Today is National Hand Shake Day.
All salespeople are familiar with handshakes. In fact, it’s safe to say that you probably couldn’t do your job well or even get a sales job unless you know how to properly shake hands.
I couldn’t find the origins of National Hand Shake Day. However, it’s always celebrated the last Thursday of June.
No one knows the exact origin of handshakes, but according to Wikipedia, “archaeological ruins and ancient texts show that handshaking was practiced in ancient Greece as far back as the 5th century BC.”
As we all know, shaking hands is a sign of respect when greeting someone. Outside sales reps shake hands daily; inside salespeople not so much unless they are attending a trade show or meeting a large client outside their office.
The Oatmeal.com website lists 9 types of crappy handshakes. They include the “bone crusher”, the “misfire”, the “limp, dead fish”, and the “never-let-go” handshakes.
If you feel you are guilty of one of those handshakes, have no fear.
Debby Mayne, an Etiquette Expert, outlines “7 Tips on Proper Handshake Etiquette” in her column in About.com. Her advice includes shaking hands firmly but not crushingly, shaking hands for about two to five seconds in duration, and offering a greeting before and during the handshake.
If you still need help, the Australian Government Business Agency put together this funny video below that is posted on YouTube –
