Where You Eat Lunch Can Help You Get Business

Talk with the people seated around you. You’ll discover there’s a crowd of regulars.

This includes local store owners, municipal employees and professionals.

You’ll gradually get accepted as one of the crowd.

You aren’t pushing business, but you are taking time to learn who everyone is, where they work and details about their families.

You’re also enjoying lunch in the process.

Why Does the Strategy Work?

Let us get back to our bank president.

He explained: “You would not believe the amount of business I got over the years. One guy turns to another and says: ‘See that guy on the stool over there. That’s Fred. He’s the president of the bank.’ The other guy thinks: ‘He’s the bank president, and he eats at the same place as me. He must be a good guy. I’m going to walk over and ask him about a loan for my business.”

The Evening Version

This strategy can also work if you like to enjoy a beer or cocktail before heading home.

Find an office building or area with likely prospects.

The courthouse area attracts plenty of lawyers. An office tower might have several floors of engineers.

Find a bar in the base of the building.

Become a regular, visiting at 5 p.m. or so most weeknights. (Do not develop a drinking habit!)

Sit at the bar and watch the game on TV. You’re becoming a regular.

Talk about the game with the people around you.

They’ll figure out what you do, and you’ll learn about them.

The beauty of this strategy is you’re going to eat lunch, and, possibly, have a drink after work, anyway.

Being selective about the location provides the opportunity to mingle with people who have business potential.

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