Making a Lasting First Impression

You never get a second chance to make a first impression.  Here are some quick tips on how to make that first impression count .

by Fiona Cameron-Williams of FCW Hospitality & Private Residence Consulting

Etiquette Tip: Use of a Napkin

In a restaurant:

• As soon as you are seated, remove the napkin from your place setting, unfold it, and put it in your lap. Do not shake it open. At some very formal restaurants, the waiter may do this for the diners, but it is not inappropriate to place your own napkin in your lap, even when this is the case.
• The napkin rests on the lap till the end of the meal. Don't clean the cutlery or wipe your face with the napkin. NEVER use it to wipe your nose!
• If you excuse yourself from the table, loosely fold the napkin and place it to the left or right of your plate. Do not refold your napkin or wad it up on the table either. Never place your napkin on your chair.
• At the end of the meal, leave the napkin semi-folded at the left side of the place setting. It should not be crumpled or twisted; nor should it be folded. The napkin must also not be left on the chair.

At a private dinner party:

• The meal begins when the host or hostess unfolds his or her napkin. This is your signal to do the same. Place your napkin on your lap, completely unfolded if it is a small luncheon napkin or in half, lengthwise, if it is a large dinner napkin. Do not shake it open.
• The napkin rests on the lap till the end of the meal. 
• The host will signal the end of the meal by placing his or her napkin on the table. Once the meal is over, you too should place your napkin neatly on the table to the left of your dinner plate. (Do not refold your napkin, but don't wad it up, either.) 

For more Etiquette Tips click here

Professionals: Shine at Holiday Time!

The holiday season is officially here, and now is the time to extend your best wishes to business clients and colleagues. The right gesture will help you reinforce strong relationships with the people who matter. Here are other tips:

• Keep “business” out of your holiday correspondence, though it is fine to include your business name or logo. Neutral messages like “Season’s Greetings” and “Happy Holidays” are your safest bets. Sign all your greeting cards personally. A handwritten signature shows sincerity and that you appreciate your customer.

• Keep in mind acceptable gift-giving rules for your business environment, and find out whether the recipients observe Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, so you can make certain your gift is appropriate for each individual. 

• The Christmas business gift is an opportunity to say “thank you” to a client, rather than promote your company, so use your logo tastefully. When possible, research the personal interests of the recipient—Do they golf? Read novels? Appreciate fine wine?—and tailor your gift accordingly.

• Contrastingly, the principles of Kwanzaa—a week-long celebration honoring universal African-American heritage—are intentionally contrary to commercialization, so in lieu of gift giving, consider making a significant contribution to your favorite charity, then send out cards that explain the donation and provide a background on the charity’s mission.

• As with any other holiday, there are traditional and non-traditional gifts for Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights, an eight-day Jewish celebration. The Hanukkah gelt is an offering of money, so a gift card or a charitable donation would be appropriate. This tradition has even been picked up by some chocolatiers, who make gelt in molded chocolate and cover it in foil—also a nice gift idea.

Read more of our protocol tips at our resource center by clicking here

My Attendance at the Protocol Conference for Africa (APCA 2011)

A couple of weeks ago I attended and was a guest speaker at the 2nd Annual Protocol Conference for Africa which was held at the CSIR International Convention in Pretoria, South Africa, November 23-25. Interest in this conference was generated from the inaugural conference that took place at the same time last year, with delegates from around the African continent.

As one of 70 delegates who attended the conference from more than 10 different countries, I was proudly amongst the upper echelon of solution providers who gathered for the 3-day event designed for leaders dedicated to achieving the highest levels of business performance and protocol standards. In a setting intended to educate and inspire, I engaged with established protocol officers, notable public-service officials, and members of the corporate sector to share and advance significant ideas and identify ways to grow or improve business through the use of best practices.
 

At last year's APCA, attendees observed the increased demand for cross-sectoral engagement in protocol that became the program design objective for APCA 2011. Economic diplomacy, the implications thereof, impact and usefulness of protocol, especially as it pertains to the corporate/private sector, were all topics that were explored at APCA this year.

The week concluded with a BRICS workshop for those wanting to learn more about the nuances of working and engaging with those from BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
 

It was a pleasure to be invited to speak about how to prepare and receive dignitaries on official visits and I look forward to participating in the 3rd APCA conference in 2012.

Click here for a picture journal of my trip

Professional Storage Tips

As Winter pokes it's head around the corner and Autumn is clearly in full swing, our friends at Gard Robe share their tips on storing and protecting your precious wardrobe and keeping it in pristine condition during the change of season!

So, you have the walk-in closet you always dreamed of and assembled an impeccable collection of vintage, haute couture, evening wear and accessories.  Now, how do you go about protecting your precious wardrobe and keeping it in pristine condition? 


Common Mistakes to Avoid:

• To avoid distortion and stretching, never store vintage, embellished gowns, knits, or delicate items on hangers. Instead, wrap each item individually in acid-free tissue and store flat in breathable, archival boxes.
• Remove all plastic garment bags from your dry cleaning. Plastic does not allow garments to breathe properly, and leads to fume fading.
• Never put worn items back in the closet next to clean garments.  Body oils and perfume act as a magnet for destructive insects such as moths. 
• Leather items—handbags, shoes, and garments—absorb moisture and can take longer to thoroughly dry.  After cleaning, keep leather pieces out of the closet for a few days before putting them away.  Items placed in the closet too soon may become mildewed and contaminate the closet. 
• Hang or store leather and denim garments separate from more delicate fabrics. Placing them in the closet unprotected will lead to dye transferring. 
• Don’t overcrowd your closets.  Proper air circulation is critical for preserving fabrics.
• If you choose to store infrequently worn or off-season garments in a guestroom closet, don’t forget to open the closet doors and leave a fan on in the room from time to time.

Never store garments in:

• Basements or attics where the temperature and humidity levels are inconsistent
• Closets that have an outside wall (these closets tend to have higher relative humidity)
• Near a window with sunlight
• Plastic or vinyl bags

Ideal storage conditions include:

• Steady temperature. Over time, fluctuating temperatures weaken fabric fibers.
• Low relative humidity discourages moisture and mold
• Low light protects from fading
• Filtered air helps remove impurities that would otherwise become trapped in fabric
• Moving air prevents culture growth
• Breathable bags and box storage
• Wrap items individually in acid free tissue and/or muslin

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Advice on Wedding Gift Protocol by etiquette expert Fiona Cameron-Williams

Kim Kardashian Should Return Her Wedding Gifts and Ring

In this age of highly publicized, short-lived weddings, it is possible to have your wedding cake and eat it too...just make sure that if the marriage is over in less than six months,  all unused gifts are returned to the buyers with a handwritten note. No tweets or emails, thank you.

Even during personally challenging times, manners do matter so it is important to respond appropriately in order to leave a positive impression with the people who have influence on your career and your life.

And to the 20-karat question of whether Kim should keep her engagement ring? 

The ring was given as a gift, therefore protocol dictates it is hers to keep, with one exception: heirlooms from the groom's family must be returned.

Feng Shui and Your Front Door

THE Feng Shui DETECTIVE
Feng Shui and Your Front Door
By: Catherine Brophy

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Defining feng shui is difficult. To a large degree it is intangible and invisible. Simply put, feng shui is a practical way of aligning people in their environments, in a way that not only eliminates obstacles, but also enhances opportunities and good fortune. This holds true whether you have one or many homes, offices, buildings, etc., because everything that is yours affects you. Everyone has some intrinsic sense of space – you just know when a place feels good and when it doesn’t, and that feeling begins at the front door.

Here are some helpful tips regarding your front door:

• Your front door should be clearly marked with your house or apartment number.
• If you live in a home with more than one door, your front door should be the most prominent.
• It should open fully with no obstruction.
• According to feng shui, the first thing you see when you enter your home relates to your money. Fresh flowers represent wealth, so they are great for the entry. Try some yellow tulips (a color said to attract money).
• Everything around your front door and inside your entryway should work well and look attractive. Likewise, all stairways and floors should feel solid underfoot. With everything working well, your home, and you, will feel more secure.
• Your front entry should make you happy to be home and if it doesn’t, experiment and see what you can change.

With the new year coming up, it’s a great time to renew your attention to detail in your entry!