We’ve all done it. We show up for a meeting and then ask ourselves – or the other person – why are we here? What are we doing?
While this approach may be ok for a casual or social meeting, it’s not a good approach for a meeting with a donor, a board member, or key stakeholder. Here’s how I make sure I’m always prepared for an important meeting.
First, once the meeting is confirmed. I immediately drop a note into my calendar to remind myself of the purpose of the meeting. A short note like “update Stephanie on the new project” or “new board member introduction meeting” helps me remember why I put the meeting on the calendar in the first place.
Second, I carve out time to prepare for the meeting. I set 20 minutes on my calendar a few days prior to the meeting. I may make a short outline for the meeting or put a couple of bullets on the specific topics I want to cover. Once I cover the basics, I ask myself these questions:
- What is this person expecting from this conversation?
- How do I want them to feel at the end of the meeting?
- What am I worried about? How can I address it?
- What information do I need before this conversation?
- Do you need to build a relationship?
- Do you need to deepen a relationship?
Being thoughtful about what the other person expects and what I can do to make them feel comfortable and at ease means that I position myself to have the best outcome possible.
When I plan a meeting where money may be discussed – including fundraising goals and gifts – I consider an additional set of questions:
- Do I plan to ask for money? If so, what is my approach?
- How will I share financial information?
- What materials do I need to prepare? What follow up may be needed?
I hope this framing makes these conversations a bit easier!