Making Your Phone Disappear At the Perfect Moments

I haven’t talked to you about one of the most powerful ways you could ever use your phone in business.

One of the most powerful ways you can cement your reputation with your boss clients customers away this phone can enhance your credibility dramatically.

What’s that secret the off switch what do I mean by that.

Well if you’re in a meeting if you’re in a face to face meeting with a client prospect customer an important colleague turn your phone off.

It’s insanely annoying to people if they’re talking to you and your phone.

Oh hang out man I got to take this and they don’t know what it is.

For all they know you’re just placing a bet with your bookie or something.

So my recommendation if you want to really send a signal to a client customer prospect that hey you are important Your time is important your business is important.

My relationship to you and your organization is important.

Turn your phone.

I don’t mean just on vibrate because if it’s vibrating and lights are flashing but not ringing.

It’s human nature.

You’re going to look they’re going to look and there’s a part of you that’s going to think Is there a chance this is more important.

Probably isn’t but it’s going to take you away.

It’s going to send a signal to the person you’re meeting with in person that they are not important.

Well guess what.

Nobody likes to be told they’re not important and they might not be that important but you don’t have to rub it in their face.

So know how to turn your phone off.

I would recommend you not put on the tick so many people go into meetings these days and their cell phone is their and worst is when they start playing with.

That’s the absolute worst.

We’ve all been bored at meetings or conferences it’s one thing if you’re at a convention there’s a big keynote speaker and you’re in the dark and you’re on the 18th row and the speaker is not that interesting.

We’ll sure you check email you check the sports scores but if you’re in a meeting and someone’s talking and you’re on your phone it’s frankly about the same as speeding.

You might not feel that way but just realize other people do.

Do you like it when someone spits on you Do you like it when someone tells you your time your ideas are completely worthless.

Now we’re not here to talk about family relations and whether teenagers or other family members are on their cell phones at dinner time.

That’s a different course.

I’m not going there I’m talking about just in business situations.

You really are not using the full potential the power of your cell phone unless you know exactly how to not only turn it off put it away in fact a really important meeting don’t even take it in with you.

I understand.

Life is messy and complicated.

There are exceptions but you need to plan for the exceptions and lay the groundwork.

So if you have a meeting with your boss.

But the most important client to your company is planning on calling you.

They said I’ll call you tomorrow morning.

We’ve got to resolve this one issue and only take two seconds.

Then I would say to my boss I have this out just because Mr. Smithers is calling it.

He has one quick question and I promised I’d be available to him.

Your boss is going to realize that Smithers is the person paying everyone’s bills because it’s the most important client.

Your boss isn’t going to be offended and have it out and let the person know.

You could also have something that any fair minded person considers a very important personal issue that should take precedence.

You could say Excuse me everyone.

I don’t mean to be rude but close family member is about to have a baby I’m expecting a call from the hospital at any time.

It’s the only call I would take.

That’s why my phone is out.

No is going to be offended by that or if you have a family member who is in the hospital and say look I am taking and have this out just because I might be getting a call from the hospital my father’s in intensive care.

No one’s going to be offended but if you just have the phone out and you don’t say why and you’re kind of yeah it’s going to cut against your credibility.

You seem like someone who can’t focus who scattered who’s just all over the place.

That is not a reputation that’s going to enhance your career.

So my recommendation.

Any important meeting phone not just on vibrate but off preferably not visible.

Ideally it’s not even in the same room with you.