When planning a meeting, you must communicate all relevant information clearly and concisely. You must provide a description of the time, place and topic of discussion. You may also need to take notes if any preparations or materials are needed for the meeting. No matter what medium you use, email or Outlook app, make sure important information is passed on so all invitees know it and can predict what they're up against.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Writing Strong Subjects
Step 1. Write a short and relevant subject along with the date and topic of the meeting
Writing these things in the subject box allows the invitees to understand the time and topic of the meeting without having to open the email. For example, you might write, “Meeting 01/03: new reporting guidelines.”
Warning:
If you don't write down the topic of the meeting, people may reply to ask if the meeting is relevant to their department or if they should attend. So make sure you write down the topic of the meeting!
Step 2. Request confirmation of attendance in the subject box
If you must know who is coming, ask for confirmation in the subject box. That way, readers will know they need to respond as quickly as possible even if they haven't opened the email. You can write, “Friday 10/06 HR meeting, please confirm soon.”
You can also write, “Please respond: HR meeting 10/06.”
Step 3. If the meeting is urgent, write it in the subject box
If the topic of the meeting is urgent or requires a quick decision so that the meeting must be held immediately, mark an emergency in the subject box. For example, you might write, “Emergency meeting Monday 31/02: cybersecurity.”
It is very important to explain the subject of the meeting so that the reader can guess what will be discussed
Step 4. Write down whether the meeting is mandatory or just a suggestion
If you work for a large company, the presence of certain people may not always be necessary. Write the relevant departments in the subject box or let them know if they must attend. For example, you might write, “Mandatory marketing meeting 6/10.”
If the reader is not required to attend, you can write “It is recommended to attend the 10/6 meeting on efficient marketing tactics.”
Step 5. Use full words in the subject box to avoid confusion
Abbreviations may seem efficient, but they are actually less specific than complete words and can lead to confusion. For example, “KK” can mean “Family Card” or “Credit Card” depending on who understands or doesn't understand your personal language.
However, you can use common abbreviations, such as “RSVP”, “HR”, and “KTP”
Method 2 of 3: Writing Email Content
Step 1. Write a friendly, brief introduction and short notes
Introducing yourself is necessary if you work for a large company or if you don't know everyone. In this brief introduction, you should convey if there are documents or materials that must be completed/brought to the meeting.
Create a friendly or job-relevant introduction. For example, “Hello, Tim! Can't wait for the new program to launch next week!”
Tip:
Remind readers if they have to complete a specific task or bring something to a meeting. For example, “Don't forget to bring 4 hard copies of your vendor contact list.”
Step 2. Write the date and time on a separate line so that it stands out
This is important information for the invitees. So, make it clear and stand out from the other sentences around it. Space two lines above and below it or write in bold.
- Example: “October 6, 2020, 10.30 - 11.45 WIB”
- If the meeting is taking place online, provide time zone information so that people in different time zones don't fall behind due to miscommunication. For example, you could write: “October 6, 2020, 10.30 - 11.45 WIB (GMT+8)”
Step 3. Write the location after the date and time
Make sure the location is also prominently written like the date and time, especially if the meeting is being held in a new location, hard to find, or if you know that some of the invitees are unfamiliar with the location. For virtual meetings (via live forums or video chat), provide a direct link for invitees to easily access the forum or video link.
When giving directions, be as detailed as possible. Example: “Please come to the 592 meeting room at the Sasana Widya Sarwono Building (Jalan Gatot Subroto No. 10). Room 592 is on the 2nd floor of the building. So you have to take the elevator from the ground floor, stop at the 12th floor, and use the elevator at the south side of the building (to your left) to go up to the 59th floor.”
Step 4. Share the purpose of the meeting
Notify the invitee of the purpose of the meeting. Telling a short agenda will help invitees understand what tasks they need to complete beforehand. You can name the topic (such as “Cybersecurity Update”) or you can schedule:
- 10.30 - 10.45 Provide the latest project status information
- 10.45 - 11.10 Compare and choose decent offers
- 11.10 - 11.30 Brainstorm and launch targets
Step 5. Double-check the email for grammatical or informational errors
The most important thing to double check is the date, time, and location of the meeting. Make sure these three things are correct! You can also reread the introduction, agenda, or any other notes you may have added to make sure you have provided all the required information.
Read aloud to make sure your writing is clear and concise before sending an email
Method 3 of 3: Using Outlook or the Integrated Calendar App
Step 1. Click “New Meeting” on the home menu in Outlook
If your company uses a communications database with an integrated calendar, such as Outlook, use it to plan meetings. This medium is generally the communication channel chosen by the people you work with.
If your company doesn't use Outlook or a similar service, use the email provided by your agency to send out invitations
Step 2. Select the time and date from the “Scheduling Assistant” window
After creating a new meeting, a calendar window will appear. Click “Scheduling Assistant” and highlight the available time and date for the meeting.
Make sure you choose the right time for the invitees to attend. Depending on the company's application, you may have to change the display settings so that everyone's (and you) schedule appears on the screen
Step 3. Add invitees by typing their names or using the address book
Click the text box to enter the name manually or scroll through the address book and select an invitee name from the list. Use the “Scheduling Assistant” function to check the availability of the invitation time.
If the invitees don't have free time, their names will be highlighted. The scheduler assistant will even provide recommended times to suit your schedule and other invitees
Step 4. Set the start and end time of the meeting
Make sure the date matches the one you set earlier. Click the calendar button if you need to change it. Use the down arrow to the right of the time list to select an appropriate meeting time.
Writing down the meeting ending time is your way of respecting the other person's time so they can predict what's going to happen and plan trips or work for the day
Step 5. Click “Appointment” under “Meeting” at the top of the screen
You will return to the schedule screen and you can see your meeting has been scheduled. After that, you can add a subject, location and notes.
If you don't see the meeting entry in the schedule screen, go back to the previous steps and repeat until your meeting schedule appears
Step 6. Write down the subject, location, and specific notes
Inform the meeting topic in a few short words (Example: “New Product Test”). Tell the specific location. Write down location instructions if the place is not commonly used for meetings or is difficult to reach. Give additional notes (such as preparations they have to do) that are relevant to the meeting.
- Give the address of the location even though it is likely that the invitee already knows it.
- Click “send” when you are done.
Tip:
Don't use a subject that's too broad, such as “brainstorming” because these kinds of words don't give clear information about the purpose of the meeting. You can replace it with, “brain the mind about a vendor for a new product.”
Tips
- When rereading an email or invitation, make sure it's brief and uncluttered.
- Use a friendly and professional tone.
- Double check the recipient list to make sure all targets have been invited.
- Type the email address into the “bcc” box if you want to hide the entire email address from the recipients.
Warning
- Don't write invitations or emails without a date, time, and location. The invitees will be confused and you will receive dozens of replies asking about these things.
- Do not write in all capital letters as it will be interpreted as shouting and that is very unprofessional.
