7 Simple Steps to Organize Meetings with External Contacts Using Your Business Calendar

Setting up meetings can often be overly complicated and time-consuming for managers and company leaders. This challenge intensifies when organizing meetings with external contacts. There are just too many details to sort before all the parties involved are seated around, ready to hash things out. Is it even possible to get multiple people in various countries and time zones together to discuss business? We say yes. Absolutely!

You’re reading this at the right time if you're struggling with calendar management for external meetings. We’ve packed it with everything you need to get the job done efficiently. Here, you'll find tips, strategies, and techniques to achieve streamlined scheduling with external partners. We’ll also recommend tools to enhance collaborative scheduling beyond your business calendar.

Let’s get down to brass tacks!

Step #1: Choose a shared calendar platform that allows easy integration with external contacts' email systems

Selecting a shared calendar platform that easily integrates with external contacts' email systems is crucial for effective scheduling. This capability simplifies the process, allowing all parties to access and manage their schedules without confusion. Integration with various email systems ensures that your external contacts can effortlessly interact with your calendar, reducing barriers to communication.

A shared platform minimizes the risk of double bookings and keeps everyone on the same page regarding meeting times. This is especially important when coordinating with individuals who may use different email clients or calendar tools.

When choosing a calendar tool, look for features that facilitate collaboration, such as real-time updates and notifications. This way, any changes made to the meeting details will be instantly visible to all participants, significantly reducing misunderstandings.

Additionally, opt for a platform that allows for easy sharing of calendar entries. This will enable external contacts to see your availability and suggest times that work for them, further streamlining the scheduling process.

By prioritizing a shared calendar that integrates smoothly with external email systems, you can save time and focus on preparing for the meeting itself. In today’s fast-paced business environment, this approach can significantly improve your ability to organize meetings efficiently, guaranteeing productive collaborations with your partners.

Step #2: Create a detailed meeting invite, including agenda, time, and any necessary materials

Mystery may be alluring, but in the business world, clarity is key. When organizing meetings with external contacts, thoroughness helps to prevent confusion and ensures everyone is aligned. A well-crafted meeting invite provides an opportunity to convey all necessary information clearly.

When creating your invite, consider including the following elements:

• Time and Date of the Meeting: Specify the time zone to accommodate participants in different locations.

• Venue or Meeting Link: Provide the exact location for in-person meetings or include a reliable link with any necessary access codes for video conferences.

• List of Attendees: Inform everyone about who will be present, which helps participants prepare for relevant discussions and collaborations.

• Meeting Agenda: Outline key topics to be covered, allowing attendees to come prepared and keeping the meeting focused.

Additionally, think about incorporating other important materials, such as documents, presentations, or specific talking points. This approach sets the stage for productive discussions and encourages participants to engage meaningfully.

The goal is to make your meeting invites as comprehensive as possible. By offering precise and detailed information, you facilitate efficient scheduling with external partners and reduce the likelihood of needing follow-up check-ins to clarify meeting specifics. This proactive strategy can enhance the quality of your meetings, leading to more impactful outcomes and stronger collaborations.

Step #3: Use the scheduling assistant feature to find a mutually convenient time for all participants

For managers and leaders, the bulk of the challenges in organizing meetings with external contacts is finding a schedule that works for everyone involved. This becomes more important depending on the type, scope, and size of the project or campaign that will be covered in the meeting. Use the scheduling assistant feature of your chosen meeting scheduling tool to find a mutually convenient time for all participants.

A scheduling assistant uses historical data and productivity reports to find each party’s ideal time slot for a meeting. The result? Accurate recommendations for meeting schedules that will yield a successful appointment set. Apart from getting rid of the efforts but sometimes unreliable booking capabilities, scheduling assistants increase the probability of a packed gathering as well. You need all the help you can get – all the input, suggestions, and counsel – even more so when you’re working on a big campaign.

Scheduling assistants can also be used to coordinate staff work schedules. This eliminates errors in workforce management and saves time in completing this task. Once completed, the finished schedule can be disseminated via email and implemented right away.

Step #4: Add external contacts by entering their email addresses directly into the invite

Remember to add external contacts by entering their email addresses directly into the invite. In doing so, you’re enabling complete transparency and giving your external collaborators the access to freely interact with your team about tasks and projects. Moreover, invitees are able to view these important items in your calendar entry itself in case you forgot to add a detail or two in your email meeting invite. This cuts down the need for repetitive check-ins.

To streamline this process, gather email addresses from various sources such as your CRM, web forms, or social media channels. The information collected can be transferred directly to your invite list, minimizing the risk of errors and ensuring you have the most up-to-date information. By compiling this data beforehand, you can quickly enter the emails when you arrange meetings with external contacts. Such a practice helps you avoid spelling or missing address mistakes and saves valuable time during the scheduling process. As a result, you can focus on preparing essential materials for your brainstorming session, such as presentation decks and facilitator tools, ensuring a targeted and well-organized meeting.

Step #5: Enable notifications and reminders to keep everyone informed and on schedule

Have you ever found yourself caught off guard, realizing that everyone is waiting for you regarding something important? It can be frustrating to feel clueless about a situation simply because you forgot to turn on notifications and reminders for your calendar events. Don’t let this happen again and unintentionally derail your business’s progress.

Enable notifications and reminders to keep everyone informed and on schedule whenever you organize meetings with external contacts. Moreover, you can include a little footnote in your meeting invites to enjoin your contacts – internal and external – to do the same. This is not only for efficiency’s sake but, additionally, to increase the team’s visibility and keep the project team tight, working well together. Choose a business calendar software that can be accessed using mobile devices to get notifications and reminders anytime and anywhere. You can then be sure no one gets left behind.

Step #6: Include a video conferencing link for virtual events

These days, you do not even have to be physically present to join a meeting. The same goes for your clients, external stakeholders, and team members. You can keep your campaigns and projects moving forward by using online communication tools whenever you need to organize meetings with external contacts. The market is teeming with software options for video conferencing that facilitate seamless collaboration.

Once the tools are secured and the meeting setup is complete, be sure to include a video conferencing link in your invite. This allows anyone involved in the project to join the discussion, whether they’re onsite or working remotely. By encouraging collaboration through virtual meetings, you can foster productive conversations that transform the way your project team achieves results, proving that not everyone needs to be in the same room to make progress. Make sure to test the technology in advance to ensure a smooth and effective meeting experience.

Step #7: Send a follow-up confirmation to ensure external contacts have received and accepted the invitation

Business calendar tips include confirming invitations regardless of your availability to attend. In the past, people in the workplace would confirm an invite and forget about the event altogether. It’s not just unprofessional. Furthermore, it shows a disregard for the business needs and everyone else’s valuable time while also possibly derailing the team’s project.

Every time you organize meetings with external contacts, make sure there’s an option for them to confirm their attendance. Once they’ve opted in, the meeting is automatically slotted into their work calendars. They can then expect to be reminded of the event as it approaches so they can prepare for it ahead of time. As organized, send a follow-up confirmation to ensure external contacts have received and accepted the invitation.

After sending the invite out, you can allow a day or two before reaching out to those who have not accepted it to ask if they will be available or if they wish to move the meeting to a later date. If this is the case for two or more of your contacts, you can take note and then figure out if the event needs to be moved or if you can push forward with those who have confirmed their availability.

Once you have secured your list of attendees, you can send out a meeting reminder a day or two before the appointment. Doing this gives the interested parties the time to prepare their questions, concerns, and suggestions for the meeting. Having a set list of people who will be at the conference also allows you to approximate how much time you need to make your presentation. Don’t forget to allow time for the participants of your business gathering to speak their minds or make presentations of their own.

Enjoy exceptional calendar integration capabilities with Bitrix24

Organizing meetings with external contacts doesn’t have to be stressful or daunting. With today’s technology and resources, you have advanced calendar management software, apps, and tools at your fingertips. These act as scheduling assistants, removing the guesswork from organizing meetings so you can focus on making the actual gathering meaningful, productive, and beneficial for everyone involved.

Bitrix24 is an all-in-one solution that offers exceptional features for seamless integration with your calendar. With real-time updates, you can easily sync your schedule with external contacts, ensuring everyone stays informed about any changes. The platform allows for online collaboration, enabling you to share agendas and documents in advance, which enhances preparation and engagement. Plus, with built-in communication tools, you can chat or video conference directly within the platform, simplifying interactions with your external partners.

Organizing events that include both internal and external collaborators has been made possible—and even enjoyable—thanks to Bitrix24. Its comprehensive task management features also help you keep track of follow-ups and responsibilities, preventing anything from falling through the cracks. But don’t just take our word for it. Sign up for Bitrix24 today and discover the myriad of possibilities that await you, transforming the way you organize meetings and collaborate with others.

FAQs

What are the best tools for organizing meetings with external contacts?

The best tools for organizing meetings with external contacts are:

• Shared calendars

• Communication tools (voice and video calling, and instant messaging)

• Email clients

• Scheduling assistants

• Contacts list or email directories

• Note-taking tools

How can I efficiently schedule meetings with clients using a business calendar?

Efficiently schedule meetings with clients using a business calendar by:

• Choose a share calendar platform that allows easy integration with external contacts' email systems

• Create a detailed meeting invite, including agenda, time, and any necessary materials

• Use the scheduling assistant feature to find a mutually convenient time for all participants

• Add external contacts by entering their email addresses directly into the invite

• Enable notifications and reminders to keep everyone informed and on schedule

• Include a video conferencing link or dial-in number if the meeting is virtual

• Send a follow-up confirmation to ensure external contacts have received and accepted the invitation

What are the steps to ensure smooth coordination when scheduling external meetings?

The steps to ensure smooth coordination when scheduling external meetings are:

• Setting a suitable meeting date, time, and venue

• Determining whether or not a virtual meeting would be convenient

• Making a list of meeting goals

• Preparing a comprehensive agenda

• Allowing invited attendees to opt in or out

• Asking for questions beforehand and answering them at the meeting

• Inviting attendees to make presentations if needed

• Providing options to join the meeting virtually

• Sending out reminders before the event

• Giving attendees copies of the agenda

How can I manage time zones when organizing meetings with external contacts?

When organizing meetings with external contacts in different time zones, use a calendar tool that automatically adjusts for time zone differences. Include the meeting time in multiple time zones in your invites and clarify the time zone to avoid any confusion.