The first meeting with an Underpin Marketing and Business Consultants is the most important.
We meet with you personally with the aim of understand the project goals and get an idea of how they the project running and what success looks like.
Lewis, the project manager for Underpin, is a firm believer in collaborative consultancy. To deliver a great project, we start by ensuring that managers are delivering things correctly and for the right reasons.
Real World Example of First Meeting with Underpin Marketing and Business Consultants
In a previous project, one for Somerset County Council, we started with a meeting with the team leader Tracey to discuss everything beforehand. Tracey is forthright and so we adapted our approach to ensure she felt informed that was comfortable for her.
In this initial meeting, Lewis will discuss:
- Introductions
- Project goals
- Working methods
- Key milestones
- Timelines
- Scoping of local meetings and workshops
- How the budget will be spent
- What we should include in the project brief
The next stage would be to formalise all of this work into a project brief that will be fully signed off before we begin. This will give us a clear destination and a direction of travel.
We would then present this in person and field questions before finalising. Ideally other members of the council would attend the meeting to create a sense of shared ownership, as we did in our project with Citizens Advice – by including a wide range of stakeholders we created a sense of collective responsibility which had a huge impact on buy-in and successful outcomes.
Why we Use This Approach To the First Meeting.
Fostering good communication and collaboration during the project’s initial phase leads to consistent success. Here’s why we do it:
- Meeting the project leader helps understand the project’s goals and ambitions. This comprehension serves as the bedrock for the entire project. Without a shared idea of success, working together and making smart choices is difficult.
- We recommend working together with advisors to get input from diverse stakeholders. It extends beyond merely offering solutions; it ensures the project’s alignment with the broader organisational objectives and its pursuit of the right motives. Collaborative methodologies nurture teamwork and a shared sense of responsibility.
- Adapting the approach for individuals highlights the significance of being adaptable in communication. Adapting communication to suit different styles and preferences is a sign of skilled project management.
- Discussing project goals, timelines, and budget during the first meeting ensures clarity and transparency. Being clear now helps avoid problems later in the project.
- Involving many stakeholders, as in the Citizens Advice project, fosters a sense of ownership. When stakeholders from various sectors engage early, they are more likely to be dedicated to the project’s success. This fosters stronger endorsement and enhances the probability of favourable outcomes.
- The Project Blueprint is a roadmap for the project, created by transforming discussions into a formal plan. It offers a crystal-clear direction and ensures unanimity among all involved parties. A well-defined project blueprint curtails the risk of altering scopes and facilitates expectation management.
- Showing the project plan in person and answering questions can help solve problems early on. This approach promotes clear communication and ensures everyone can ask questions, which improves understanding and agreement.
To summarise, this approach champions effective communication, collaboration, lucidity, and openness in the initial phases of a project. It builds a sound foundation, brings everyone on the same page, and increases the chances of success.
