A meeting is deemed ‘successful’ when a business deal is made, or the meeting goes as planned. For any effective meeting, a well-developed plan should be crafted to predict its outcomes, and this process is called meeting preparation. While executing that, it is essential to keep in mind the ‘3 Cs’:
- Clarify the purpose of meetings
- Create a scenario of advantages
- Crack the code of a successful presentation
Besides these points, a meeting checklist is also required to cover everything you have planned in the meeting preparation. This checklist will help you jot down the required information for the meeting and remind you how to deliver your pitch or present your idea for a successful discussion.
Meeting Checklist
Do Thorough Research On Your Clients
Whether you are meeting a couple of clients or multiple executives, knowing about the people you will engage in business with is essential. Check out their LinkedIn profile or have a peek at their Facebook account. Also, do some research on the work they have done in the past so that you can understand their likes, dislikes, personality, & more, and approach them accordingly during the meeting.
State The Objectives & Clear The Purpose
In the first 10–15 minutes, the purpose of the meeting should be clear to everyone in the room, along with the points, aspects, and objectives discussed throughout the session. No one wants their time taken for granted, so don’t end up discussing unimportant things in an attempt to cover every possible point; instead, stick to the purpose and make the meeting as concise as possible.
Discuss The Obstacles & Plans To Overcome Them
Once the meeting purpose is out of the way, you need to specify the roadblocks and explain how to get around them to build trust and make the people in the room believe you have a thoroughly planned idea. For example, state a problem and provide solutions to resolve it. This will pique their interest, make them focus on the outcomes, and improve their chances of success.
Schedule Future Meetings
Setting up another meeting creates an opportunity for additional interaction and works as an assurance. To leave a good impression & make the clients believe you are concerned about the meeting, remind them 24 hours before any further meetings are scheduled. You can then plan further meeting preparations and create a new checklist for other issues.
This concludes the meeting checklists and covers all the aspects you must remember for a successful & effective meeting.
