Sharing meals with clients is a powerful tool for your business. It’s more than just a tasty experience you can deduct from your taxable income – sharing meals with others can help to build strong connections, establish trust, and lay the groundwork for a long-term professional relationship.
In this article, you’ll learn how shared meals can help you secure strong business partnerships.
Food tastes better in the presence of company
While there’s no doubt you can enjoy a good meal by yourself, food tends to taste better in the company of others. When people enjoy food together, it elevates their mood and makes them feel more connected to each other. This isn’t just something that happens with your friends and family – it’s completely applicable to business relationships.
When you break bread with potential or existing clients, you’re creating the foundation for an emotional bonding experience. And it doesn’t matter if you host the meal in your house, get takeout, or cook in your backyard. Any good meal can be highly influential. However, there are additional benefits to eating outdoors with your clients. For instance, the fresh air and view of nature, even if it’s just a few trees, can be a big mood booster. Many people say food tastes better outside, which makes hosting meals with clients in your backyard a double win.
Sharing meals dissolves stress
Clients are easier to close when they aren’t stressed. Nothing can reduce or eliminate stress like a good meal. According to one survey, 91% of respondents said their family members were less stressed when they shared meals together. The same benefit of stress reduction applies to business connections.
Meals foster trust
People tend to be vulnerable and open during a meal, which is the foundation of generating trust. You don’t have to bring up hot topics to debate your clients, like religion or politics, but you can go pretty deep with them on issues you agree on, and make them feel heard. Instead of countering their points, listen to what they have to say and see things from their perspective. When your clients know you’re not going to rip their head off in an argument over disagreements, that will absolutely strengthen their trust.
Trust goes both ways, too. Sharing meals with your clients will grow your trust in them as well. Just knowing your clients are willing to take time out of their day to show up and spend time with you is huge.
Shared meals can strengthen existing partnerships
When you take existing clients out to eat, it’s an opportunity to strengthen your existing bond. If you know they enjoy a certain type of food, you can take them to their favorite restaurant or ask them if they have a preference.
Not every shared meal with a client needs to be focused on business. While it is nice to discuss business during some meals, especially for tax purposes, casual dining is also beneficial. It’s a great way to get to know your clients and depending on your industry, it can reveal more ways to be of service to them.
Shared meals drop pressure
When you’re taking clients out to eat in order to discuss business or close a meal, having food on the table will put them at ease and remove the pressure. They’ll feel more comfortable and may even feel like it’s a sign of your commitment to doing business with them.
Your clients will feel appreciated
While there’s nothing wrong with taking clients out to eat for business purposes, there’s also a benefit to sharing meals for personal reasons. Part of developing relationships with clients involves getting to know them personally. This is a crucial part of growing an account and managing it effectively. When you aim to build interpersonal relationships with your clients, you make them feel appreciated and it allows them to momentarily drop their guard and be human with you.
Most of your clients will want to know they’re not just a source of income for you because that usually means cutting corners and potential manipulation. The more authentic you are with your clients, the stronger your relationship will become.
Start sharing meals with your clients
Shared meals provide an opportunity to build trust, foster authenticity, and strengthen business partnerships. By incorporating meals into your client interactions and deals, you can start to build more meaningful connections and lasting client relationships.
