How to run a meeting 

Business meetings are essential to achieving strategic goals, driving productivity, and fostering collaboration. A successful business meeting is a skill that can elevate your professional prowess, whether you’re a small business owner seeking alignment, a corporate executive looking to impress clients or an event manager putting together a seamless gathering.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to run a successful business meeting and the best practices for meetings, covering both in-person and virtual formats. From budgeting to post-meeting follow-up, we’ve got you covered.

Set Clear Objectives

Every successful business meeting begins with a clear understanding of its purpose. Before you even think about logistics or budgets, take the time to define your objectives. Are you aiming to generate leads, foster collaboration, or update your team on business news? You must understand the ‘why’ behind your meeting before making any subsequent decisions.

Budget Wisely

Planning a budget is an essential part of organising a successful meeting. Begin by listing all possible costs, such as venue rental, catering, audiovisual equipment, and catering. Take into account the costs of travel and accommodation for in-person meetings. Include expenses for marketing, tech support, and virtual event platforms in your budget for online meetings. Make sure you have a contingency reserve to cover unanticipated costs.

Select the Right Venue

Choosing the perfect venue is key to the success of your meeting. Consider factors such as location, accessibility, capacity, and amenities. For in-person meetings, visit potential venues in person to ensure they meet your requirements. Don’t forget to negotiate contracts that include cancellation policies and backup plans in case of unforeseen circumstances.

Cater for Virtual meetings

In today’s digital age, virtual meetings have become increasingly popular. When planning a virtual meeting, invest in a reliable virtual event platform that offers features like live streaming, breakout rooms, and audience engagement tools. Test the platform thoroughly in advance to iron out any technical glitches and provide clear instructions to participants on how to access and navigate the virtual meeting space.

Create Engaging Content

Regardless of the format, the content of your meeting is what will ultimately drive engagement and deliver value to attendees. If applicable, mix up the speakers so there are different perspectives and actionable insights from the hosts, and incorporate interactive elements such as Q&A sessions, polls, and group discussions to keep participants engaged and encourage participation. 

Preparation

Arranging the logistics of a business meeting requires careful attention to detail. Make a thorough schedule covering all aspects of the meeting, from preparation to conclusion. Assign tasks to a committed group of people or team members to make sure everything goes as planned on the day of the event. Give participants in virtual meetings precise information on how to join the session, access documents, and how to fix any technical difficulties.

As the saying goes, if you fail to prepare, then prepare to fail! If you have prepared your meeting well then, there are fewer chances that something will go wrong!

Get Everyone Involved

Sometimes meetings can be dominated by the more extrovert or popular team members when it comes to participation, which is fine, not everyone has to say something. But think of ways to get everyone involved to help make them feel the meeting is productive and worthwhile. This could include splitting the meeting into small groups for a brainstorming session.

Make Time for Questions

Make sure you have enough time within your meeting agenda to have a Q&A session at the end. These sessions are important so anyone can ask any pressing questions relevant to the meeting there and then. If you make it clear there is a Q&A session at the end as well, it can save time answering any questions that might arise throughout the meeting.

Post-Meeting Follow-Up

The job doesn’t stop after the meeting ends. Follow-up is critical for reinforcing important ideas, gathering feedback, and developing relationships with participants. Send out a post-meeting survey to collect comments and insights that will help shape future meetings. Share the tools and information offered during the meeting with attendees, and offer options for further involvement, such as follow-up webinars or networking events.

Conclusion

Organising and running effective business meetings requires careful organisation, attention to detail, and a dedication to providing value to attendees. By following the procedures indicated in this guide, you can ensure that your meetings are not only effective but also make an impact on participants. Remember, the secret to a successful meeting resides in clear objectives, thoughtful planning, and smooth execution.

Meetings in London Bridge Hotel

Whether you are planning on hosting an in-person meeting or a virtual one, the London Bridge Hotel has all the facilities you need to run a successful business meeting.

We have a selection of five high-spec meeting rooms ranging from a 60-seat venue to a more intimate 6-seater room. Each room has all the equipment needed to host your meeting, including audio-visual equipment, air conditioning, programmable lighting, LCD screens, and high-speed wired and wireless internet. Our top-of-the-range telecom equipment means you can host a video conferencing session without any worries. 

See our Meeting Room venues in London Bridge.

The on-site bar the Quarter Bar & Lounge is an ideal venue for a post-meeting catch-up over a drink or a bite to eat, or there is also an option for private dining if you are looking to impress clients. If your business meeting is held over two days we have plenty of accommodation options available, including comfortable standard rooms to luxurious apartments.

Contact the London Bridge Hotel today to book your meeting room and our team will look forward to welcoming you and assisting you in any way they can to help you run a seamless and successful business meeting.