BUSINESS OT : The meeting is important, so be prepared - - -Billionaire Strive Masiyiwa

Pause:
When it comes to a business meeting, it's very important to be
prepared and not waste the other party's time, particularly if
you're the one who wants something.

There's a story told
about a young man who'd been trying very hard to see a very
important potential investor in his business venture. The
businessman finally invited the young man to pass by his
home early one morning for breakfast.

The man was relaxed,
in his home setting.
As they walked into the dining room, the young man spotted a
picture of the man shaking hands with a famous football
player.

"Sir, I see you know this great football player!" the young man
remarked excitedly.

"Yes, I know him very well."

"Wow! So you also support Man U?"

"Yes, I have supported Man U since I was a boy."

"Sir, I'm also a Man U supporter!"

"That's good," said the businessman, pointing the young man
to a chair.

The young man asked the elder investor what it was
like to meet this famous player in person.

It turned out the
businessman knew a lot about football, and began to talk
about important games that he'd seen.

"Sir, you saw that game in person?"
"I was there."
"Wow."

The conversation continued about football for the next 30
minutes as they ate a wonderful meal.

The young man really
enjoyed the food and felt he'd struck a good discussion with
the elder man now that they'd found a common interest. They
were even laughing and joking together as they shared

"football talk."

They had barely finished the meal when someone came in and
whispered something to the businessman.

He looked at his
watch and got up suddenly.

"I'm sorry, but I need to see the President," he said, and with
that got up and left. Meeting over. The young man never got
another chance to meet the investor.
Sadly, this happens to a lot of people, and often they have
themselves to blame.

You must be well prepared when you go
to see a potential partner or investor, particularly when it's you
who requested the meeting. Know what you came for, and
don't meander away.

Lessons:
# "Remember that good fortune often happens when
opportunity meets with preparation," said the great inventor
Thomas A. Edison (who patented about 1000 inventions
including the historic one that led to a commercially viable
incandescent light bulb!) Be well prepared. Preparation is
everything.

# Don't get sidetracked and lead the discussion into
something that adds absolutely no value to what you've come
for. Their conversation about football should have ended once
they sat down, even if it was of interest to the other party.
Politely lead the conversation into what you came to discuss.

# When a business meeting includes a meal, it's best to arrive
having already eaten. Choose the least complicated food on
offer, and the quickest to be delivered. You did not come for
food; you can eat at home.

# Get the deal done, my friend. Don't waste time!

# Avoid those long-winded greetings, without being rude.

# Have your "best slide" with you, in case they ask for
something in writing.

# Don't give them a 50-page document. They will not read it. A
"two-pager," with numbers, will invite a more detailed
submission.

# Practice and practice your presentation.

# Be relaxed. Being well prepared makes you relaxed.
Over 200 years ago, Benjamin Franklin gave advice that's
probably even more relevant today:

"By failing to prepare, you
are preparing to fail."

End.