Since it is Memorial Day weekend and many of you will be spending time with family and friends, I thought you would enjoy a lesson that you can put into practice this weekend. For those of you who follow my daily lessons, some of these points will be timely reminders.

One of the themes I keep coming back to is how you can best stand out from the crowd. I just find that so few people make the extra effort to do so. In Stand Out From the Crowd I shared how people’s respect grows for those who return calls and emails in a timely manner and finish their responsibilities on time.

Another group of people who really stand out in my mind are those who are intentional about doing the “little things” when they attend dinners, BBQ’s or beach parties at our home.  When my family makes sure to do these same things at other people’s homes, our efforts are noticed and appreciated.

Here are 10 ways you can make a positive impression when you’re invited to someone’s home for a party.

1. RSVP—When you receive an invitation to an event, make it a priority to respond to the invitation even if you cannot attend.  When people send invitations they expect a response in a timely manner.  Don’t let your name appear on the unconfirmed list and have your host continue to wonder why you don’t show the common courtesy of responding.

2. Offer To Come Early—If you have ever hosted an event at your home, you know the amount of planning and preparation that goes into making it special for everyone.  If the people hosting the event are close friends or family, then offer to come early to help with the set up. Even if they don’t accept your offer, they will appreciate you asking.

3. Be On Time—It’s always nice when people show up at our events on time.  When we invite people over for dinner at 6:30, it is not uncommon for my wife to have dinner ready at 6:30.  If you are attending a dinner, you don’t want to be the person who is noticeably late. Being on time is a good way to show your respect for their schedule. At the same time, don’t come early or you may catch your host unprepared for your early arrival.

4. Bring A Gift— When you are invited to attend a party or dinner engagement at someone’s home, it’s a nice practice to bring a little gift for the host. It could be a bottle of wine, a small inexpensive flower arrangement or something as simple as a card. A little gift is a nice way of showing your appreciation for the effort put into the event and for being included.

5. Upon Arrival Offer to Help—When you arrive, ask if there is anything you can do to help.  There are almost always last minute things that need to be done and your offer will be appreciated.  If there isn’t anything to do, you can bet your offer to help will make an impression.

6. Be Attentive To The Things You Can Do To Help—When you attend events with family and “close” friends, look for the things you can do without being asked to help.  It could be cleaning up glasses laying around or taking out the trash that is overflowing.  My wife and I always appreciate those who pitch in to help without having to be asked.

7. Help Clean Up—If you attend a party at someone’s home, offer to help with the clean up.  If they decline your offer, simply say, “I would enjoy helping you clean up.  Would you please allow me to help you?”  When they accept your offer, help them clean up until the job is finished or until your host wants to take a break. If they decline your help because they would rather continue the conversation in another room, ask them again when the party is over.

8. Don’t drink too much—While this seems like common sense, I have seen countless people make fools of themselves by over drinking at parties. Make the decision in advance as to how many drinks you are going to have and then use your self-control to keep from having even one more.

9. Include everyone when talking—When you are the one talking in a group setting, be sure to share eye contact with each person. This action demonstrates that each person is important to you. It also communicates to them that you understand the importance of including them in the conversation.

10. Don’t leave anything behind—Last year we had a pie fight party and invited about 20 of our friends and family to join us.  After everyone left, we found people’s beach towels, goggles, shirts and even wet bathing suits lying around.  Out of the 20 or so people who attended, at least a third of them forgot something. When you leave someone’s home, make sure to double check that you have everything you came with in the first place.

Do you have any tips?  If so, share them in the comments section below this post.

I hope all of you have a special weekend with your friends and family.

Often times it’s the simple acts of thoughtfulness that make a lasting impression.

About the Author: Todd Smith is a successful entrepreneur of 30 years and founder of Little Things Matter. To receive Todd’s daily lessons, subscribe here. All Todd’s lessons are also available on iTunes as downloadable podcasts. (Todd’s podcasts are ranked #27 in America’s top 100 podcasts and #1 in the personal and development field.)

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