Most of us are familiar with general etiquette and manners in our daily lives, doing things like holding the door for someone walking behind us or offering a seat to an elderly person on a bus. Well there are etiquette rules that also apply in business settings. It doesn’t matter if you’re an entrepreneur or employee. Knowing proper business etiquette can greatly help you establish and strengthen professional relationships. It’s been said that a lot of important business deals aren’t made in an office but rather in a more social setting such as a restaurant or sporting event.

Here are a few good rules to adhere to:

• Always dress according to the setting. One time I went to a business lunch with a V.P. and one of the managing partners of my company as well as a market manager for a company we work with and because I was used to not having to wear a jacket in the office I kind of wore one when I was in the mood. This particular day I didn’t feel like bringing one. As we were leaving to go meet the market manager the V.P. asked where my jacket was? In that moment I felt like time froze and I could have crawled under a rock. Needless to say I never ever left my jacket home for those lunches after that.

• A firm handshake is a must. You don’t have to try to break the other person’s hand but a firm handshake goes a long way. It oozes confidence and professionalism. It doesn’t matter if it’s your first time meeting them or if it’s a colleague you see regularly, weak handshakes just don’t cut it.

The link below has a longer list with excellent tips for making sure you’re on top of your business etiquette game.

15 Business Etiquette Rules Every Professional Needs To Know

What business etiquette business rules do have that you live by?