Meetings are a fact of life - not just in business, but in our everyday existence. Whether it involves two or two hundred people, it is always a much better experience when the person organizing the meeting takes time to plan ahead and considers the other people involved. Preparation will help assure that people attend, achieve results, and follow through on actions taken.

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	Sue Voyles

It is always a good idea to apply a few common-sense rules to the process - below are seven practical steps for a successful meeting:

1. Begin with the end in mind.

• Define your purpose. Do you want to inform, influence, motivate?
• Is the meeting part of a bigger picture? Define the pieces.
• Does this meeting need to lead to anything else?
• What information or actions needs to “stick” following the meeting?

2. Define the audience.

• Who needs to be involved?
• Who else needs to know?
• What will make the right people want to participate? Try to “stand in their shoes.”
  

3. Allow plenty of lead time.

• Remember that calendars fill quickly.
• Provide complete information - include details on who, what, when, where, and why.
• Always provide a feedback loop for questions, arrangements, etc.
• Build in contingency plans - system failures, last minute attendees, follow-up info, etc.
  

4. Prepare participants.

• Provide directions to the site that include all of the variables - i.e., parking, security, entry doors, etc.
• Let them know the rules for participation and courtesy. (Don’t put phones on hold during a conference call, etc.)
• Send an agenda prior to the meeting.
  

5. The mind can only absorb what the body can endure - shorter is better.

• Be sure the room setup works for the situation - adequate room, comfort, and audio-visual equipment (always test it beforehand).
• Plan the agenda with logical progression and adequate breaks.
• Make sure that speakers project their voices for all who are listening - back of the room, conference call, recording device, etc.
• Provide refreshments, or at least access to them, if the meeting will be longer than two hours.
  

6. Keep everything positive.

• Acknowledge challenges as they occur, but emphasize the positive aspects of any topic.
• Realize that excitement and confidence will help sell ideas, while pointing out negatives will discourage participation.
• Make all participants feel like their involvement is important.
  

7. End on a high note.

• What’s the take-away that conveys a sense of momentum?
• Briefly summarize the outcomes.
• Always end with what’s next.

About the Company :

Logos Communications, Inc., of Canton, Michigan, is a full-service public relations and marketing firm serving a wide range of small to medium-sized businesses. It provides ongoing counsel to the 20,000 member Michigan Business and Professional Association (MBPA) and is Best Practices Certified™ through the Management Impact Institute (MII), an education and certification program created by the MBPA in partnership with Davenport University.

About the Author:

Susan Voyles has spent the past 21 years in the communications and marketing field. In 1999, she founded the public relations firm, Logos Communications, Inc. (Canton, Mich.). Her clients represent diverse industries such as automotive, financial services, staffing, business media, information technology, law, human resources, education, human services, and business associations. Her company provides editorial management for Corp!, Michigan’s largest business magazine.

Susan possesses a master’s degree in journalism from Michigan State University and a bachelor’s degree in English and journalism from Madonna University. She is a part-time journalism instructor at Schoolcraft College and a certified instructional designer for General Motors University. She also holds a Best Practices business certification from the Management Impact Institute.

She has been very involved with Women in Communications of Detroit, a local chapter of the Association for Women in Communications, and the National Association of Women Business Owners-Greater Detroit Chapter, and is a past board member for both groups. Susan currently serves on the board for the Association for Women in Communications, a longstanding national association of professional communicators, and the Madonna University Foundation.

In 2004, she received the Innovator Award from the National Association of Women Business Owners-Detroit Chapter and in 2005 she was honored with the Headliner Award from Women in Communications of Detroit.

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