It’s a scenario we’ve all faced, and agonised about how to get the best outcome.
You’ve got a big meeting, either for a major contract, or a publishing deal, a new customer, a partnership, anything that really matters.
So... how to stack the odds in favour of the outcome you want?
I was thinking about that this week as I headed into London to do some teaching.
It was a Bank Holiday Monday, sunny and hot, and I was wondering about the wisdom of working on such a day.
But as you can see from the lovely smiles of the delightful group of visitors from India to whom I was teaching public speaking and social media skills, we had a jolly time.
So, back to the point, and what I was thinking was…
Could there be a worse day than a Monday to schedule that important meeting?
We all know how Mondays feel after a weekend off. Dull, glum, long, tiring and tedious.
So is the mindset of the person you’re trying to convince really receptive to a good meeting and a deal on a Monday?
What about a Tuesday? Or is that just like a Monday with a fake tan?
Wednesday might be better? But then, better still... isn’t it obvious?
Surely Friday is best of all for getting a deal, as people feel good looking towards the weekend.
But then again, aren’t they too distracted to actually do any real business on a Friday?
Which led me to this odd, but potentially useful theory.
Thursday must be the ideal day to schedule a meeting.
Spirits are lifting in advance of the weekend, which means more likelihood of a warm and welcoming environment.
But it’s not quite Friday, so minds aren’t yet completely elsewhere.
At this point, I have to confess I have absolutely no scientific support for this idea whatsoever.
It just came to me in a musing, like a hunch.
But!
I’ve always believed in the power of instinct, and mine is currently telling me to give it a try, and start experimenting with scheduling important meetings for Thursdays.