Scheduling and Running a Meeting
Meetings are a standard feature in the lives of salespersons. Sales-oriented companies have frequent meetings per day; some companies even allow their team managers to call meetings every other hour to keep motivating their teammates.
The most important skill needed in scheduling and running a meeting is that the manager should be updated and informed. He should have the ability to pre-empt some situations and be ready with the solutions to them.
Some other key steps that are needed to followed for an effective meeting are −
Make your objectives clear − before calling a meeting, make sure that you realize what is the purpose of the meeting and what is the output you are expecting out of it.
Mention the list of invited members − in advance, so that the team members know which points might be raised and they can prepare accordingly. This also lets them know if they are going to share some data with the other people in the meeting.
Create a proper schedule of meeting − for everyone, so that everyone can make a confirmed attendance. Keep the meeting on schedule and try to end it within the allotted time. Ensure that everyone gets equal time to put across their points, views, opinions, feedback, etc
Decision should not be lop-sided − and the final decision must always be taken in agreement with all the members. Make proper conversation with others to get a desired result.
Creating a schedule of timing − helps in allotting time to people to present their points, and also for brainstorming after the proposal. It is important to start and conclude meetings on time, but it is even more crucial to hear every voice.
Restrict usage of phones and communicative devices − as much as possible in the meeting hall. Request the teammates to not carry their phones to the meetings and if they do, then keep them in silent mode.
Sales Managers also follow a common practice of distributing a common sheet in the meeting hall, so that everyone knows what points will be discussed in the meeting. Such sheets or agendas, are drawn much before the meeting is called. It helps keeping the discussion focused on different points.
