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Meetings can be very useful and engaging, but if they are not conducted well, they can wind up squandering time, especially if you already have a full agenda.

Professionals in all industries deal with this issue; it’s not simply a problem for digital marketers.

Meetings may be more impactful and focused if you adhere to a few fundamental rules, whether you’re moderating a strategic brainstorming session or leading a brief check-in.

In today’s changing workplace, when remote and hybrid arrangements mean in-person time is scarce and must be used effectively, this is even more important.

We’ll look at nine useful strategies in this article to help you conduct meetings more successfully. We’ll also highlight some AI-powered solutions that can help you improve your meetings.

1. Set a clear agenda
2. Know your desired outcomes
3. Find the right environment
4. Prepare talking points
5. Give everyone a chance to speak
6. Encourage ideas & solutions
7. Be mindful of the time
8. Define clear next steps & actions
9. Ask for feedback

Meeting success cannot be ensured by merely putting individuals in a room, whether in person or virtually.

We at the Digital Marketing Institute have studied the true effectiveness of meetings in great detail.

These nine tried-and-true techniques will help you conduct meetings that are worthwhile, productive, and focused.

Meetings without a defined goal can seem pointless when you’re juggling a busy schedule, like most marketers do. Sending out an agenda ahead of time is crucial because it establishes expectations, identifies any preparation work needed, and guarantees that everyone is prepared.

To keep things on track during the meeting, project the agenda onto a screen or, for in-person sessions, distribute printed copies. In virtual meetings, when distant team members might not be completely up to date on the most recent developments, this is extremely beneficial.

If the talk veers off topic, an agenda serves as a guide to bring it back on track. Saying “That’s a great point, but let’s save it for the next X meeting” is one example. It’s an easy method to maintain concentration without losing important concepts.

Decide what you want to accomplish before the meeting even starts.

Are you trying to think of new ideas? Acceptance of a budget? Or helping teammates who are working on a challenging project?

To guarantee that you arrive at a significant conclusion, establish your goal in advance and direct the conversation. Make use of the last few minutes to assign tasks and lay out the next steps; this puts the discussion into action and makes sure that everyone is aware of what is expected of them going forward.

Additionally, ensure that each person has a purpose for attending. Respect someone’s time if they aren’t actively involved in the project or decision-making; they are most likely needed elsewhere.

Meetings can take place almost anywhere since remote and hybrid work are now commonplace. Selecting the appropriate format is crucial; consider whether an online meeting is adequate or if a face-to-face meeting is required.

Virtual environments are ideal for regular operational meetings, such as weekly team check-ins or daily stand-ups. Things stay focused and efficient with a brief roundtable that includes time for questions at the end.

Meetings for business development or “builder” can also be conducted remotely; just be sure to have a clear agenda and use screen sharing to show slides or other visuals so that everyone is in agreement.

However, strategic meetings that emphasise big-picture thinking, introspection, and brainstorming are frequently more productive when held in person. Face-to-face interaction and teamwork are beneficial to these sessions.

Pay attention to who is available. If in-person participation is required, give ample warning, particularly to remote team members who might have to make the trip. Above all, though, remember the goal of the meeting and the intended results.

Take a look at: How to Lead a Remote Team (and the Resources to Support You)

Bring important conversation points if you’re hosting a meeting that involves idea creation or brainstorming. In addition to helping you refocus the discussion if it starts to veer off course, these should be in line with the project’s objectives and intended results.

To get feedback, try asking targeted questions on a shared screen or whiteboard. For instance, ask yourself, “What worked well?” when evaluating a marketing effort that didn’t meet your expectations. or “How might we have handled it differently?”

This method can provide a variety of insights and promotes candid conversation. More significantly, it assists you in finding recurring themes or points of agreement that can guide subsequent campaigns and improve outcomes.

Even though each person has a clear role or job title, it can be useful to put those aside during a meeting, particularly if the objective is to strategise or innovate. Creativity and new ideas might be stifled when input is restricted to job descriptions (for example, allowing the marketing manager to discuss marketing alone).

Recognise who is present and give each voice room. Not everyone is outspoken by nature; other people might require some prodding. It is your responsibility as the meeting facilitator to solicit feedback and pose intelligent queries to engage more reserved team members.

It frequently comes down to personality balancing. Change the topic by asking open-ended questions or proactively allowing others to contribute if a select few are controlling the conversation.

Encouraging webcams to provide a more personal touch, muting when not speaking to prevent disruptions, and utilising tools like the “raise hand” option to help manage input and give everyone an opportunity to contribute are all ways to maintain online meetings lively and inclusive.

Set the tone early on if the goal of your meeting is to solve problems or generate ideas. Request in advance that participants provide two or three ideas or possible solutions.

Go around the table (or virtual room) during the meeting and ask everyone to contribute. Give everyone a chance to comment and discuss each suggestion. Have someone take notes for future reference, and make sure you concentrate on the concept rather than the person delivering it.

This strategy is also effective for dealing with difficulties. For example: “What new strategies could help us connect with 18–25-year-olds? We’re having trouble engaging them.”

By soliciting feedback beforehand, you allow everyone—especially those who might not feel comfortable speaking up on their own—time to reflect. It guarantees that all opinions are heard and helps level the playing field.

Although it’s easy for meetings to drag on, they shouldn’t. It’s crucial to keep to your time slot if you have one set aside. As the organiser, it is your duty to honour the fact that people schedule their days around meetings.

Be consistent, start and finish on time. People will respect the meeting time as much as you do if you are good at managing your time.

Attendees will know that the meeting won’t linger on or conflict with other commitments if it is consistent. Include brief breaks for things like checking emails or getting coffee if you’re organising a lengthier session. Resetting for a short while helps improve concentration and involvement.

Tip: According to a Dialpad survey, more than 75% of respondents prefer meetings to be set for particular days or times. Wednesdays typically feature the longest meetings, whereas Mondays are the most frequent day for meetings. Make better use of this knowledge to schedule more efficient sessions.

What transpires following a meeting is the real indicator of its success. At the end of every meeting, always allot time to allocate responsibility for each assignment and define the next steps. A positive conclusion also guarantees that everyone departs inspired and with a clear understanding of what comes next.

There should be a distinct owner for every action item. Simply ask, “Is it okay if I assign that one to you, X?” or solicit donations. when someone’s role is obviously defined.

To prevent misunderstandings, provide a synopsis of the main conclusions and duties that were allocated after the meeting. Everyone may view the most recent updates and follow progress if notes are kept in a shared document or folder.

One of my main goals in project meetings is to enter tasks and results straight into our project management system, as stated by Dave Behan of DMI. We stay on course and follow up on our review meetings in this manner, ensuring that nothing falls between the cracks.

Remember to specify due dates. Timelines that are clear promote accountability. The following meeting is a good chance to discuss any obstacles and provide assistance if necessary if something hasn’t been finished.

You may believe that your daily check-ins are fruitful or that your meetings are going well, but others may have a different opinion.

For this reason, it’s crucial to check in on a regular basis. Decide on a schedule that works for you (monthly is a good place to start) and get input from your team to see how the meetings are going.

Keep things open and upbeat; there’s no need to put pressure on anyone. “Is there anything we could do to make these meetings more relevant or helpful for you?” is a good example. This promotes candid feedback and demonstrates your want to make the process better.

Additionally, here is a useful checklist to make sure that feedback is effective and constructive whether it is given or received.

Taking a step back and doing a meeting audit to see how many meetings your staff is attending is also a smart idea. Some people discover that attending more than three meetings in a single day hinders their capacity to complete important tasks.

Consider whether meetings are impeding your ability to be productive. If so, a reevaluation may be warranted. Stress, exhaustion, and ultimately burnout can result from an overfull calendar.

In order to provide our staff with uninterrupted time for concentrated work, we implemented a “No-Meeting Wednesdays” policy at DMI. This small adjustment has had a significant impact on preserving balance.

For further advice on promoting wellbeing at work, see 10 Strategies to Manage Burnout.

It can be rather difficult to run a meeting while attempting to take thorough notes, but there are some amazing AI tools that can make it easier for you to do both.

Here are few that are worth seeing:

Otter.ai provides automated note-taking and real-time transcription.

Clara is a clever scheduling tool that can assist you with calendar management.

Grain: Captures, distributes, and summarises video conferences

Miro is a collaborative virtual whiteboard that’s ideal for ideation meetings.

Notion AI creates action items, summarises meeting notes, and creates templates for future sessions.

Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet are all integrated with Fireflies.ai, which transcribes meetings and highlights important topics.

Equal Time: Monitors attendance, keywords, and even the identity of the person posing enquiries.

With real-time transcription, highlighting, and automated note-taking during video chats, Zoom AI Companion increases productivity.

Try one (or more!) of these tools; they can improve meeting efficiency, streamline your workflow, and free you up to concentrate on taking the lead.

Meetings are an effective way to generate ideas, collaborate, and communicate as a team. However, in the absence of structure, they are prone to veer off course and eventually lose their impact.

Here’s a helpful checklist to help you conduct more productive, successful meetings by keeping everyone on task.

Any digital marketing leader must have strong communication and teamwork skills, and productive meetings are crucial for leading and assisting your group.

The DMI Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Marketing is intended to give you the cutting-edge abilities and resources required to succeed in a senior position in any sector. You will gain proficiency in a variety of areas, including demand creation, social media, analytics and planning, corporate strategy, and leadership.

Enrol now to take your career to the next level and start along the road to success as a leader!