Business breakfasts - meetings. Business breakfast. Who and for what? Business breakfasts

Alena Vladimirskaya, founder of Pruffi headhunting agency, Anna Artamonova, vice president of Mail.Ru Group, and other top managers Russian companies told about Moscow cafes where they usually hold business breakfasts. It turned out to be an impressive and useful list.

Photo: frame from the film "The Wolf of Wall Street"

coffeemania

Almost all of the entrepreneurs we interviewed named these coffee houses as the first thing to do for business breakfasts. headhunting agency founder Pruffy Alena Vladimirskaya speaks in favor of this institution because of the fast Wi-Fi. Winning The Hearts Group senior partner Mikhail Voronin loves Coffeemania for its proximity to home and delicious ginger tea. Evgenia Lampadova, CEO of the Lampa communication agency, notes the convenient location of the cafe on Belorusskaya Street and guaranteed delicious cheesecakes.

Morning at Coffeemania on Belorusskaya starts at 4:00 and lasts until noon. You can order, for example, an omelette or scrambled eggs for 350 rubles, oatmeal - 390 rubles, cappuccino 330/450 rubles (prices are indicated on the website in an institution on Belorusskaya). In general, the average check in a coffee shop, according to Afisha, is 1500-2500 rubles.

Correa's

Owner of SPRQL Communications Agency Ilya Fabrichnikov, listing all the advantages of Coffeemania, notes that they also apply to Correa’s restaurants: there are quite a lot of them, there is almost always the opportunity to sit down, it is quiet enough, it is convenient to make appointments, it is convenient to park.

Breakfast in the restaurant is served from 8:00. In general, the average check in the institution, according to Afisha, is 700-1500 rubles.

Cook "kareku

“There is a huge selection of breakfasts from different countries available during the day. When I came with colleagues, then I had breakfast,” says Evgenia Lampadova.

The institution really has such a concept - breakfast around the clock. Breakfast around the world for 460 rubles. 30% discount on breakfast during breakfast. For example, from 01:00 to 03:00, you can try the Magadan breakfast at a discount - stewed cod with potato cream and an egg ball. There is a breakfast menu at Tiffany's: croissant, coffee, diamonds. Cappuccino costs 220 rubles.

chocolate girl

These coffee houses are recommended by Alena Vladimirskaya. “I understand that everyone, after reading this, will grimacing and saying fi. No, not fi. I'll explain why. The main advantage of "Shokoladnitsa" is that it is round-the-clock. You don't worry if you get into it if you have a business breakfast at six or seven in the morning. This is the first. Second, there is the Internet. Thirdly, there are many of them, they are practically everywhere in the center and key areas of the city,” explains Vladimirskaya.

Breakfast in 24-hour coffee shops is served from 6:00 to 11:00 (or from the moment the coffee shop opens, if it is not open 24 hours). It includes at least one drink and one meal. For example, you can order an omelet with cheese, tomatoes and bacon for 180 rubles, freshly brewed coffee for 50 rubles, freshly squeezed juice for 79 rubles. However, it should be noted that this is a special offer, according to which there may be nuances that should be clarified already with the waiter in a particular coffee shop. In general, according to Afisha, the average check is 700-1500 rubles.

Doctor Zhivago

The restaurant is open 24 hours, breakfast is served from 6:00. The menu is really impressive: 14 types of cereals, two dozen egg dishes. Buckwheat porridge with milk - 150 rubles, with porcini mushrooms - 590 rubles, oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts - 180 rubles. Poached egg with stewed spinach and red caviar - 440 rubles. Cappuccino - 280 rubles.

Daily bread

Alena Vladimirskaya admits that she generally loves chain establishments - there are understandable guaranteed breakfasts. Among her favorites, she also calls "Daily Bread". “The only thing that confuses me there is the way the coffee is served: it is served in soup cups. But in principle, the institution is good and convenient for business breakfasts,” she said.

Breakfast at Khleb is served from 7:00 to 12:00 on weekdays and all day on weekends. Average check- 700-1500 rubles.

Photo: Daily Bread

babeta

“When you feed your partners after breakfast with local marshmallows, any work issue will be resolved in your favor automatically, because this dessert is so delicious that after tasting it, it will be absolutely impossible to say no,” says Evgenia Lampadova.

Breakfast is 50% off from 9 am to noon. So, Babetta omelette with mixed salad, freshly baked bread and butter in the morning will cost only 124.5 rubles instead of the usual 249, cheesecakes - 150 instead of 300, cocoa - 125 rubles. The average check in a cafe is 1000 rubles.

Photo: Babetta

Restaurants at Patriarch's

Friends Forever, Uilliam's, Receptor. “I love the Patriarchs very much. There is some kind of completely magical and subtle spirit of old Bulgakov’s Moscow,” says CEO travel agency MAYEL Travel Maya Kotlyar. - This is the place where my first dates with my husband happened. These cafes have a special atmosphere of comfort due to the location, surroundings, people, cuisine and service. Williams, for example, serves excellent omelettes. Conversations with partners are held in a cozy atmosphere on a positive note.” Evgenia Lampadova recommends Friends Forever at the Patriarchs if you and your partners need to discuss something without random witnesses: “The chance of meeting work colleagues here on weekday mornings is minimized.”

Other

“Interviews can be held in a coffee shop or pastry shop, where the order is made at the checkout: for example, Starbucks or Upside Down Cake – there will be no awkward moment with who has to pay for coffee,” says Victoria Virta, founder and teacher of the VIRTA Internet Reserve Academy. For longer communication, she chooses the Vienna Delicatessen Bar on Bolshaya Gruzinskaya. “Very rarely I agree to meetings in cafes and restaurants where I have not been before. Therefore, when the issue of choosing a place "hangs" because of the area, Chaihona N1 turns out to be a normal solution, - says Virta, admitting that free parking is captivating. “By the way, it is for me that the choice of an institution for a meeting is often decided in favor of where you can park normally – I think I am unoriginal in this,” she notes.

Vice President Anna Artamonova prefers to meet in the office, but if this is not possible for some reason, she tries to choose places where she can get as quickly as possible. “Therefore, I love the beginning of Tverskaya - already the center, but it takes 5 minutes to drive from the office in a straight line (the head office of Mail.ru Group is located on Leningradsky Prospekt near the Aeroport metro station - ed.). For me, it is important that the institution can park, there are always free places (therefore, fashionable institutions and "new season" are not suitable), so that the music does not yell and there is enough light - there is no need for intimacy in business negotiations. It is also desirable that the tables stand far from each other so that you can comfortably talk without shouting over your neighbors and without sharing corporate secrets with them. Calling specific establishments is a thankless task, there are a million of them, when there is no time to think, for example, I meet at Mi Piace at the beginning of Tverskaya. It has long gone out of fashion, and there are places even on Friday evenings,” says the top manager.

A business breakfast is a great start to the day in the company of business people. Here you can not only learn a lot of useful information about how to effectively develop a business, what services and tools are best to use, but also get personal advice on developing your business. Experts from leading industries are invited to the event, who will always give invaluable advice and talk about new useful services for business.

How is the business breakfast from Business Family?

• Only registered participants can take part in the event
• Before the start of the event, each participant undergoes additional registration at the entrance to the hostess
• During the allotted time, the expert shares useful information on business development with the audience
• Participants ask questions

Become a business breakfast site from Business Family

If you want to become a member of the Business Family breakfast, please register for the next event and wait for registration confirmation by mail or phone.

Business breakfasts and lunches have become a popular form of communication in business circles. They allow partners to quickly resolve pressing issues even with a busy work schedule. You can organize and hold such a meeting by analogy with an official reception, taking into account the rules of business protocol and etiquette. However, a business lunch and a business breakfast have their own characteristics.

Business breakfasts and business lunches, unlike official receptions, are held in a freer, informal atmosphere. These types of business meetings are rarely designed for a large number of participants, so each of them has a chance to prove themselves. By actively participating in the conversation, partners can demonstrate not only professional knowledge, but also personal qualities: respect and disposition towards the interlocutor, openness and hospitality.

A business breakfast is arranged at the beginning of the working day. For many people, this is the time of greatest activity and uplift. In the morning, with a fresh mind, it is easier to assimilate new information, analyze data, and make calculations. But if business partners are not satisfied with the early hours, then you can arrange a business lunch with them.

Business lunch (second breakfast) starts in the afternoon and lasts one and a half to two hours. The main part of the meeting is occupied by the discussion of business issues, and the rest of the time is small talk.

Before the start of discussions at events of this kind, breakfast or lunch is provided directly. Therefore, the meeting can be organized in a cafe, restaurant, private club. Informal environment, different from the office, professional service and delicious food will help create the right atmosphere and win the favor of business partners.

HOW TO CHOOSE A RESTAURANT

The choice of a restaurant is the responsibility of the inviting party. At the meeting place, the business partner will judge how they treat him, how much they value cooperation with the company he represents.

When choosing the right place for a business breakfast or lunch, consider the following factors:

• The reputation of the restaurant. She must be flawless. This is an indicator of the status of the host of the meeting and a tribute to the guest.
• Service level. First-class service increases the chances of a successful outcome of negotiations. Therefore, it is better to visit several restaurants in advance and evaluate how the waiters:

Meet and escort guests;

Navigate the menu;

Receive and issue orders;

Serve a table;

Clean up the dishes;

Respond to customer requests;

Guests are counted.

• Variety of dishes on the menu. Find out what kind of cuisine the business partner prefers and make sure that the chosen restaurant meets his needs. Perhaps he does not eat meat, cannot stand spicy food, or loves seafood.

You should not choose places with an exotic menu - this is always a certain risk. Give preference to variety and freshness. Examples of a business breakfast and business lunch menu are given in Appendix 1.

• Price category: economy, business, prestige. Basically, restaurants of these categories differ in decor, service and menu.

Each business-class restaurant has a special menu, that is, dishes that guests can taste only in this institution.

In club restaurants, the presence of rare collection wine in the wine list is mandatory; dishes in such establishments are prepared taking into account all the whims of customers.

• Recommendations from friends and acquaintances. The best option for business meeting for breakfast or lunch - a proven restaurant with reasonable prices, attentive staff and privileges for regular visitors.
• Possibility of booking tables. To avoid unpleasant surprises, book a table at several establishments at once, or better, take care of a permanent personalized reservation at least in one of them.

If we talk about the location of the table, it is more convenient for it to stand in the back of the hall, near the wall or in a quiet corner so that you do not have to constantly be distracted by waiters and other visitors.

The distance between the tables should be as large as possible so that you do not have to talk in a whisper when discussing confidential information.

When booking, consider placing a laptop, tablet, or display materials needed for the meeting. If there are many, you can book one or two extra seats.

• The location of the establishment. Make sure that it is convenient for the guest to get to him. If the partner offers his own breakfast or lunch favorite place, go towards him.
• Payment Methods. Payment for the order is the responsibility of the host of the meeting. Make sure that the selected restaurant can pay bank card- this method allows you to give the payment procedure as little importance as possible. It remains only to add a tip, sign and take a copy of the check.

Important

Make a list of restaurants that you think are suitable for a business lunch or business breakfast. Make acquaintances among the managers and hostesses of these restaurants. Keep in constant contact with them - their advice will help you make a choice.

HOW TO USE THE INSTRUMENTS: AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN TABLE ETIQUETS

The better the host of the meeting knows the rules of etiquette, the higher his chances of making a favorable impression on the guest. Many of these rules have been known to us since childhood - do not put your elbows on the table, do not wave your arms, do not slurp, keep a knife in your right hand and a fork in your left, etc.

In modern table etiquette, other skills in the use of cutlery are also important, which not only characterize the person sitting at the table, but also serve as special signals for waiters.

By general rule, it is necessary to use knives, forks, spoons starting from the devices farthest from the plate. Having lifted them from the tablecloth or napkin, never put the cutlery back on the table - they must remain on the plate (Fig. 1).

Lastly, take the cutlery for sweet dishes (fork - for cake, pie, fresh fruit; spoon - for creamy desserts) - they lie behind the main plate. If these devices are not on the table, then they will be brought along with dessert. If you refuse one of the dishes, the waiter will remove the extra cutlery.

In addition to these rules, there are a number of nuances according to which American and European table etiquette are distinguished.

American dining etiquette

In American table etiquette:

The fork is used both in combination with a knife and separately. In this case, the knife only cuts off pieces of food.

While eating, the knife is held in the right hand, and the fork in the left, with the teeth down, holding the desired piece. Having cut off a part from it, the knife is placed on the side on the edge of the plate, and its blade is directed inward, towards its center. Then they shift the fork with a piece of food already chopped on it to the right hand.

When eating vegetable dishes, the fork is held in the right hand, prongs up. The knife should be on the edge of the plate, its blade is directed inward, towards its center. The left hand at this time remains on the knees.

During a break in eating, the knife and fork remain on the plate (Fig. 2). In American etiquette, the prongs of the fork are directed upwards, and the blade of the knife is directed inside the plate, towards its middle, as in European etiquette. This position of the cutlery means to the waiter that the meal is not finished.

After the end of the meal, put the fork and knife together, parallel to each other, at a slight angle, as if you want to connect the numbers 4 and 10 on the clock dial with one line (Fig. 3).

European dining etiquette

European etiquette has its own characteristics:

The fork is never used separately from the knife. In this case, the knife always remains in the right hand, and the fork - in the left. It is not necessary to shift the fork from one hand to the other.

The spoon is held in the right hand and the fork in the left.

The fork tines always point down. The fork is never turned upside down, even when eating a side dish consisting of small pieces.

During a break in eating, the knife and fork remain on the plate (Fig. 4). In this case, the fork is on top of the knife, with the teeth down, and the knife blade is directed to the left, inside the plate, towards its middle.

After finishing the meal, place the fork and knife on the plate together, parallel to each other, at an angle, as in American table etiquette. The only difference is that the tines of the fork are directed downwards (Fig. 5).

Both American and European styles of eating suggest that the knife is held with a relaxed hand, without clenching the hand into a fist, and the cutlery is controlled with the thumb and forefinger.

Restaurant interview

Employers often invite applicants for top corporate positions to restaurant interviews and deliberately order elaborate meals to assess a potential employee's behavior in an extreme situation. Let's say he can be offered frog legs. How do you eat them - with your hands or with a fork? Such a situation helps to get to know the candidate better, to see how he negotiates at the dinner table, to check whether he knows the rules of business and dining etiquette. At the same time, “unexpected surprises” are prepared for a potential employee in advance: for example, a steak can be completely inedible, a dessert instead of a sweet “accidentally” turns out to be sour. The employer is interested in the candidate's reaction to everything that happens: will he complain or remain calm, will he be polite or arrogant, will he ask to replace the dish, or will he finish eating as if nothing had happened. If you find yourself in a similar situation, behave politely and kindly, be delicate and diplomatic, and also remember the basic rules of etiquette (see Appendix 2).

How to have a conversation

Before the meeting, be sure to disable mobile phone. There are not so many calls that cannot be rescheduled for an hour or an hour and a half. In an extreme case, such as when it comes to the health of loved ones, apologize to your partner and ask if he would mind you answering the phone. After receiving his consent, try to answer as briefly as possible.

Start discussing specific business issues after the main course or at the very end of the meeting, over a cup of coffee. If you want to start a business conversation earlier, find out how the guest will react to this.

During the discussion, avoid controversial topics that can cause controversy and ruin relationships.

Do not talk at the table about your illnesses.

Do not turn your back on one of the guests if you intend to talk to a neighbor.

If the topic of conversation is exhausted, before parting, thank the interlocutor for a productive meeting. For example: “It was nice to meet you! I look forward to further cooperation!”

How to order food and drinks

Hold the menu so that it does not block you from the rest of the people at the table.

Order the same number of dishes as the guest. This will prevent a situation where one is eating and the other is sitting and watching.

If your partner finds it difficult to choose something, recommend him a few dishes to your taste. For example: "The baked shrimp and spinach soup are especially good at this restaurant." This will allow the guest to understand the limits of your hospitality and determine the amount you expect to spend.

If you want to know how much money the person who invited you is counting on, start with the phrase: “Have you ever dined here before? What would you recommend to choose? Take the advice of a guest or order something close in price.

Do not order dishes that are difficult to eat: spaghetti, oysters, artichokes.

When you have decided on the dishes, close the menu and put it aside. For the waiter, this is a signal that you are ready to order.

How to deal with awkwardness

If you spill a drink, blot the spilled liquid with a napkin and ask the waiter to bring you more napkins and a new glass of drink. Apologize once and don't go back to what happened.

If you crumble while eating French bread, don't do anything. In good restaurants, the waiter removes the crumbs before dessert.

If something falls on the floor (appliance, napkin), do not return it to the table. Ask the waiter to replace this item.

Do not focus on what is happening, and people will be lenient towards you.

How to use a napkin

Do not rush to lay out the napkin until you have decided on the choice of dishes.

If your napkin has a serving ring, remove it before you start eating and put it in the upper left corner where the cutlery is.

Place the napkin exclusively on your knees, with the fold towards you. Do not tuck it into the collar or attempt to fasten it to your belt.

Do not wipe your entire face with a tissue. It can wet your fingers or mouth.

Do not use a tissue as a handkerchief. If you sneeze at the table, cover your mouth with your hand or paper tissue.

To leave the table while eating, shift the napkin from your lap to a chair. This will tell the waiter that you will be back.

If you've finished eating and are about to leave, place your napkin to the left of your plate. There is no need to fold it.

How to handle bread

Offer bread to your guests first.

Pass the bread basket around right side and take it last when the basket returns to you.

Take bread only with your hand - not with a fork.

If the plate contains a loaf covered with a napkin, break off a piece for yourself, holding the rest with a napkin so as not to touch it with your hands.

Don't butter the whole piece of bread or roll at once. Break off a small slice, spread on it, then eat immediately. Repeat this step as needed.

Do not take oil from a common oiler. First, put some butter on your bread plate (located to the left of the main plate) with a knife.

Do not dip bread in sauce or gravy.

Take a small sandwich with your hand, holding it with a napkin. And a large one, with several layers, put it on a plate and eat with the help of cutlery.

How to eat, pass dishes and utensils

Do not refuse an unloved or unfamiliar dish. Try at least a piece so as not to offend the host of the meeting.

Don't comment on the food served.

Do not bend over the plate, stay as straight as possible.

Follow the pace of the guest's meal, try to use the "mirror effect".

Pass the dishes to the right side.

Do not move plates of food around the table and do not place one plate on top of another.

When taking out something on the table, do not reach over someone else's plate.

Pass the salt shaker along with the pepper shaker, even if you've been asked for just one.

Do not ask a neighbor to serve something if there is a service person nearby.

Don't eat with a knife.

Never bring a knife to your mouth.

Don't put food on your fork with a knife.

Don't eat with a spoon what you can eat with a fork.

Do not put a teaspoon in a glass or cup. After stirring sugar in tea or coffee, put it on a saucer.

Do not use a toothpick at the table, in extreme cases, do it discreetly.

(The menus of a business breakfast and a business lunch in the restaurant at the National Hotel in Moscow are given as examples).

Business breakfast is usually held from 12:00 to 15:00. Organizers should pay attention to many nuances and details. The first is the place where it will take place. During this reception, both everyday negotiations and fairly serious agreements can be held, so it is important to choose the right restaurant and table. Now many people order a separate office or a VIP room so that there are no distractions. What is the duration of a business breakfast? As a rule, such a meeting lasts no more than an hour and a half - this is a classic timing.

Dress code

Menu

A business breakfast implies a certain menu, but this business lunch should not be confused with set lunch- they have nothing in common!

A business breakfast always starts with an aperitif. Whether it will be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, the organizer of the reception decides, however, it is better to refrain from taking alcoholic drinks at the very beginning of the meeting. Business requires a clear presentation of thoughts, and in the morning, not everyone is ready to drink even light alcohol. This is one of the reasons to think about whether to order alcohol as an aperitif and offer it to guests. The second reason is the misunderstanding that may arise on the part of partners, because many have a negative attitude towards the use of alcohol, especially during a business meeting, and even in the morning.

There are exceptions: if you already know that for this person wine is an obligatory addition to the meal, as is the case with many residents of the countries of neighboring Europe, then such an aperitif may be appropriate. But if you are not very sure, then it is not worth the risk.

Serving meals

Serving dishes must be one-time. This moment is very important! It is psychological in nature: not all people like to have serious conversations at the moment when they eat, since the process of eating food is deeply intimate for many. In addition, many psychologists argue that people tend to "jam" information, so here you need to be especially careful and diplomatic. Even if you and your guests have ordered dishes that are being prepared different time, they must be served at the same time - warn the waiter about this in advance. Serious matters should not be discussed at the time of eating. It is better to talk about it at the beginning of the meeting, in the intervals between serving dishes, or at the end of the meal.

The initiative is in the hands of the owner

The inviting party bears full responsibility for what is happening, from meeting guests and seating them at the table and ending with the selection and ordering of dishes. That is, the organizer is both the owner and the intermediary between waiters and guests. As for financial issues, here the burden also lies on the host side. If there was no other agreement, then, according to the rules of business etiquette, the one who invites pays. That is why it is so important to choose the right place not only in terms of comfort, but also budget planning. A person can choose everything that is presented on the menu, ranging from expensive wines to no less expensive dishes. To avoid embarrassing situations, all these points should be thought out in advance.

According to the rules, tea and coffee is the end of a business breakfast. Of course, one can often observe that people first order tea and coffee for themselves, and then the main dishes, but if we talk about a classic business lunch, then hot drinks are final stage business breakfast.

And finally, a question that cannot be ignored: should a man look after a woman during a business breakfast?

Yes, if the man is the initiator of the meeting. In all other options, there is no gender difference, so people communicate at the level of equivalent business partnerships. Of course, a man can offer his help to a lady, but he must know what views his female business partner has, as sometimes gallantry and excessive courtesy can be misinterpreted.

Still, our country is paradoxical - a direct translation of a foreign term may not be an “interlinear”, but carry a completely different meaning. A business lunch, for example, can be easily ordered in almost every cafe. On the contrary, a “Business Breakfast” (or lunch) is an event on the verge of PR, presentation and diplomacy. On the eve of the next breakfast, organized by us together with the culinary studio of Ilya Lazerson, the correspondent personally tasted all the nuances of this process and now he knows how to start the morning…

How is it in Russian?
In fact, English-speakers, as you know, call breakfast itself brekfast, and lunch is already a second breakfast or almost lunch, which confirms the presence of first courses on the menu. And in our St. Petersburg cafes it can be ordered from 11 am to 4-5 pm. As experts in cuisine and etiquette note, Lunch is a meeting in a cafe or a small restaurant on neutral territory and either just a snack with partners or colleagues, or communication with elements of negotiations.

“Business breakfast”, starting no later than 9-10 am, carries a completely different burden. Here, the informal atmosphere serves as a backdrop for introducing guests (that is, potential business partners or clients). - The party organizing such a meeting can choose one of two scenarios - to hold it among equal participants or by inviting subject matter experts - explains to us Olga Frolova, General Director of the Lyona training company.
It all depends on the purpose of the event and the positioning of the company in the market, our interlocutor clarifies.

I agree with her Yulia Pogodina (CEO of the So-Communication agency), according to which one of the mistakes of holding business meals was repeated by many back in the 90s. To show financial opportunities firms, its owners could arrange such an event in inappropriate, overly pompous cafes and restaurants. This, among other things, distracts the invitee from the purpose of the visit (even the dishes on the menu should correspond to it - but more on that later).

Mastery Secrets
- Usually such a meeting is scheduled if the company has something to say. And this is quite effective - out of 10-12 guests, one or two, as a rule, become permanent partners, Yulia states.
The secret of success, in her opinion, is to offer guests something that they will really be interested in and, as they say, “affordable”.
- It is clear that by inviting an expert as a special guest and agreeing with him to cover a certain topic, you automatically raise the cost of the breakfast itself, explains Olga Frolova. Those invited, of course, will appreciate it only by eye and taste - as a rule, they do not pay for participating in breakfast. But in case of success, they unwittingly turn on word of mouth, which should pay off many times over.

One way or another, the business breakfast menu is based on one simple principle.
- The main thing is that the process of eating food does not distract people from business conversation. For example, eggs cooked without a shell, otherwise, in the process of cleaning it, there may be some unpleasant incidents. You can add elements of a “continental breakfast” to this - croissants and jam - shares his experience Ilya Lazerson, President of the Guild of Chefs of St. Petersburg.

As for etiquette and in particular the dress code, there are no very strict rules here, however, if a certain style is indicated in the invitation, it is better not to ignore it - warns Liliana Modigliani, head of "Image Studio 28", founder of the school of stylists-image makers of St. Petersburg.

It is better to wear a gray or blue business suit for breakfast - for both men and women - in combination with a light shirt-shirt. The main thing in the dress code is the appropriateness of the situation, the absence of pretentiousness and convenience - she sums up this part of the requirements.
Process business communication and its success is largely built, no matter how trite it may sound to many, on the principles set forth by Dale Carnegie. Here is how they sound in the presentation of Liliana Modigliani:

Sincere interest. Attentiveness. Ask questions that you want answered - then the question will sound sincere, and the interlocutor will be flattered that he is really interesting to you. - Openness to new ideas. Don't be too conservative - you never know what your next client will be. - Try to find out in advance who is invited to the event, collect information about the participants. This will help to think through the conversation in advance, as well as give you specific ideas for collaborating with them. - Compliments. If the conversation has reached an impasse, you can make a small compliment to the interlocutor to defuse the situation.

For all the seeming informality of the event, there are topics that even here are considered bad form. These are troubles, and illnesses, and personal life and slander against other people. Plus, the lack of obsession with partnership proposals. It's not just about etiquette. It's just that both clients and future partners want to see you as a successful, self-confident person and leader.

Who needs it
All these subtleties of organizing business breakfasts are especially relevant for those companies that are just embarking on the path of their regular holding. Pleasure is not cheap, but as noted Elena Plysenko, Commercial Director of Petroholod food technology” , “No matter how much this breakfast costs for the inviting party, it is much cheaper than organizing a focus group. In fact, the effect is the same – you see and hear what people are talking about and what people are thinking.” Many companies held business meals quite actively even before the crisis, and then “as unnecessary” began to save on staff positions, firing their marketers and public relations specialists. There were also fewer breakfasts.

However, according to Andrey Minin, President of the Club of St. Petersburg Marketers, such meetings are not often used as a PR tool. Rather, they are seen as an opportunity to establish contacts, that is, as a communication tool.

But in what way to use this communication and the information received - everyone decides for himself.

Elena Petrovskaya

By the way,
To date average business lunch price in cafes and restaurants of St. Petersburg - From 150 rubles to 600. It can be more expensive - it all depends on the brand of the institution and the qualifications of the chef.

Organize a business breakfast: be prepared that the cafe or restaurant that is chosen as the venue for the event will ask for about 1500 r. from one person. At the same time, guests invited to the event participate in it for free.

First person:
Sergey Volodarsky, commercial director site The main benefit for those companies that we invite to our breakfasts (the next one is February 19) is that they can present their products. And we photograph it and post it in the post-release. There is also an opportunity to become an official supplier of products for such breakfasts or a partner of Ilya Lazerson's culinary studio, where everything happens. As for the topics, they are formulated differently each time, but in any case they relate to the promotion of products on the Internet.