Welcome To Network Consult: ‘The meeting is important, so be prepared’

When it comes to a business meeting, it’s very
important to be prepared and not waste the
other party’s time, particularly if you’re the one
who wants something. There’s a story told about
a young man who’d been trying very hard to see
a very important potential investor in his
business venture. The businessman finally
invited the young man to pass by his home early
one morning for breakfast. The man was
relaxed, in his home setting.
As they walked into the dining room, the young
man spotted a picture of the man shaking hands
with a famous football player.
“Sir, I see you know this great football player!”
the young man remarked excitedly.
“Yes, I know him very well.”
“Wow! So you also support Man U?”
“Yes, I have supported Man U since I was a boy.”
“Sir, I’m also a Man U supporter!”
“That’s good,” said the businessman, pointing
the young man to a chair. The young man asked
the elder investor what it was like to meet this
famous player in person. It turned out the
businessman knew a lot about football, and
began to talk about important games that he’d
seen.
“Sir, you saw that game in person?”
“I was there.”
“Wow.”
The conversation continued about football for
the next 30 minutes as they ate a wonderful
meal. The young man really enjoyed the food
and felt he’d struck a good discussion with the
elder man now that they’d found a common
interest. They were even laughing and joking
together as they shared “football talk.”
They had barely finished the meal when
someone came in and whispered something to
the businessman. He looked at his watch and got
up suddenly.
“I’m sorry, but I need to see the President,” he
said, and with that got up and left. Meeting over.
The young man never got another chance to
meet the investor.
Sadly, this happens to a lot of people, and often
they have themselves to blame. You must be
well prepared when you go to see a potential
partner or investor, particularly when it’s you
who requested the meeting. Know what you
came for, and don’t meander away.
Lessons:
“Remember that good fortune often happens
when opportunity meets with preparation,” said
the great inventor Thomas A. Edison (who
patented about 1000 inventions including the
historic one that led to a commercially viable
incandescent light bulb!) Be well prepared.
Preparation is everything.
Don’t get sidetracked and lead the discussion
into something that adds absolutely no value to
what you’ve come for. Their conversation about
football should have ended once they sat down,
even if it was of interest to the other party.
Politely lead the conversation into what you
came to discuss.
When a business meeting includes a meal, it’s
best to arrive having already eaten. Choose the
least complicated food on offer, and the quickest
to be delivered. You did not come for food; you
can eat at home.
Get the deal done, my friend. Don’t waste time!
Avoid those long-winded greetings, without
being rude.
Have your “best slide” with you, in case they ask
for something in writing.
Don’t give them a 50-page document. They will
not read it. A “two-pager,” with numbers, will
invite a more detailed submission.
Practice and practice your presentation.
Be relaxed. Being well prepared makes you
relaxed.
Over 200 years ago, Benjamin Franklin gave
advice that’s probably even more relevant today:
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”