What outcome do you want from this meeting?

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When meeting with an entrepreneur one of the questions I like to ask early in the conversation is “What outcome do you want from this meeting?” With so many different topics covered in a typical startup-oriented conversation, there’s a tendency to share useful information but not necessarily spend enough time on the most pressing items.

Here are some of the more common meeting outcome requests:

• Feedback on the idea/concept
• Introductions to investors, partners, and people that can potentially help
• Resources like books and blogs to solve specific problems or better address potential opportunities
• Analysis of a specific issue

The next time you’re in a meeting, be straightforward and ask the question “what outcome do you want from this meeting?” You’ll be able to spend more time on the key issues and get more value from the conversation.

What else? What other general questions do you commonly ask in a conversation?