Help! Should I tell my clients or biz contacts that I looked them up in advance?

So you googled a potential client, or maybe you even ran their name through one of those personal dossier apps we talked about last week. Before you bring up "The Big Game" you know they watched, or the big deal you know they just finished negotiating, it's important to consider how you roll out this information.

In a digital-first world, it's easier than ever to make a connection. But if you don't go about it the right way, you can come off looking like a supreme creeper. Here are four questions to ask yourself before you meet with someone you've researched in advance.

1. Could you have seen the news or tidbit on your own?

Let's start with the obvious. If you are meeting someone for the first time ever, or you're not friends with them on Facebook or other social media platforms, then you likely won't be able to say that you came across the information organically.

One exception is if you are meeting with a business owner, or an employee of a company that has recently been in the news. If you saw the company make headlines in a positive news story, it's a great idea to bring that up and ask if your contact was personally involved.

If, however, your research app showed you that this contact was in the news a year ago, you may have to admit that you looked them up in advance. Ask yourself, "Is making a connection over a long-ago business deal or news item really going to help me get ahead in this conversation?" If you're not sure, it's best not to bring it up.