The Meeting – 2
Stories
An indispensable element of effective executive meetings is the strategic use of relatable narratives. I maintain a carefully curated “story bank” that illustrates key concepts through everyday experiences. When discussing personalisation challenges, I share my frustration with platforms like Amazon or Netflix that can’t simply be told to disregard searches made by family members. I then bridge to our vision of “MyTwin” technology that will intuitively understand these distinctions—connecting present pain points to future solutions.
These narratives create profound connection points during meetings. Executives visibly nod in recognition as they mentally substitute their own similar experiences. These shared frustrations transform abstract product discussions into visceral understanding of the problems we solve.
Unique Words and Phrases
An essential element of my executive meeting strategy involves introducing distinctive terminology that leaves a lasting impression. I strategically weave in concepts that are likely unfamiliar to attendees, creating intellectual novelty that differentiates our interactions from countless other vendor meetings. For example: AdWaste, Attention Recession, AI Twins, Madtech, Velvet Rope Marketing, SaaS is Software without Service, Progency, Shoppable Channels / Inbox Commerce, Earned Growth, “Rule of 40”, Best-Rest-Test-Next, N=1 Personalisation, Hotlines.
These carefully curated terms serve multiple strategic purposes. They demonstrate thought leadership and signal our innovative thinking. They create moments of genuine interest as executives encounter fresh perspectives. Most importantly, they make our meetings memorable—research consistently shows that people remember novel information that expands their understanding.
When I notice executives noting these terms or asking for clarification, I know I’ve created valuable intellectual intrigue. These “verbal memorabilia” become reference points in future communications, distinctive markers of our conversations that extend well beyond the meeting itself.
Maintaining Conversational Control
When multiple stakeholders attend, tangential or overly technical questions can derail the meeting’s momentum. I manage these situations by acknowledging the question’s value while deferring detailed answers: “Great question. I’ll have my team address that offline with you.” This preserves the conversation’s flow while ensuring all inquiries receive attention.
Note-Taking
I make extensive notes during executive comments, particularly when they share challenges or strategic objectives. This practice serves multiple purposes: it signals to executives that I value their input enough to document it, it provides material for personalised follow-up, and I get a better understanding of how they frame what I have said. After the meeting, these notes become invaluable for crafting customised follow-up communications that reference their specific language and priorities.
Strategic Meeting Conclusion
I conclude by suggesting a concrete next step, typically a workshop involving additional stakeholders. Rather than positioning this as a product showcase, I frame it as an opportunity to present “three to five actionable ideas” that address their specific challenges. This education-focused approach consistently generates more interest than traditional product pitches, setting the stage for broader organisational engagement.
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These carefully orchestrated meeting techniques transform what could be routine business discussions into memorable experiences that position both you and your company as valuable strategic partners rather than mere vendors. By managing every aspect of the interaction—from timing to physical movement to conversation flow—you create the conditions for meaningful business relationships to flourish.
