Entrepreneurs -Meetings – Make Them Effective And Profitable

Guest post by: Lee Lister
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What Type of Business Should I Start? - By Lee Lister

First of all why hold a meeting? These are the only reasons I could find.
* Communication - what’s going on? A two way meeting e.g. team meeting.
* Informative - what is happening? Broadcasting news e.g. company changes, product launches.
* Present a proposal - how we want to do it? A sales pitch, part of a bid or as a result of some fact finding.
* Progress - what we’ve done so far? Progress meeting usually project based.
* Fact finding - obtain information. To obtain information from users

Now you need to prepare yourself for the meeting.
* Identify the aim of the meeting. Decide what type of meeting and what your aims and objectives are in holding or attending the meeting.
* Collect your information together. Collect together any documents and information that you need to bring. Decide what questions you want to ask. Review the minutes of the meeting.
* Presentations. Put together any presentations or proposals that you are bringing to the meeting. Make sure that your equipment is working and available for the meeting.

Attendees are very important to a successful meeting. Smaller meetings work better, but only if you identify the correct people. For a successful meeting you should invite:
* The person/people who CAN make the decisions that you require to be made.
* People involved in decision making process
* People who hold KEY information required during the meeting
* People who may be affected by any decisions being made
* People who NEED to be involved

Beware those people who think that attending a meeting makes them more important. Extra people at the meeting is just extra work and time consuming.

Now you need to organise your meeting
* Prepare questions, scenarios, options or proposals
* Plan and prepare agenda
* Identify appropriate venue
* Identify Chair
* Inform attendees
* Send agenda and objectives of the meeting
* Verify attendance
* Ensure attendees are prepared

Remember, If you don’t know what is happening how will anyone else?

Managing your meeting
* Come prepared
* Open the meeting, stating objectives and timings
* Ensure Chair manages meeting
* Keep to agenda, but be flexible when important matters come up.
* Keep to the point and discourage long discussions over minor points.
* Document all decisions, action points and requirements or changes.

After the meeting
* Get the minutes prepared and distributed – if appropriate.
* Review to ascertain that the aims of the meeting were met.

Just remember that short meetings with short agendas are more efficient and more popular. I always find that late Friday afternoon meetings are the quickest and more effective! Good luck.

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What Type of Business Should I Start? - By Lee Lister

About the Author: Lee Lister

RSS for Lee's articles - Visit Lee's website
Lee Lister is a Business Consultant with more than 25 year's consultancy experience for many household names. She is known as The Bid Manager or The Biz Guru.
From an early age she began an unparalleled journey through business consulting that continues to span across the UK, USA, Europe and Asia. She has consulted for a considerable number of companies all over the world. Specialising in business change management, start up consultancy and trouble shooting. Lee's experience in marketing and internet marketing is also keenly sought after.

She is a prolific published writer of books, ebooks and articles and can easily be found on major search engine and Amazon. Her books include: FastTrack Bid Management, Proposal Writing For Smaller Businesses, How Much Does It Cost To Start A Business, Entrepreneur's Apprentice and a series of Start My New Business books that do as they say in the title!

Her major web sites are:
http://www.BizGuru.us
http://www.Bid-Manager.com
http://www.MarketingGuerrillas.com
http://www.StartMyNewBusiness.com

Click here to visit Lee's website.

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