One of the worst things any marketing organization can do is to take a meeting for the wrong reason.

A face to face meeting is a prime opportunity to accomplish something valuable in a business relationship.  So you need to be clear on why you want this meeting, and that whomever you’re meeting with has the same or similar understanding.

Recently, I attended a meeting where a consultant thought he was there to help a client develop an approach to solve a particular problem.  However, the client already had a pretty good handle on the plan of attack, they simply were looking for help to hone the plan and to execute it.

This joint misunderstanding led to frustration for both the consultant and the client and ultimately a major opportunity was diminished.

Moral: We work hard and spend money to make and develop new relationships.  Be sure there is up front agreement on the reason for an encounter and check in along the way to be sure you’re staying on course.

Your reputation and your business depend on it.

Posted by: Steve Banis