciutto, and brie – outstanding! And Grape also has some great hummus and sliders – always yummy. I think, however, charging 50 cents for sauce for the sliders seems silly; I’d like to see the management change that. I’d rather pay 50 cents more and have the sauce come with – agree? It’s like paying $50 for a prix fixe dinner, roquefort dressing, 50 cents extra!
Bottom line? I wish we had more fab places like these two gems in my neighborhood of Henderson. So far, my favorite place in Henderson is my own kitchen! Enjoying your own home, cooking, and atmosphere makes finding a great venue out that much harder. But, wherever you go, don’t forget the most important ingredient: Great FRIENDS and stimulating conversation!
Client Lunch as a Christmas Present?
What do you get the person who has everything? My recommendation is to take them to lunch or dinner. The best part of that, (though it is a wee bit selfish), is that you get to enjoy your friends or clients and a great meal, all in the name of Season’s Greetings! Seriously, it’s one of my favorite things to do, and the holiday season provides the perfect excuse to get together with clients who are otherwise too busy to break free.
Everyone has their guard down this time of year, which could make this the perfect time to get someone out who typically is “too busy” to go to lunch. Imagine how far a little twist of the arm could go!
Lunch & Golf - Great Christmas Gift Combo!
Don’t make it about business, either. Simply seize this opportunity to treat your clients well, make it about them, and possibly, if the mood is right, discover ways you can help them with their business this year.
And if you’re in a warm climate, make it a round of golf and lunch. Talk about building relationships! Nothing is better than this One-Two punch! 
The best part of a client lunch is that it hardly seems like work, yet it can easily become the MOST PRODUCTIVE PART OF YOUR DAY!
The $25,000 Lunch Blunder
Think your behavior at a business lunch doesn’t matter? I just read a blog from Joel Comm about a consultant who just lost a $25,000 consulting gig because even though the consultant did the inviting, he failed to pick up the check. Hmmm, how can I say this even more plainly than I have in the past?
WHOEVER DOES THE INVITING PICKS UP THE CHECK!
If you did the inviting, this is YOURS!
Seriously – it’s THAT simple; no exceptions! What I loved most about Joel’s blog was the fact that the consultant actually had a shot at getting Joel’s business – and he blew it because of his lunch behavior! AND I especially loved that this post received more than 65 PASSIONATE responses – mostly from those who understand the IMPORTANCE of a business lunch done right! KUDOS to all!
And here’s a second tip: Two for the price of one….
NEVER EVER pay for a business lunch with CASH!
Slip your credit card to your server discreetly
“Why?” you ask? Let me ask you this – when you are out with a friend and they grab the check and say, “I’ve got it,” don’t you ALWAYS offer to at least “get the tip”? That will also be your client’s reaction. A credit card is not just authoritative, but you will be able to hand it to your server as soon as you are seated (or WHILE you are being seated) to avoid that awkward moment or fight when the check finally comes. It will have already be handled, tip and all, if you planned ahead.
Client Lunches: When You Just Don't Have the TIME!
I did a radio interview this week with Smokie Sizemore. Smokie runs the Smart Woman’s Club – and she is a real spitfire!
I had a question from a caller – Lena. Her question was one that I’ve heard before and you might have wondered about it as well, so I wanted to share my answer here to help those of you who can relate. Lena lives outside of New York City. Her complaint was one that I have about business lunches too, now that I work from home.
Lena said that taking clients to lunch has become a colossal time consumer! As important as it is to get in that quality FACE TIME, she found that a business lunch can cost her up to FOUR hours – between getting ready, drive time into the city and back, and following up. Lena – I couldn’t agree with you more! I used to advocate attending at least FIVE social events a week with clients, and that holds true today – IF You are already out and about!
Make Time to Break Bread!
When I was in sales, I was dressed, at my desk, and ready to go each day by 8:30AM. Even if lunch took FOREVER, (as with my old FAVORITE – a 2-hour lunch), it only took those TWO HOURS out of my day! No big deal…especially when that time was SO PRODUCTIVE!
Now, working from home, I often find myself working late at night….sometimes even well past midnight. By 8:30 the next morning, I’m up and at my desk, but I’m hardly dressed for a meeting. My friend, Judy Owen, asked me what the heck I meant when I would decline invitations for lunch on the Las Vegas Strip saying, “I just don’t want to come into town today.” She was puzzled because I only live about 15 minutes from the strip.
I explained to Judy that by the time I get READY (hair shampooed and set or flat-ironed, dressed, etc.) and drive there and back, I’ll have been away from my desk for TWO HOURS! And that’s not even counting LUNCH!
As you can see, I fully appreciated Lena’s lament. Yes, Lena, lunch in town – especially when you work from a home office – can easily become an ALL DAY EVENT! So what’s the solution?
DEVOTE ONE DAY A WEEK to meetings “in the city,” regardless of where you live. If you work from home, dedicate one day each week to being away from your desk. With the right planning and a smart phone, this can become your most productive day ever!
Start with an 8 or 8:30 breakfast meeting. Schedule a 10AM meeting at Starbucks or a coffee shop near your 10AM client’s office. Make your first lunch meeting around 11:30. Order soup. Next lunch? 1PM. Have some fish or salad. By 2:30, it will be time for SOMEONE’S coffee break, so suggest that you meet that person near their office. In ONE DAY, you can gain a WEEK’S worth of quality FACE TIME!
Then, as you return to your home office, kick off the painful, 3″ heels and slip back into your comfortable slacks or sweats. Relax. You had a big, productive day and you didn’t waste a single minute!
We just can’t afford to sacrifice that all-important FACE TIME. And that is truer now more than ever before. PEOPLE PREFER TO DO BUSINESS WITH PEOPLE THEY LIKE – and there is no better way to get to know someone than by sharing a meal….breaking bread with them. (even if that is simply a biscotti at Starbucks!) Don’t pass on the chance to meet and greet with clients. Try this. Let me know how it works for you!
Gitomer Endorses Mealtimes 4 Sales Success
Sales Guru Jeffrey Gitomer has finally started Tweeting. So, what’s he tweeting about? Sales, of course! How to ask the right questions, what it takes to succeed, why people fail, and everything else salespeople should know to become phenomenal at selling. Jeffrey should know. He wrote the book. Okay…he’s written MANY books on sales. What is MY favorite tweet of his? That’s easy…
“The two BEST places for a sales appointment: Breakfast and lunch. Relaxed atmosphere and no interruptions.”
Thank you, Jeffrey, for stating the obvious that so many people in sales still tend to overlook. Jeffrey wrote a blurb for me when I launched The Art of the Business Lunch, and my publisher put a PART of it on the back cover. The part they left out was my favorite: “Robin Jay’s book is the recipe for Lean Cuisine and Fat Checks! Buy it, read it, and act on it!”
Jeffrey Gitomer, Sales Expert
Ya gotta love Jeffrey’s no-nonsense approach! My publisher chose the more conservative part of his testimonial: “The Art of the Business Lunch is pivotal to the science of selling. I have maintained for years that LUNCH is the best place to build a relationship and make a sale. Buy it, read it, and act on it.” I couldn’t have said it better myself, Jeffrey, but thank you again.
If you are not taking your clients out to lunch, you are missing out on the VERY BEST opportunity to build relationships and close sales. Jeffrey says when you build the right relationships, people will come TO YOU when they need something. It’s so true. Did you know that client lunches are such an EFFECTIVE SALES TECHNIQUE that they are practically ILLEGAL in ALL 50 STATES!?!? If you don’t believe me, just leave a comment and I’ll explain. Most successful sales people know EXACTLY what I’m talking about!
Helping MBA Students and Professionals Improve Presentations
Last week I spoke at the National Association of Women MBAs conference in Anaheim, California. I delivered two presentations – one was on my signature topic, The Art of the Business Lunch: Building Relationships Between 12 and 2, and the other was called Speak & Write Like a Pro.
Lisa Waters was in my session and offered this testimonial. She was there with Rachel Magario, who I’m delighted to have as a new coaching client! Lisa and Rachel were just two of the impressive group of attendees! My faith in our future is boosted whenever I present to such intelligent, ambitious, and friendly audiences. Thanks to EVERYONE who was there. This event was incredibly well organized, thanks to the tireless effort of Delma Esparza.
In The Art of the Business Lunch, I shared my secrets and tips for building productive business relationships by introducing a social aspect. Breaking bread brings dough! What about when a job interview takes place over a business lunch? Why would an employer want to meet with you in a social setting? I had the answers and the women ate them up! I shared the importance of creating quality face time and helped the women to become Business Relationship Experts!
In my session on Speak & Write Like a Pro, I shared the fundamentals of delivering outstanding presentations – written and verbal. Using “Action” verbs helps to add impact to your sentences, as does eliminating the words “thing” and “stuff.” The audience laughed when I acted out, “I have a thing tonight….” A THING? Really? A dinner? A networking event? a date? We KNOW what we are going to do – so why not be specific about it. What the heck is a “THING” anyway?
When delivering PPT presentations, try to use photos instead of text whenever possible. Sure, you have to know your material, but you can cheat by using notes – if you use “presenter’s view.” All details, numbers, charts, etc., can go on handouts. No one is going to remember a lot of numbers! Keep your presentations compelling and entertaining.
What a great experience I had with the women of NAWMBA! I hope to work with these women in the future. Many of the attendees invited me to come to their universities to speak. That’s the greatest compliment ever!
Speaking: NAWMBA! National Association of Women MBAs
I will be speaking at NAWMBA's Conference
Where, oh where, have my blogs disappeared to? They have taken a back seat the past week as I have been BUSY preparing for two killer presentations at Friday’s (10/30) NAWMBA conference at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim.
I’ll be presenting at 12PM on The Art of the Business Lunch and at 2:45PM on How to Speak & Write Like a Pro. Great information for ANYONE in ANY BUSINESS! Andy Ebon, the Wedding Marketing Authority, gave me a copy of Garr Reynold’s book, PRESENTATION ZEN, and walked me thru one of his own PPTs about a year ago. If your PPTs are filled with text and bullet points, then click over to Amazon immediately and order a copy of Garr’s book. BANISH BULLET POINTS 4Ever!
Discover the secrets of a Business Lunch done right!
And – if you are in the LA/Orange County area, please stop by the Disneyland Hotel tomorrow to see my presentations. They will TRANSFORM the way you build business relationships, you will discover what can be accomplished with a GREAT CLIENT LUNCH -and how it differs from the old “Power Lunch” of the ’60′s and ’70′s, AND you’ll discover how this motivational speaker walks the talk! Hope to see you there!
Power Lunch at the Louvre Sounds Great, Doesn't It?
Imagine you are on a business trip to Paris, France. (Sorry – but living in Las Vegas, I feel the need to specify that I mean the actual city in France- not the Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip!)
Your client suggests you meet at the sensational, historic Louvre Museum for lunch. You think, “A business lunch at the Louvre? Well…THAT certainly doesn’t happen every day in California!” (or Ohio, NYC, Kentucky, or wherever you call home!) You start to dream of rich pate, steak with butter, des frittes! YUM!
The Louvre Museum
You dress accordingly for such a client lunch – your BEST business suit! You rendezvous with your client just outside the museum and enter the Carrousel du Louvre – the underground entrance to the museum. You walk together toward the newest restaurant at the Louvre. As you see the restaurant, you stop dead in your tracks. Disbelief washes over your face as you gaze upon the restaurant your animated client is so eager to share with you: a McDonald’s restaurant and McCafe. You hope you will wake up soon, but – alas – you are not dreaming.
In a city known for its haute cuisine and fine art, it is understandable that many French citizens are in an uproar over the opening of the 1,142nd McDonald’s to open in France. For the fast food chain, however, it’s quite a coup to be able to celebrate their 30th anniversary by opening next to the world’s most visited museum. So much for culture!
As the “Queen of the Business Lunch,” my clients often expected me to take them to the newest hot spots in town for our business lunches. I think if I lived in France, I’d have to let this opening pass.