# Workflow: Meeting Preparation 🌐 **Langues**: [Français](meeting-prep.md) | [English](meeting-prep.en.md) > **Estimated time**: 20 minutes > **Difficulty**: Intermediate > **Category**: 🗂️ Organization > **Professions**: Business leaders, Freelancers --- ## Use Case You have an upcoming meeting and need to: - Research the company/people you're meeting - Compile relevant background materials - Create a briefing document - Prepare talking points and questions --- ## Prerequisites - [ ] Cowork enabled with Chrome access (for web research) - [ ] Any existing documents about the meeting/company - [ ] Clear understanding of meeting purpose --- ## Step-by-Step Instructions ### Step 1: Set Up Workspace ```bash # Create workspace for meeting prep mkdir -p ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/meeting-[name] mkdir -p ~/Cowork-Workspace/output # Copy any existing materials cp ~/Documents/relevant-files/* ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/meeting-[name]/ ``` ### Step 2: Define Meeting Context Tell Cowork about the meeting: ``` I have a meeting with [Company/Person] on [Date] at [Time]. Meeting purpose: [describe] My role: [your position/company] Their role: [who you're meeting] What I want to achieve: [your goals] This context is for the briefing document you'll create. ``` ### Step 3: Research Phase **Company Research:** ``` Research [Company Name] and create a company brief. Include: 1. Company Overview - What they do - Size (employees, revenue if public) - Founded, headquarters - Key products/services 2. Recent News - Last 3-6 months - Relevant announcements - Press mentions 3. Leadership - CEO and key executives - Board members (if relevant) 4. Market Position - Main competitors - Market standing - Recent changes Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/company-research.md ``` **Person Research:** ``` Research [Person Name] at [Company]. Find: - Current title and responsibilities - Career background - Education (if available) - Public speaking/publications - LinkedIn summary points - Common topics they discuss - Any shared connections or interests Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/person-profile.md ``` ### Step 4: Create Briefing Document ``` Create a meeting briefing document using: - Research you just compiled - Materials in ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/meeting-[name]/ Structure: 1. Meeting Overview - Date, time, location/platform - Attendees - Purpose 2. Company Background - Key facts (from research) - Relevant recent developments 3. People Profiles - Brief on each person I'm meeting 4. Our History (if materials provided) - Previous interactions - Past discussions 5. Talking Points - 5-7 topics to cover - Key messages to convey 6. Questions to Ask - 5-7 strategic questions - Discovery questions - Clarifying questions 7. Potential Objections - Likely concerns they might raise - Suggested responses 8. Meeting Goals - What success looks like - Minimum acceptable outcomes Format: Word document Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/meeting-brief.docx ``` ### Step 5: Create Quick Reference Card ``` From the briefing document, create a 1-page quick reference card. Include only: - Key facts about company/person - Main talking points (bullets) - Critical questions - Names to remember Format: Can print and bring to meeting Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/quick-reference.docx ``` --- ## Meeting Type Variations ### Sales/Client Meeting ``` Create a client meeting brief for [Company]. Focus on: 1. Their Business - Industry, challenges, goals - Decision-making process - Budget cycle/timing 2. Our Fit - How our solution helps them - Relevant case studies - Competitive positioning 3. Sales Strategy - Entry points - Value propositions - Objection handling 4. Next Steps - Ideal meeting outcome - Follow-up actions Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/client-brief.docx ``` ### Job Interview ``` Create interview preparation document for [Company] [Role]. Include: 1. Company Research - Culture and values - Recent news - Team structure (if known) 2. Role Analysis - Key responsibilities - Required skills - Success metrics (likely) 3. My Fit - Relevant experience points - Stories to tell (STAR format) - Skills to highlight 4. Questions to Ask - About the role - About the team - About growth 5. Logistics - Interview format - Interviewer background Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/interview-prep.docx ``` ### Partnership/Vendor Meeting ``` Create vendor evaluation brief for meeting with [Company]. Include: 1. Vendor Overview - Company background - Relevant products/services - Market reputation 2. Evaluation Criteria - Must-have requirements - Nice-to-have features - Deal-breakers 3. Questions Matrix - Technical questions - Pricing questions - Support questions - Contract questions 4. Comparison Notes - How they compare to alternatives - Key differentiators Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/vendor-brief.docx ``` ### Board/Executive Meeting ``` Create executive meeting brief for [meeting name]. Include: 1. Meeting Context - Agenda items - Key decisions needed - Attendees and their interests 2. Background Materials Summary - Key points from supporting docs 3. Recommendations - What I'm proposing - Supporting rationale - Anticipated questions 4. Stakeholder Map - Who supports what - Potential concerns by person - Influence dynamics 5. Presentation Notes - Key messages - Data points to cite - Backup slides needed Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/executive-brief.docx ``` --- ## Troubleshooting ### Can't find much about the company ``` Limited information available for [Company]. For smaller/private companies, focus on: - What their website says - LinkedIn company page - Any news mentions - Industry context Note gaps in the briefing so I know what to research during the meeting. ``` ### Research seems outdated ``` Verify this information is current (as of [today's date]). For any items more than 6 months old: - Note the date of the information - Flag if it might have changed - Suggest verification questions ``` ### Person has common name ``` Research [Name] specifically at [Company] in [City/Role]. Distinguish from others with same name. Use LinkedIn profile at: [URL if known] ``` --- ## Time-Saving Templates ### Quick 15-Minute Prep ``` I have 15 minutes to prepare for a meeting with [Company/Person]. Create a quick brief with: - 5 key facts about them - 3 talking points - 3 questions to ask - 1 paragraph company summary Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/quick-brief.md ``` ### Recurring Meeting Update ``` Update the meeting brief at ~/Cowork-Workspace/input/previous-brief.docx Research any new developments since [last meeting date]. Add to the existing document: - New news section - Updated talking points - New questions based on developments Save to: ~/Cowork-Workspace/output/updated-brief.docx ``` --- ## Best Practices 1. **Start research early** : Web research takes time 2. **Focus on relevance** : Not everything about a company matters 3. **Prepare questions** : Shows engagement and drives conversation 4. **Know your goals** : Clear objectives guide the brief 5. **Update and reuse** : Briefs for recurring meetings can be updated --- *[Back to Workflows](README.md) | [Cowork Documentation](../README.md)*