Endless Notes: How to Handle Notes from Meetings and Conferences

FocusNewsletter, Summer 2006

In the Baltimore Business Journal I recently gave some advice about how to organize notes from meetings. This is one of the big questions I get from clients when we work together. Meeting notes and conference notes always perplex people. I will expand here on the advice I gave on this topic.

When attending a meeting or a conference, think about your role, the purpose of the meeting and determine how your notes are useful to you. The first step is to take fewer notes. Sometimes we write notes in meetings that are less than exciting in order to stay awake. However, this just gives us something to manage later on, so think quality, not quantity.

The second step is to review your notes immediately following the meeting or conference, while the information is fresh in your head.

If your notes hold actions items for you, then add these to your task list, including deadlines.  If your notes have information about contacts or calendar appointments, add these to their respective places in your computer. 

Notes meant only for future reference can be filed if no action is necessary at this time. If the notes are from different meetings, topics or categories they should be written on separate pages of your note pad so you can tear them off and file them. But again, figure out how the notes are useful to you.

If notes hold great ideas, make sure you have a file set up for that category of ideas. For instance, create files for notes having good marketing ideas, sales tips or business growth ideas or any type of idea you commonly have and want to keep track of.

No matter where idea notes come from, you want them in one place so that when you're ready to act on them, you can select the one you want. You won't have to think, "Now where was it that I heard that great marketing idea? Was it at the conference last year or in last week's meeting?" You shouldn't have to remember where it came from and when you heard of it. Simplify. All you need to know is that previously captured great ideas for marketing are in a file called "Marketing Ideas," ready for you to look at and use.

So when you bring back notes following a meeting or a conference, review the tips and suggestions above. And again, will you actually refer to these notes in the future? If not, you know where they go!