Do you need help when it comes to scheduling a meeting?

Are you looking for specific question to ask when you’re in process of getting your meeting on the books?

You probably schedule a lot of appointments and meetings in your calendar in any given week.

Between numerous emails, phone calls, and texts, you know the scheduling process can take a whole lot of time and effort.

Fortunately, there is an easy way to cut down on these back-and-forth communications.

What’s the solution? It’s to ask the right questions…at the right time!

In this post, you’ll find practical tips to help you schedule your meetings and appointments like a pro.

Asking thoughtful questions at the correct time can save you a lot of time and energy.

The reason for this is simple: if you collect all the information you need at once, you won’t have to spend additional time doing so in future.

What’s more, having schedule-related information in-hand is a practical way to prepare for a meeting.

You can order meeting refreshments, develop presentation materials, and plan seating arrangements far in advance of your gathering.

Learn The Five Ws.

Have you ever heard of The Five Ws?

It’s a method of gathering information that is most commonly seen in news reporting.

The Five Ws are: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.

For our purposes, we’re going to include a bonus “W,” that of, How.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with The Five Ws and memorize them; they’re going to come in handy!

Ask detailed questions.

Whether you’re setting up an appointment for yourself or scheduling a meeting on someone’s behalf, it’s a good idea to collect as much information as possible.

The easiest way to collect necessary information is to go through each of The Five Ws and answer them in turn.

Here are a couple of Five W questions to get you started:

Who – Who will attend the meeting? What are their names, titles, and positions? How many people will attend the meeting?

What – What type of meeting or appointment is going to take place? Is it professional or personal, private or public, formal or informal? What subject(s) will be covered?

When – What is the specific day, month, and year of the appointment or meeting? At what time will it be held? How long will it last?

Where – Where will the meeting be held? Will it be held in a specific physical location, or will it take place remotely via conference or video call? If the meeting is to be held in a physical location, what is the street address, floor number, and room name? If the meeting is remote, what is the call-in number, video link, meeting ID, and passcode?

Why – Why is this appointment or meeting being scheduled? For what specific reasons is this meeting being held?

How – How will this meeting be run? Will it be run by a group of people or a single person? How will attendees travel to the meeting? How will attendees contribute to the meeting? Are there any materials that need to be prepared ahead of time?

Thoroughly review information.

Now that you’ve collected information about your upcoming meeting, it’s time to review everything in detail.

Is all of the information complete? Are there any incomplete or missing items?

And most importantly, does all of the information in your possession make sense?

You may find it helpful to visualize the meeting or appointment in your mind, or create a dummy calendar entry in your schedule, so you can see everything at a glance.

If any information seems odd, incomplete, or just doesn’t add up, don’t be afraid to ask the meeting organizer(s) questions so you can receive a solid answer. 

Ask for meeting information ASAP.

Quick, what should you think of the moment someone proposes a meeting or appointment?

That’s right, The Five Ws! Remember, the sooner you can collect information about your meeting, the better.

To make sure you cover all of The Five Ws, you might try counting off the Ws on the fingers on one hand.

Another technique to try is to write down The Five Ws on a sticky note and affix it to your desk, computer monitor, bulletin board, notebook, or folio.

Keep in mind, it does take some practice and awareness to remember to ask The Five W’s.

Don’t be too upset with yourself if you happen to miss one or two items when scheduling a meeting or appointment.

Simply pick up the phone or send an email to secure the information you seek.  

How about you? What types of questions will you ask when you’re scheduling a meeting in future? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!