The Blatant Truth Weblog

Sales 101: Just Put Away Your Smart Phones

You would think it wouldn’t have to go mentioned but yes, there are still people that think it is 100% okay to check email and texts, as well as send same, while they are engaged (correction, not so engaged) in a meeting or networking event.

I don’t mean that they politely excuse themselves and go off to a quiet corner or rest room to attend to their electronic communications. No, I mean that they inexcusably work their devices when sitting at a meal, at a conference table or milling about at a networking function at which one of the sole reasons for attending is to meet the attendees live and in person.

It’s just plain rude and it happens much too often.

I’ve participated in networking meetings where it seems that half of the attendees are staring at their laps with their thumbs moving feverishly over a keyboard. I’ve been at luncheons where the hum and buzz of text messages is totally distratcting and the “live” conversation seems almost “in the way”.  And, I’ve even been speaking with someone at an event who every minute or so pulled out their phone to scroll down the new incoming messages. It’s just plain rude.

I haven’t gone so far as to ask the offending person to stop. Maybe I should. Rather, I find myself glowering at them hoping they will pick up on my not-so-subtle cues. But that rarely happens.  Seems that subtly goes nowhere when dealing with a person like this.

So, if you feel that something critical is happening and you must engage with your device, then play it straight and let the other people know so they won’t have the same negative impression that I have.

But if it’s just a case of an addiction to electronic communications, well maybe you ought to just plain quit. You just might be sending a text when your next new business opportunity appears, and then decides to walk by, rather than disturb you and your electronic companion.