3 ways to minimize time wasted in initial meetings

Oct 8, 2009 by Suzy Ogé    No Comments    Posted under: Entrepreneurship, Unsolicited Advice

You are building your network and meeting people, but it is often painfully clear in the initial meeting that there is a mismatch (no love connection)!  Many of these meetings come about from a referral in your network.  Here are 3 tips to minimize the number of these meetings you have and the amount of time you spend needlessly.

1.  Be extremely clear to your acquaintances about the following; what you do exactly and for whom, as well as your goals, priorities and the opportunities you are seeking.

(You might be surprised what people actually think you do, so check for comprehension!)

2.  When considering a meeting request, ask for the purpose of the meeting.  Clarifying the intention will help to set expectations accordingly.

3.  Finally, specify a fixed time for an initial meeting of 30 minutes or even 20. Meeting face to face is important once, to pick up on non-verbals, etc.  If there is a spark of interest and opportunity, you can always arrange a follow up or get down to business virtually.  The follow up and samples of  actual work are a better indication than the chatter anyway!

You can also use these tips when you are trying to get a meeting with someone who has a pit bull for a gatekeeper or is self-disciplined with their own time.  Request the meeting for a short, defined time period and with a specific goal that will appeal to the them. To greatly improve your chances of getting in the door, get a referral from someone they know and trust!

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