Business Etiquette: 8 Easy Ways It Can Help You Own Your Niche

Sbut you only need to know business etiquette if you’re the CEO of a large corporation!”

This statement was deposited into a conversation I was having with a very progressive business woman. It was deposited by her husband who was, in his words “a retired small business owner.”

There we were, on the beautiful Caribbean island of Antigua, relaxing after a long day of business, with deals and no deals.

We were reflecting on how much business we thought small business people fail to get, simply because they did not have good manners. (If you think that was our experience during the day, you’re right!}

What’s more, we were concerned that they actually believed that it was not necessary for them to understand and apply business etiquette, because they were not top brass in “big business.”

What really is business etiquette?

But before we go any further, let’s have a little discussion on what is business etiquette.

In his book “Business Etiquette,” David Robinson describes it as “the commercial application of acceptable personal behaviour.”

This is my favourite definition because it’s simple and it can be easily understood by anyone smart enough to start a business.

In my experience, good business etiquette is recognized and understood across business and borders, in much the same way that “taxi” is understood in any country.

Even when you can’t speak the language of a country, if you display good business manners, you  sends the message that you are “open to business.”

Going even further, good business etiquette should also be a part of those interpersonal skills which you should have. And to cement my point, it should certainly be an important member of your tools to win new clients.

The problem with small business people and business etiquette

As small business owners, you often have deep expertise but you can lose opportunities due to etiquette blind spots. 

That’s because most of you think you need better marketing, a bigger network, or lower prices to win. But some of your best competitors are dominating their niches with something far simpler: knowing how to act in certain business situations.

The point I am making is this: a small business and a Small Business Owner is one and the same.

Therefore, a business can fail because of burned relationships, misunderstandings, and avoidable conflicts.

8 benefits of applying business etiquette 

The big question is: How can you benefit from knowing and using business etiquette?

The answer is simple. Knowing and applying business etiquette is really another form of risk management and a way to effortlessly dominate your niche.

That’s why I’m sharing these 8 key benefits so you can uplevel your etiquette and start applying it right away.

1. Build Trust Faster

Proper business etiquette signals professionalism and competence before you even showcase your work. When you respond promptly, communicate clearly, and respect people’s time, you’re already ahead of competitors who treat these as optional.

When you display good manners when you’re doing business, it helps you to quickly earn the trust and respect of your customers and suppliers. 

It also signals to the world that here is a small business person who can be taken seriously.

Equally, when you build trust with your internal customer, you get similar results. They expect you to communicate effectively, listen to their ideas and recognise their productivity.

The net results are that you create goodwill for you and your business and your staff spreads the word that it is a good place to work.

2. Access to Decision-Makers

Knowing how to navigate the corporate hierarchy, when to follow up without being pushy, and how to communicate at different organizational levels gets you in rooms others can’t access.

What is happening is that the right etiquette is opening doors that skills alone won’t.

This is especially important when you’re meeting a decision-maker for the first time. 

3. Easily do business across countries and cultures 

So, what happens when you expand your business into other countries and by extension into other cultures?

Understanding cultural nuances, remembering small details about clients, and knowing when formality matters versus when to be casual builds deeper connections. People prefer working with those who make them comfortable.

A word of caution though…

Each country that you expand your business into, will have its own collection of norms, which translate into its unique culture.

This now requires you to upscale your business etiquette to discover and understand these norms, so that you keep your reputation intact.

4. Command Respect and Premium Pricing

As you become better at conducting business in a professional manner, based on your defined core values, you become known as a person worth doing business with.

This significantly increases your self-confidence. This in turn increases your self-esteem and ensures that you’re able to be strong and assertive in any situation.  

What happens in a very subtle, having good etiquette conveys confidence and establishes you as a peer, not a vendor.

When you carry yourself professionally—from email signature, to meeting conduct, to how you handle disagreements—clients see you as more valuable and are willing to pay accordingly.

This can only be good for your business and is another way in which you dominate your niche. 

5. Enhanced communication skills

There is something about business etiquette that appears to lead to enhanced communication skills.

Think about it…

You want to avoid offending with your speaking skills. And the same goes for writing skills. One poorly delivered speech, one badly constructed email or worst, sent to the wrong person, can damage your reputation.

Business etiquette dictates that you must also have sound listening skills, especially the ability to listen without passing judgement.  

You see, in niche industries, good reputations spread fast. Likewise, bad ones. One email sent to the wrong person, one inappropriate comment, or one burned bridge can haunt you forever.

Remember: Proper etiquette is defensive—it protects your reputation!

6. Attain power and influence

It is a common practice for Small Business Owners like you, to join organisations as part of your networking efforts.

It is also common practice for these organisations to select or elect members to lead the them. This is a great opportunity for the elected person to attain significant power and influence.

Financial success, though important, is seldom enough for you to become a person of power and influence.

Here is what I mean…

Members want their ideal leaders to be able to demonstrate that they know how to conduct themselves and represent the organisation professionally in any situation.

When you know business etiquette, first of all, you use it to get yourself elected.

Then you can depend on it as you lead from a position of strength and influence.

In addition, you can easily connect your organisation to its many publics with decency and class.

7. Experience the good side of the referral multiplier

One of the great benefits of having good business etiquette skills, is that people are generally comfortable referring you.

Referrals are the lifeblood of small businesses—you close faster, cost nothing to acquire, and come pre-qualified.

But here’s what most people miss: referrals aren’t just about doing good work. They’re about making someone feel confident recommending you.

When someone refers you, they’re putting their own reputation on the line. They’re essentially saying, “I trust this person won’t make me look bad.” That’s a big ask. 

Then you show up on time. You communicate clearly about timelines and costs. You handle problems gracefully. You thank people appropriately. You follow through on what you promise.

What happens next? This client is now eager to refer you all because of your professional behaviour.

Good etiquette has helped you to create a referral multiplier. 

8. Increase productivity in your workplace

In your workplace, your good business etiquette leads to good working relationships.

This is especially so, when you treat your staff with respect and decency and make it a requirement for everyone to treat each other as you treat them.

Your staff is fully engaged at work and are motivated to share their good ideas.

When there are good working relationships in a workplace, this also reduces the amount of time and effort you spend on “outing employee fires” and this leads to increased productivity.

Your next “business etiquette” steps…

You don’t have to think too hard about your next steps.

Here are your choices:

1. Check on your business etiquette. If it’s poor, seek to upgrade it as soon as possible. You should not try to apply it without an upgrade, if you want to dominate your niche.
2. If you’re happy with the state of your etiquette, look for new ways to use it as a tool for doing great business for you and your business

Now, it’s over to you…If you need any help at all, be sure to contact me…