How can you keep your outreach meeting on topic?

Outreach meetings are a great way to engage with your community, share information, and gather feedback. But they can also be challenging to manage, especially if you have a diverse audience, multiple speakers, or limited time. How can you keep your outreach meeting on topic and achieve your goals? Here are some tips to help you plan and run an effective outreach meeting.

1 Define your purpose

Before you invite anyone to your outreach meeting, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish. Do you want to inform, consult, collaborate, or empower your community? What are the main messages or questions you want to communicate? How will you measure the success of your meeting? Having a well-defined purpose will help you set the agenda, choose the format, and invite the right people.

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2 Prepare your agenda

Your agenda is the roadmap for your outreach meeting. It should outline the topics, speakers, activities, and timeframes for each segment of the meeting. It should also include the objectives, expectations, and ground rules for the participants. A good agenda will help you stay focused, avoid distractions, and manage the flow of the meeting. You should share your agenda with your attendees in advance, and ask for their input or feedback if possible.

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Martha Nakafu

Wearing Many Hats 👉 Mental Health Advocate [WELLNESS] | Champion of Green Energy | Tech Enthusiast | Remote Technical Support System to busy Executives.
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Ensuring effective community outreach begins with a meticulously crafted agenda. This roadmap clarifies the starting point, duration of each segment, featured speakers, activities, and their respective time-frames. Distributing the agenda beforehand empowers attendees to prepare and minimizes disruptions or irrelevant additions. Moreover, it fosters attendance by allowing participants to align their schedules with the outreach's activities, attendees, and duration.

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3 Choose your format

Depending on your purpose and audience, you may want to choose a different format for your outreach meeting. For example, you may opt for a presentation, a workshop, a panel discussion, a Q&A session, or a combination of these. Each format has its own advantages and disadvantages, so you need to consider how they align with your goals, how they engage your community, and how they fit your time and resources. You should also think about how you will facilitate the interaction, feedback, and participation of your attendees.

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4 Set the tone

The tone of your outreach meeting can influence how your community responds to your topic and your message. You want to create a positive, respectful, and inclusive atmosphere that encourages dialogue and collaboration. You can set the tone by introducing yourself and your team, acknowledging the diversity and expertise of your audience, and explaining the purpose and value of the meeting. You should also invite questions, comments, and suggestions from your attendees, and listen to their perspectives and concerns.

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5 Manage the discussion

One of the most challenging aspects of keeping your outreach meeting on topic is managing the discussion. You may encounter questions, comments, or opinions that are off-topic, irrelevant, or inappropriate. You may also face disagreements, conflicts, or misunderstandings among your attendees. To manage the discussion effectively, you need to be prepared, respectful, and assertive. You should acknowledge the input of your attendees, but also redirect them to the agenda and the objectives of the meeting. You should also address any issues or conflicts that arise, and seek to resolve them constructively.

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Melinda Lloyd

Specializing in Research and Evaluation, Hawaiian Culture, Grief and Trauma-informed counseling, Mindful Forgiveness, Pro-relational Boundaries Supports
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Keeping outreach meetings on topic is an art! A focused agenda and clear objectives set the stage, but it's our engagement that brings it to life. Encourage open dialogue while gently steering back to the core issues. Embrace relevant tangents—they often lead to unexpected insights, enriching the discussion. Remember, the goal is not just to stay on track but to explore the depth of our topics in a way that adds value for everyone involved. Let's master the balance of focus and exploration in our meetings! #EffectiveMeetings #FocusedDiscussion #ExpansiveThinking

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6 Follow up

After your outreach meeting, you should follow up with your attendees to thank them for their participation, summarize the main points and outcomes of the meeting, and provide any additional information or resources they may need. You should also ask for their feedback on the meeting, and use it to improve your future outreach efforts. Following up will help you maintain the relationship with your community, and show them that you value their input and involvement.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you keep your outreach meeting on topic?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Define your purpose

2 Prepare your agenda

3 Choose your format

4 Set the tone

5 Manage the discussion

6 Follow up

7 Here’s what else to consider

Community Outreach

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How can you keep your outreach meeting on topic?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Define your purpose

2 Prepare your agenda

3 Choose your format

4 Set the tone

5 Manage the discussion

6 Follow up

7 Here’s what else to consider

Community Outreach

Rate this article

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