Meeting with your clients, or anyone that you do any kind of business with is crucial to people working in most industries. This no less accurate if you are a freelancer. If you have a new client, you will need to spend time with them to understand what their needs are.
Chances are, if you are a freelancer, you don’t have your own business premises. You may work from home, or have a desk in a shared space. This can present a problem when it comes to inviting potential clients around to discuss a business venture that you may be entering together. Finding the right location for a meeting is vital. Amongst other considerations, It will need to be mutually convenient for everyone involved.
Coffee Shops
Meeting up in a coffee shop can be an effective way of saving cash. Many have comfortable seating, and generally, they are quiet enough to hold a conversation in. The major plus that they have in their favour is that they are free for you to use, you just need to buy a few coffees. They are widely accepted as a suitable place to meet up with clients and colleagues, and many freelancers spend a lot of their days working from their local coffee houses anyway.
There is a downside, however. You cannot guarantee that you will not be overheard, and if you are discussing a particularly sensitive subject, this could be a problem. You may find that the chosen coffee shop is busier than anticipated, and this may make it a struggle to hear each other. Coffee shops can also be very distracting. With noises from the coffee machines and people passing by, you may find that it is hard to maintain the attention of everyone involved in the meeting.
Hiring A Meeting Space
If you are trying to lure in a top-level client, you will want to show them how serious you are. To do this, you should look at hiring a meeting space. By picking a great location such as a Canary Wharf meeting space, you will be able to impress as well as provide a functional space in which to discuss your business opportunities.
When it comes to choosing a meeting space, hire a room in a venue that will supply food and drinks so that you can have an enjoyable experience and your clients or colleagues will be able to relax.
Have a look for technical facilities. Many meeting rooms will offer audio-visual equipment which you can use for giving presentations. Find out what is available in advance and make sure that you will be able to hook up your laptop or tablet to deliver an effective presentation.
The advantages of hiding a meeting room are that you will be guaranteed peace and quiet to be able to discuss whatever you need to. There won’t be any unwanted distractions, and you can focus on the business at hand. Privacy is not an issue, so anything that you say will only be heard by others within the meeting.
