Smack. Swallow. Burp. Let’s Do Business!
THIS BELONGS IN EVERY BUSINESS LIBRARY!
Yesterday’s new client onboarding was horrible! Though he really liked me, he never stopped chewing gum and popping bubbles.
He was in his early thirties, so perhaps I should make allowances. Plus, he’s the client, so he can do whatever he wants, right?
Only even as he’s deciding he wants to work with me, I’m simultaneously debating if I want to work with him. And that gum yesterday was a REAL turnoff!
Zoom meetings automatically come with significant distractions. Cats walk across keyboards, kids shout in the background, and someone remains on mute while talking for five minutes straight. The last thing anyone needs is you chomping on a stick of gum like it’s game day.
Chewing gum makes you look like you’re not paying attention…especially when you’re popping bubbles. And it’s distracting, with your jaw and mouth moving in every direction at once.
The fact is, everyone’s watching your chewing technique instead of listening to your brilliant point about quarterly sales. And trust me, no one’s ever said, “Wow, I really respect how thoughtfully she chews her gum.”
Then there are the sound effects. Smacking, popping, cracking…it’s basically bubble-wrap for your mouth. Even if you don’t notice, your microphone will. Nothing derails a meeting faster than half-chewed gum clicking against teeth while budget cuts are being explained.
The bottom line: chewing gum during a business meeting is unprofessional. Because while I recognize that sitting in your living room makes Zoom feel casual, that camera turns it into a professional setting.
Good business manners mean showing respect for others. Chewing gum during a meeting announces, “I don’t care about the impression I make.”
And if you’re the one leading the meeting, gum is essentially the fastest way to make that statement, because people notice this kind of thing.
Admittedly, my advice costs nothing, so that’s arguably what it’s worth. However, I’d suggest skipping the gum in any professional setting. Drink some water, grab a mint, or — radical concept — breathe. Your coworkers will thank you, your ideas will come through clearer, and you’ll avoid the embarrassing moment of trying to spit gum into a napkin mid-meeting discreetly.
Because on Zoom, it’s not just what you say that matters, but also how you look and sound while saying it.
With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
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Chew up the competition. https://amzn.to/4hoslft.