Meeting Expectations

So, you have a potential client who's requested a meeting with you—at "your office". But, you work at home. And, if you're anything like me, your home may not be worthy of a spread in Architectural Digest, or even Not-Quite-A-Safety-Hazard Gazette. What to do?

As an independent professional, I've had meetings literally everywhere you can imagine — ;parking lots, onboard boats, and at mutual friends' weddings. I've even met extremely busy clients at their supermarket and walked the aisles with them, asking questions while they shopped. But, that's a bit extreme. There are several more tame options for alternate venues for meetings. Here are a few:

Go to see them. When I offer to "come to them", most clients are thrilled and flattered—they think that you're taking great care of them, and they're glad to not have to worry about travel time. If they work out of their home, they may be comfortable having the meeting at their place. I've even found that going into my clients' offices and homes helps to give me an idea of their design and organizational styles. It even gives me an idea of how much project management may be required on a particular project—if their home is chaotic, there's a good chance that the project will be, too.
Just be sure to take allergy medication if you have any pet allergies—you never know when "Fluffy" may be lying in wait. Pets are even common in offices these days—which I learned the hard way (with a combination of much sneezing and a rescheduled meeting).
There's always the local coffee shop. Though this option is now a bit "laughed at" as the official meet-up for freelancers, many clients don't mind meeting here. Make sure that you don't schedule the meeting for the early morning rush hours if possible, so you'll have some peace and quiet. Better yet, do an audit of the off-name coffee shops in your area; small, local places are often more cozy and atmospheric than the local Starbucks'. You may even find a shop nearby with free Internet access, which will enable you to show your live, online samples in a meeting—a great benefit.
Restaurants are a good option, too. Everyone needs to eat lunch, right? So, a restaurant can be the perfect place to take care of lunch and business at the same time. Visit several of the restaurants in your area to read the menus, get an idea of the food quality and options, the price range, and the atmosphere and seating arrangements. Do a bit of advance consultation on the restaurant choice with your client, too; it's a good idea to make sure your client's not a vegetarian if you're planning to take them to the steak house. And Plus, good etiquette often dictates that you pick up the tab. (At least it's tax deductible.)
Hotel lobbies can be comfortable. There's a hotel by my house that has a grand, sweeping foyer with several groupings of armchairs, sofas and tables. This particular hotel is very accommodating to occasional business meetings; but you may want to check your local hotel before scheduling a meeting there. I suggest phoning ahead to inquire whether they'd mind if you have a meeting there, or go by yourself and "hang out" for an hour or two, with your laptop or a good book, to make sure that their security team doesn't get itchy about your presence. You don't want to get shut down mid-meeting!
Many public and school libraries have conference rooms. You can either use these rooms on a first-come, first-served basis, or you can sign up for a specified time—depending on the library. The good news here is that you get a large, private, quiet space, and if there is a cost associated, it's often minimal.
Check with your professional associations. Many professional associations offer meeting space as a member benefit. For example, some Chambers of Commerce offer their meeting rooms to their membership. Check with the associations that you belong to, and see if they offer any spaces to conduct meetings.
Outdoor sculpture gardens or parks can boost creativity. For these two options to work, you need favorable weather and an open-minded client, and when the combination's right, great things can come of these meetings. Walking while you talk can also keep the inspiration, and your blood, flowing. A dog-owning client will often love this idea—as long as you like dogs too, invite the pooch along!
Form an alliance. If you have a friend, business acquaintance or client with an office space, you may be able to arrange to take an occasional meeting at their workplace. I have a couple of such alliances, and I offer my alliance partners small consultations and bits of help in exchange.
Rent-a-room. I'm not talking about a sleazy motel room! If you'd like to present a buttoned-down, professional image, there are several options for conference rooms that you can rent by the hour. There are "Executive Centers" popping up all around the world that rent out office space and conference rooms on an as-needed basis. HQ Global (www.hq.com), some FedEx Kinkos (http://www.fedex.com/us/officeprint/storesvcs/technology/conference.html?link=4) locations and many hotels offer executive meeting space.

Choosing a great place to have a meeting involves developing a bit of intuition about your client, and doing some research on the options available in your area. However, with a touch of creativity and sometimes a bit of cash, you can find a great place that will be host to a comfortable, project-winning or relationship-building meeting.

About the Author

Erin Ferree, founder of elf design, helps small businesses stand out from their competition so that they can connect with their best customers. She does this by working with business owners to define their brands, and then using that definition to create logos, marketing materials and websites that show how they shine.

She also believes that all of a business's brand materials should be not just pretty, but also designed effectively and strategically. This produces a winning combination of materials that communicate visually, look stunning and are designed effectively, which help her clients reach their target audiences.

She writes about design, branding and marketing through her eBooks, her blog at www.not-just-pretty.com, and in free articles in her newsletter, "Stand Out", which you can subscribe to at http://www.elf-design.com/newsletter.html.

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