4 Tips to Make Creative Meetings Highly Productive

Almost every company has similar challenges, thus, they have similar needs and similar meetings with suppliers. This similarity ends up in similar meetings with similar shapes and sizes. Marketing meetings are all particularly close to each other, especially when managers are haven´t decided on exactly what they want. 

Here are 4 steps to pack these meetings quickly and efficiently and also take away the boredom: 

1. Stop the Fantasy

Many creative meetings come with creative ideas. Sometimes one can hear statements like “Let´s give them flowers or a box of chocolates. We can surely win their heart with that!” This is all wonderful but a long uncontrolled brainstorming can take away scarce and valuable minutes off everyone´s agenda.

2. Set Goals

Always ask where you´re going. There is no point in creating a whole fantasy without establishing exact, measurable goals. This will land everyone in their budget and force them to think and decide on a more realistic plan. Once the goals are set, we can start feeling more creative.

3. Assign Homework

Everyone on the table has to know what they have to do. If there are multiple specialists gathered on the same table then give each one something to do and then bring back. Once everyone knows where they are going and knows what their task is, we have productive teams.

4. Set Deadlines

Let them know when you need their input. Pressing people is always positive as long as it is realistic and friendly. As a supplier and consultant, clients are very happy to know when they can expect something back.

As a final recommendation I would suggest to keep meetings on a low amount. Try to keep track of assigned homework but avoid taking time off everyone´s schedule multiple times. Excessively long and frequent meetings can bore teams to death and end up being useless. Particular tasks are always better taken by production teams.