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I am a Managing Director of a large British based marketing Firm. Every week I interview people or read CVs or look at presentations from people trying to sell me their services. I know what it takes to get noticed, I know what it takes to look professional, and I know what it takes to get the job. Here I am going to give all you interviewees a few tips on how to land that job or get that contract.

The first thing I am going to tell you is that within 20 seconds of you waking into my office I will know whether or not you will walk out of it with what you want. How do I come to that decision? Presentation.

The obvious things first – wear a suit, wear good shoes, run a comb through your hair – present a positive image of yourself; straight back, firm hand shake and we are off to a good start.

The next phase of observation that you will undergo is your ‘peripherals’ – briefcase, laptop bag, maybe your car, your presentation folder or laptop, your business card, perhaps a customised clipboard. Individually these items are insignificant, like one of Monet’s Water Lilies; collectively they can paint a beautiful picture.

Think for a second. If you work for a company, or indeed own one, where is your logo? On a plastic badge? Take it off; I want to see professionalism – letterheads, presentation folders, business cards, custom folders – all things you can brand. The first 20 seconds are all about projecting your image.

It is infuriating for me when someone comes into my office and hasn’t taken the time to prepare themselves properly. It is the realm of the interview process that the interviewee has complete control over and it is one of the most important aspects of the interview, if you want to succeed – do not over-look it.

Conclusion

For those of you that are willing to go the extra mile – you will be rewarded, project yourself and your business as a positive, well organised machine and you will walk out of my office smiling. Don’t and you probably won’t.

In most tea services today, a tea box or menu is used for presenting tea, but the consumer’s tea selection is often made by name recognition only. With the wide range of whole-leaf teas available today, the Tea Butler Presentation Chest makes it possible for individuals to examine and select teas based on color, texture, and aroma. The hardwood chests are simple, yet elegant, and the presentation process dignifies the traditions of the tea ceremony that have evolved throughout history.

Tea Butler Presentation Chest: The Tea Butler presentation chest is made of beautiful hardwood and has a series of see-through sparkling clear octagonal acrylic tea jars. Each chest contains one set of loose-leaf tea selections. The chest has an attractive velour faced foam insert with octagonal cutouts that hold the tea jars, while allowing them to be easily removed for closer viewing. This allows the patron or guest to easily open the tea jar to examine the tea’s texture, color, make-up, and scent.

A tea plaque, located in the tea chest cover, has a detailed description of each tea, and each block is aligned with its corresponding tea jar. The teas are organized by tea type to simplify the presentation. For example, herbal caffeine-free teas are located on the left, black and flavored black teas are in the middle, and green and flavored green teas are located on the right. The plaque can easily be customized for each tea blend selection and can include individual or organization names and/or logos.

Tea Butler Presentation Process: In a restaurant table service, for example, the server brings the Tea Butler to the table, describes how the teas are organized on the tea plaque, and then goes about other tasks while the patron takes a few minutes to read the descriptions, examine the teas, and make their choice. There is no need for extensive training about the individual teas.

Tea Butler Benefits: The Tea Butler offers patrons an opportunity to explore new teas and make an informed decision about their tea selection. Past experience has shown that patrons like it because it is interesting and informative, and adds a pleasurable dimension to their dining experience. Servers like it because it’s simple to use and their patrons enjoy it. Restaurant owners like it because the Tea Butler can be brought to the table with the dessert menu, thus encouraging patrons to have dessert, after dinner beverages, or both. The added benefit for owners is that their sales
generally double or triple in a product where gross margins are high.

Tea Butler Series Presentation Chests and Trays: The Tea Butler chests and trays come in a variety of sizes in either maple or cherry. The beautiful hardwood products are stained mahogany and varnished to produce an attractive display product. The presentation chests are available in 6 or 8 count maple; and 9 or 12 count cherry. The presentation tray is available in 6 or 8 count maple. There are 12 standard plaques and tea sets for the maple and cherry chests, and 3 standard plaques and tea sets for the tea trays. Custom plaques and tea sets versions can be implemented. Each of these products can be viewed with graphic detail on our website.

Specialty Teas and the Silken Tea Sachet: As interest in tea has grown, consumers are looking for even more variety. Specialty teas are now the most interesting and fastest growing sector of tea, and its growth is poised to continue over the next decade, according to the Tea Association of the USA. A fitting definition of specialty tea is tea that has been specially cared for in ways that allow the teas to achieve their highest level of quality. This care starts with the planting, cultivating, and careful timing of when and how the tea is harvested, processed, packaged, and shipped. This produces teas which are wonderful to taste, have great sensory appeal, are interesting to the eye, and are soothing and relaxing to drink. This tea deserves a presentation that is as carefully prepared as the tea it presents.

In the presence of such fine specialty teas, it became apparent that the ordinary tea bag, because of its limited space for steeping, would not allow the full-leaf tea to brew to its full potential. To meet this need, tea vendors began looking for alternative ways to package these full-leaf teas that would be easy to use and attractive to consumers. Harney & Sons, one of the finest tea companies in the world, offers a broad range of silken tea sachets that contains a generous amount of pre-portioned loose leaf tea that provides a full two-cup teapot with a single sachet, taking the guesswork out of brewing a wonderful pot of tea. The Tea Butler has partnered with Harney & Sons to offer their fine teas to restaurants, resorts, and hotels, as well as for retail customers at its online store.

Tea Butler Trays in Coffee Shops and Retail Locations: Traditionally, coffee shops have had a captive audience, with little interest in serving any but the most basic teas. In recent years, however, there has been a growing demand for healthier beverages and the interest in tea, especially high-end specialty teas, has caught the interest of well known coffee chains such as the West Coast chain, formerly known as the Coffee Bean, now renamed the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

Coffee shops of all sizes have a common problem: lack of display counter space. The Tea Butler tray was designed specifically to meet this need. The trays are made of hardwood maple, and are stained mahogany and varnished. They are longer and narrower than the tea chests, containing one row of 8 sparkling clear octagonal acrylic tea jars and are uncovered. The tea description plaque is placed on a beveled surface on the tray, in front of the tea jars, with each tea description aligned with its tea sample. The trays are attractive, draw attention, and encourage patrons to order specialty teas. Some shops are also selling Harney & Sons colorful retail 20-count tea sachet tins as well. A stepped 8-tin rack fits nicely behind the tray, encouraging patrons to purchase their favorite teas.

Conclusion: The presentation of tea doesn’t need to be a blind, uninteresting process. With Tea Butlers, it can be simple, yet elegant and informative, where both the presenter and their guests can enjoy the process!

Negotiating skills are crucial to dealing with every-day situations, both at work and at home. When I first became active in creative real estate, I realized my negotiating skill set was very weak and needed immediate improvement. As any seasoned, real estate professional will tell you, honing your negotiation skills is like giving yourself an immediate raise. And learning to listen effectively is one of the most important skills you can master.

Clearly the skills involved in negotiation and effective listening are close cousins. Both are vital for a successful career. Henry Kissinger, one of the United States most respected negotiators, commented that listening is the key to success at the bargaining table.

In negotiations, we often concentrate on positions rather than interests. The result is an outcome that does not extract the greatest possible value out of the process. Moreover, you may inadvertently damage an important relationship. Effective negotiation dramatically affects the perceived value of the goods or services we are buying or selling. When you’re selling, it raises the perceived value of your product or service. When buying, it can lower the perceived value. Whether buying or selling, the style of negotiation is of prime importance.

Every negotiation involves an element of conflict: Two sides must face-off before any negotiation can begin. When a high degree of concern is expressed for the substance of the negotiation and a low degree of concern is expressed for the relationship of the parties, a defeatist behaviour pattern is produced. This is characterized by pressure, intimidation, adversarial relationships and an attempt to get as much as possible as soon as possible.

Avoiding defeatist attitudes at the negotiating table is simply a matter of a little planning. Find something in the deal that is not important to you but is important for your counterpart. When things are getting sticky and about to spiral out of control, concede the unimportant element to your counterpart. Often times, this is enough to clinch the deal in your favor. It will, at least, allow you to proceed in a more constructive manner.

And while your planning, ensure you have an exit strategy. If everything goes against you, you will be saved by this little bit of contingency planning.

Improving your communication skills means not just becoming a better listener, but learning to listen to what is not being said. It is said that 90% of communication is non-verbal. If you’ve nothing to say, stay silent. Learn to emphasize or reinforce what you are saying through your body language and demeanor. Carefully watch your conterpart’s body language to gauge what they are really thinking.

As always, practice makes perfect so set some time aside with your colleagues to work through some negotiating games and training. Your negotiating skills will improve quickly if you practice when you’re not under the gun.

Last but not least, the better your negotiating skill set, the easier and more enjoyable your relationships will be. You will find that it’s easier to agree and, more importantly, to disagree with each other. Ultimately, you’ll be far better prepared to negotiate the curves that life throws your way.