That’s because when your meeting is mostly a two-way conversation, it’s easy to get derailed and start discussing things that don’t relate to the main goal of the meeting. Meeting agenda: agendas are especially useful when there’s a lot of back-and-forth planned, like problem solving or planning meetings. Your attendees will be able to review what you’ve sent and come prepared with questions for you. Supporting documents: these are a good idea for meetings that are primarily about you informing your attendees-think presentations, lunch and learns, proposals, and workshops. Here are a few extra things you might include in the invitation based on on how you expect the information to flow in your meeting. If you’re ordering catering for the meeting, this is a good time to ask for any of your attendees’ dietary restrictions! Possible extras:ĭifferent types of meeting require different levels of preparation. RSVP: by committing to the meeting beforehand, your attendees will be less likely to back out at the last minute. If the meeting starts to go over the scheduled time, you can both decide at that time whether you want to continue, or whether to schedule another meeting to continue the conversation. Doubling up on this information will help ensure that your attendees don’t accidentally skim over it.Įstimated length: where possible, estimate the length so that your attendee can plan their day.

Even if your recipient knows roughly what the meeting is about, a brief sentence about the meeting content will jog their memory and help them prepare.ĭate, time, and location: even if your Zoom or calendar invite has this info embedded in it, include the date, time, and location (whether digital or physical) in the body of the email too. Your summary: this is your summary from the section above. When you’re meeting to address serious issues, adopt a more formal tone-but don’t be afraid to write a fun invitation for staff meetings, fun presentations, and appreciation events! The right greeting: choose a tone that matches the tone of your meeting. Include the meeting subject, time, and location so your attendee can see all the important information without even opening their inbox. Here are a few of the basics you should include in your email:Īn informative subject line: your subject should be as informative as possible, but not too long. Once you’ve determined that you have a case for a meeting and a proper summary, it’s time to structure your meeting request. Zoom fatigue is real, and your clients will be frustrated if it seems like the meeting is just a reiteration of a sales email or progress report. If you can’t think about why you need live attendees, your meeting might be better as an email or even a video recording. “Our lunch and learn will give you a detailed look at what we can offer you, with the chance to ask any questions you have along the way.”Īs you think about this summary, there’s one question you should ask yourself: Does this need to be a meeting?

Including these two points in the invitation will help the consultant see the value of the time they’ll spend. Although the presentation would take up most of the time, an important part of the meeting is that it gives the client the chance to ask questions along the way. From there, you’ll be better prepared to write a good meeting invitation that addresses all the key points.įor example, a business consultant might schedule a lunch and learn with a client to propose a new project. The key to writing a good meeting invitation is to think about what that interaction will look like: what information will you communicate? What information do you need from your attendees?Īnswer these two questions in a single sentence, and you’ve summarized what your meeting is really for. What is the purpose of a meeting invitation? Here’s everything you need to know to create your next meeting invitation. As a bonus, it will also signal to your clients that you’re coming to this meeting organized and prepared too.

But that’s where ineffective meetings start-and ineffective meetings cost companies billions each year.Ī good meeting invitation should summarize all the relevant details in one email, making it easy for everyone to prepare. – Make your next meeting more efficient with a great meeting invitationĪll too often, meeting invitations are just a link they’re the last communication in a chain of emails negotiating the time and content of the meeting.

Sample meeting agenda