Trying to impress a prospect or a group of clients here are a few suggestions to make even a small business owner look more professional. As an experienced event planner I’ve learned there are several simple things meeting attendees expect from us. 

 Start on time. If you say the meeting is going to start at 8:30am then start the meeting at 8:30am. Do not wait on stragglers. Time is an extremely valuable and limited resource. Treat this meeting as if your attendees have a meeting immediately after yours, located on the other side of town. Starting and ending on time will earn you the right to invite them to another meeting.  

Have your agenda ready to go. Do not waste your attendees time because you are not organized. If you can, send the agenda before the meeting so they can be prepared for the discussion. If you can’t send the agenda before hand, have a hard copy printed for each attendee so they can follow along during the meeting.

Be creative in planning your meeting. Your attendees get bored with the same boring meetings held in the same boring office. Think outside the box and host your meeting in a different location. Some of my favorites here in Indy are: The Eiteljorg Museum, The Children’s Museum, The IMA, Scotty’s Brewhouse (for something informal), and for outdoor adventurers consider Eagle Creek or Fort Ben.

 Watch for future posts for more tips on how to conduct successful meetings.