Mary:	George, could you help me plan this meeting? I don't have much experience planning meetings and you've been with the company for a long time. So ...
George:	When is this meeting, Mary?
Mary:	Well, it's this Friday.
George:	Friday, hmm. What kind of meeting is it going to be?
Mary:	We're going to have a meeting with some new clients and try to get them to buy our new line of sportswear.
George:	Well, that sounds easy. The first thing we need to do is to create an agenda for the meeting and then give copies of it to everyone who is going to be attending.
Mary:	No problem, I have a list of all the people right here. The boss says that he wants the people from the sales department and the design department to give a short presentation.
George:	OK, but we should let them know as soon as possible. Ask them how long they will need for their presentations. Also, we should ask them if they are going to need anything special for the meeting, like a projector. I remember one time I forgot to ask about this and it was really embarrassing to be unprepared. Which meeting room are you going to use?
Mary:	Er, I think we should use 401; it's the most comfortable room.
George:	Good idea. Is the boss going to make a presentation, too?
Mary:	Yes, he wants to tell the clients about the history of our company.
George:	OK, let's write the agenda. It's this Friday, the 1st of December. What time does the meeting start?
Mary:	10:00 a.m., and it should be finished by noon because the boss is going to take them out for lunch afterwards.
George:	No problem, that should be more than enough time. The first thing on the agenda should be to introduce everyone to each other. Then the boss gives them the information about our company. He usually takes about 10 minutes to do that.
Mary:	I think we should let the design people talk before the sales people, so that they can explain the products first.
George:	That's a good idea. The customers need to know what they are going to buy first. After the presentations we should allow time for a discussion, in case the clients have any questions. If they don't and the meeting is over more quickly than expected, you could give the clients a tour of the office. I think that would really impress the boss.
Mary:	Hey, this agenda looks good. I'll go make copies for everyone.
George:	OK, don't forget to make some extra copies to give to the new clients and anyone else who forgets to bring theirs. Oh, one last thing, don't forget to dress up for the meeting.
Mary:	I know. Thanks for all of your help.