Your Raving Fan Formula

Business Etiquette Seminars Personalized for the Success of Your Company and Associates

The business etiquette skills that some of your associates don’t know are hurting your business’s reputation, growth, and bottom line.

Gain Skills

Give your associates the gift of professionalism, appropriateness, and friendliness that impacts every part of their lives.

Know You’re Doing It Right

After etiquette training, attendees will have the interpersonal skills of admired ambassadors. In the office and away from it, they’ll interact with newfound confidence and clarity with clients, potential customers, and each other.

Ensure Results

You’ll win new business, customer loyalty, and the reputation of a company that cares equally about the people it serves and the product or service it provides.

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Why Interpersonal Skills and Soft Skills Training is Vital to Your Business’s Success

The internet has brought the world as close as everyone’s smartphone screen. Your prospects are comparing you with every other company that does what you do.

While you know why your product or service is superior, they don’t.

And with products, features, and prices being similar among competitors. people will ALWAYS choose to give their money to the people they have the most confidence in — the people they like the most.

With the soft skills training I provide, your company will have the etiquette advantage of being aware of and in control of the ways that others perceive, interact, and respond to you and your products and services.

Interpersonal skills training is vital because we are in the midst of a relationship-based economy.

Let me show you how you can make your relationships soar and earn loyal, raving fans!

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Which Companies Benefit From a Business Etiquette Seminar?

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Client Testimonials

“My staff and I incorporated your tips and techniques as soon as we returned from our retreat. I have noticed a significant difference in how much more effective and comfortable we are in communication with our clients!”

“We had always aimed at making our clients feel special. But frankly, not knowing the etiquette, we missed a lot of opportunities. Thank you for making our conference a game-changer.”

“It’s not often we leave a conference with skills that will last a lifetime. This time we did! Thank you so much, Maralee.”

Create A New Atmosphere

Enjoy a workplace where associates work as a united team.

Set Your Company & Product Apart

Set the Gold Standard for customer service in your industry.

Become a Person Of Influence

Soft skills training shares the modern skills for winning favor and influencing people.

Business Etiquette Seminars

Maralee offers a variety of seminars to best fit your company’s needs.

A Cut Above

The etiquette answer for your company’s success

Forget ivory towers. This is modern etiquette for real life. We have a relationship economy and a competitive marketplace. These people skills are a MUST. They enhance your confidence and professionalism. And they positively impact the way other people perceive, interact, and respond to you and the product or service you represent.

Book Now Your manners are always under examination, and by committees little suspected … awarding or denying you very high prizes when you least think of it.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

You’ll learn:

The etiquette formula for making flawless first impressions
The one correct way to introduce yourself
How to meet and greet others in a way that gets relationships started on the right foot
The value and subtle differences in how you should make eye contact
The language of handshakes and what yours is communicating
How to give an affirming handshake
Interacting with people who are differently abled
Today’s polite use of titles and Mr. and Ms.
The workplace etiquette of male/female interaction
Breaking generational barriers and building relationships
When to stand and when to remain seated in business settings
What to say to a client or potential customer after you say hello
The ten words to say to ensure you’re well-liked when arriving or leaving
And more…

Closing the Deal Over a Meal

When business and dining combine, concentrate on your agenda and enjoy your meal instead of worrying about which fork to use

In our eat-on-the-go, fast-food society, many of us aren’t comfortable in situations where food and business combine. When putting these dining skills into practice, you will be free to concentrate on your agenda and on developing and strengthening relationships over meals.

Book Now The world was my oyster, but I used the wrong fork.
– Oscar Wilde

You’ll learn:

How to represent yourself with ease and savvy at business-social events
What all business hosts must do to ensure guests leave impressed
What all business guests must do to ensure the host is glad they came
The savvy executive’s way to host a business meal
How to gracefully and correctly handle the check
The right way to order your meal
Current tipping guidelines
The American style of dining
The Continental style of dining
Correctly handling silverware and napkins
The silent service code (what you’re signaling without knowing it)
Eating hard-to-eat foods with ease
The most important and impressive dining dos and don’ts
Handling dining accidents without embarrassment
The important etiquette of proposing and receiving a toast
And more…

Essentials of a Dynamic Office

Skills to outclass the competition

Mediocre is way overplayed. In today’s world it takes so little to be extra special, so why not stand out for all the right reasons? A classy, polished presence starts from the inside. These skills provide you with what you need to communicate well with clients and maintain a friendly and productive office environment.

Book Now Good manners are made up of petty sacrifices.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

You’ll learn:

Impressive and polite conversation skills for talking with clients and coworkers
The telephone skills of polished professionals
How to be an impressive office host or guest
Office-meeting etiquette
The important protocol of how and when to exchange business cards
The formula for writing treasured business thank-you cards
The etiquette of sending holiday cards from your business
The year-round etiquette of giving gifts to clients, coworkers, associates, and vendors
The etiquette of office celebrations
Open-office and cubicle etiquette
The important etiquette for maintaining civil workplaces
Sex, politics, gossip, and religion at work — what to say and not say
How to have a hard conversation without any hard feelings
What to do about that one person at work you wish you didn’t work with
And more…

Techno-Etiquette

Putting the human touch in your technology

About 320 billion emails are sent each day. More than eight billion text messages are sent daily. And on Facebook alone, about 250 million photos are posted every 24 hours. There’s a whole lot of information being sent back and forth! But are we actually communicating anything? Or is it that our technology isn’t making the human connection we need it to in order for our words to be noticed, understood correctly, and acted upon? Let’s make sure your messages are never lost in translation.

Book Now I will pay more for the ability to deal with people than for any other ability under the sun.
– John D. Rockefeller

You’ll learn:

The most up-to-date email dos and don’ts for this always-evolving way of communicating
How to be well-liked via email even though the person hasn’t met or spoken to you
How to get someone to actually reply to your important emails
Slack and other interoffice communication etiquette (if your company uses any of these platforms)
The special rules of sending work-related texts to clients
The most vital voicemail etiquette
How posting socially impacts your business life
Knowing when it’s best to deliver your message by phone call, text, or email
Timezone etiquette for sending any communication
And more…

What to Wear Where You Work

The Art of Dressing Well For You and the Work You Do

Your associates are your most seen billboard. And considering that 70 percent of the message we send when talking in person is visual, what they’re communicating at work about your company, themselves, and your product or service is speaking louder than anything on your website or your marketing materials. Let’s make sure that what they’re “saying” is flattering for your associates and your company.

Book Now Dressing well is a form of good manners.
– Tom Ford, Fashion Designer

You’ll learn:

The rule of three for men and women
What a piece of notebook paper can teach us about work attire
The rule of “one less”
The real difference between “business” and “business casual” dressing and how it varies depending on what field you’re working in
How to stay true to your style while dressing well for your job
The psychology of color when it comes to the message your clothes are sending to others
The most impacting tips for men
The most impacting tips for women
What to wear to different work-related events
Best practices for shoes and accessories
Hairstyles
Facial hair
Whether to show your coworkers your new tattoo
And more…

Please note: This seminar is completely customized for your corporate culture.

Cross-Cultural Business Etiquette

Setting the right foundation for going global

-The old saying holds wisdom. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Not understanding the culture of the people you hope to work with can quickly lead to misunderstandings that build walls, not bridges. Whether you’re a company in the United States looking to expand internationally, or you’re a global business hoping to do business in the United States, lay a firm foundation for success through cross-cultural etiquette training.

Book Now There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.
– Robert Louis Stevenson

You’ll learn:

The business culture of the country you’ll be working with
How meetings are typically conducted
How deals are made and finalized
Differences in the work/life balance so you can respect their boundaries
What never to mention
Great things to talk about
The etiquette of business dining in your host country
Cultural differences in business gift-giving etiquette
What to do if you’re invited to someone’s home
How not to accidentally insult your host
Body language, proximity differences, and handshaking and greeting differences
How to visually meet their business expectations through what you wear
Important dos and don’ts of your host county that don’t exist in your country
Post-meeting follow-up with your hosts once you return home
And more…

Smart Start Seminars

For Colleges and Universities

Lay a solid foundation and set the cornerstone for your best possible future

Book Now The great thing in this world is not so much where we are, but in which direction we are moving.
– Oliver Wendell Holmes

The Etiquette School of America presents seminars specially designed for college and university students. They are customized for business etiquette, social skills, dining, or manners.

Contact me by filling out this form telling me about your organization and the group of students who will be attending. Please let me also know about your hopes and plans for our time together.

After studying the form and talking with you, I’ll craft a customized seminar covering the skills of most value to you and the attendees.

It will be a fun and memorable event with skills the students can begin using during the seminar and benefit from every day afterward!

Questions?

How long are seminars? Expand

There are three choices for seminars.

Half-day seminars are four hours or less.
Full-day seminars are from five to eight hours.
Two-day seminars are seminars that last anywhere from one to eight hours and which happen over two consecutive days.

The final length of the seminar will be determined by how long you have allotted for me and what topics you would like to include.

How far in advance do I need to schedule the seminar? Expand

Your date should be scheduled as soon as possible. I’m unable to accept more than one speaking engagement every fourteen days.

Do you travel nationally and internationally? Expand

I do travel to speak nationally and internationally. Please book your seminar as soon as possible because I limit my speaking engagements that require airline travel out of Florida (my home state) to twice per month. I limit my international travel to once per quarter.

Will I have access to Maralee prior to the event to set up all the details with her? Expand

Absolutely! I want you to love our time together. That won’t happen if we don’t personally talk on the phone to plan the details. We will have at least two and up to four phone conversations in advance of the big day so we are both assured that everything is going to go according to our well-made plans.

Will there be handouts or something for participants to take home to help retain the skills taught? Expand

Yes, once you and I finalize the outline for the seminar, I will have my graphic artist design handouts specifically for the event. It’s lovely to include your logo on the cover. This can be done at no extra charge. All I will need is a JPEG copy of your logo sent to me via email. Prior to the event, a copy of the handouts will be sent to you. Please print out one copy for each participant and wait to hand them out as attendees enter the room. Please also provide a pen or pencil for each attendee.

What is the cost? Expand

Your investment is based on whether it’s a half-day, full-day, or two-day seminar. The cost of travel and lodging is in addition to the fee. A complete fee schedule will be sent to you after I receive your filled-out inquiry form.

Please know that these seminars are investments into your business and the personal and professional growth of your associates. The price is also in line with my expertise and experience in presenting these skills in a way that makes attendees want to actually use the skills taught.

Does Maralee ever speak for free or for a reduced rate? Expand

I tithe ten percent of my time to free speaking events. These hours are given exclusively to a charity helping abused women and at-risk teen girls.

I do not reduce my speaking rates for other organizations even though there are so many worthy ones. If I reduced the rate for one, I would be playing favorites. So that I keep my word, this policy is strictly followed.

How It Works

.01

Decide which seminar or seminars you are interested in having me give. It’s fine to pick topics from various seminars to custom-create your own. Click here for a printable PDF of all the topics covered. Print it out and highlight the topics of interest.

.02

Fill out the inquiry form — it gives me info about your company and your priorities for our time together. You’ll also be able to set up a time for us to talk on the phone. The inquiry form is right below.

.03

You and I will talk on the phone and decide whether we’re a great fit for each other — if so, we’ll custom-design your seminar(s), book a date and time, and I’ll show up at the location of your choice. Easy!

Raving Fan Formula Business Etiquette Seminar Inquiry Form

Please be as detailed as possible in your answers. This will help me begin putting together the best possible seminar for you.

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Please note: A business etiquette seminar is an investment in the professional and personal growth of your associates and in the long-term profit of your company. The fees for the business etiquette seminar are in line with my expertise in the field and my success in presenting interpersonal skills in a way that makes associates eager to put their new expertise into daily use. Your investment detail form will be sent via email as soon as I have had time to review this inquiry form.

Your Raving Fan Formula