Preparing for the First Meeting

Before the potential client arrives, you likely have a good idea or at least an inkling as to why the potential client wants to consult with you. Whoever set up the appointment for you would have gotten some initial information before setting up the meeting. Admittedly, sometimes that information is incomplete or off-base, but you can use it to prepare for your meeting.

If you know someone who wants to start a company, then you can create a checklist of what questions you’d like to ask. Creating a checklist and having it handy for other potential clients is a good idea. Some firms have Business Client Intake Forms. 💡 Take a look at this sample checklist and answer the following questions:

• What are the benefits of such a form?
• Does this form help you create your checklist?
• What problems do you see with this sample?
• If the client is consulting you to organize their company, can they answer all of the fields that are required?

It can be helpful to have Intake Forms but recognize that many entrepreneurs are excited to share their idea with you and not have to complete an impersonal form. My recommendation is to keep such a form short and for basic contact info purposes. You can take notes on the rest during your meeting.

💡 Consider: If Brenda and Priya come to you to discuss their business idea, what information will you need to gather from this first meeting? Keep in mind that this list can be added to throughout the course as we cover additional topics.

📖 Read this succinct blog post written by Jonathan R. Tung, “How to Prepare for Your First Client Meeting.”