How to Schedule a Meeting by Email

‍"Meetings don't have to be endless to be eternal." – James E. Faust.

Before the launch event, you need to conduct a formal meeting with your team and superiors regarding the changes to be integrated and the responsibilities that individual members need to take up. However, this message needs to be delivered to your colleagues on time. You cannot convey details about the time, venue, and agenda of the meeting to all of them via calls. So, the more formal option before you is emailing the details.

Here's what this article will cover:

1. Advantages of scheduling a meeting through an email
2. What to include in an email setting up a meeting?
3. Templates for scheduling a meeting email
4. Meeting request email samples
5. What is a meeting scheduler?
6. Advantages of using meeting schedulers
7. Disadvantages of using meeting schedulers

Do you know how to construct an email to schedule a meeting?

"Being the head of the sales department, Sam was responsible for ensuring that his team members were achieving their set targets. However, after a proper analysis, it was apparent that certain teammates were lagging in achieving their goals. Therefore, he decided to conduct a meeting to assist his teammates in reaching allocated targets. At the time of the meeting, even though Sam was ready with his notes, half of his team was absent."

That is why it is essential to know how to schedule a meeting through an email that is professional and conveys the message properly. An email regarding a meeting is a formal message that needs to adhere to specific set guidelines before it is delivered to teammates, colleagues, or superiors.

As you keep reading, you will learn exactly how to schedule a meeting through an email with ease and without any error.

Advantages of scheduling a meeting through an email

While there is always the option of announcing a meeting verbally to your team, the method may be inconvenient to spread the news to an entire department. Also, your teammates, at times, may end up forgetting about it entirely. There needs to be something like an alarm that reminds them of the meeting. When trying to figure out how to set a meeting, you should always go for emails.

It acts more like a warning bell for the teammates, informing them to be present at the meeting.

Certain benefits of scheduling a meeting through an email are mentioned below.

• For referring to it later

When scheduling a meeting verbally, you probably choose to announce the same to your colleagues. In the process, you might have to yell or shout, which can end up hurting their feelings. Plus, what will you do if the person you're supposed to have a meeting with simply forgets? After all, they can be preoccupied with other important tasks as well. That is why, instead of sweating over it, email.

Construct a professional email consisting of details regarding the venue, time, and agenda of the meeting. This will serve as a small reminder for the recipients as they can refer to it from time to time to be present for your round of discussion.

• Forward details with ease

Often, when scheduling a meeting, you may require your entire department to be present for the same. However, what will you do if your team is spread out on different floors? You do not wish to run through every door announcing a meeting. So, you might want to scratch the idea of announcing and shift to emailing instead.

This way, even if you forget to forward the details to someone or are unaware of their mailing information, you can ask a colleague to forward the same. You now aren't forced to face the headache of knocking every member for a meeting, as a simple mail should do the trick.

• Contains important details

Certain meetings are more confidential than the rest.

For example, Sam is the head of the sales department and wished to discuss the company contract with new members. However, announcing such a confidential meeting openly is not only unethical but also unprofessional. However, Sam was unaware of any other means; so, he chose to approach every member and let them know about it.

You may agree that Sam's approach was more personalized and may make employees feel less overwhelmed. However, would you like wasting your time walking up to every employee, letting them know about a meeting? You surely wouldn't enjoy it that much. That is why, instead of creating such a hectic situation, learn how to arrange a meeting by email with your colleagues. You won't need to worry about confidentiality or professionalism.

• Zero errors in note-taking

Have you ever been in a situation where you meant something else and said something entirely different? If yes, you will probably understand the issue of communicating the wrong details. You may have meant that the meeting would be conducted at 8:00 am; however, no one shows up.

While you pack up disappointed that no one showed up, you find employees have stayed back and are gathered in the conference hall thinking that you called them at 8:00 pm. This is called miscommunication, and you can avoid this by simply knowing how to schedule a meeting through email. That is because you will also benefit from proofreading the email and finding out if the information you wrote is correct or wrong to avoid any silly communication gap.

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What to include in an email setting up a meeting?

"The majority of meetings should be a discussion that leads to a decision." – Patrick Lencioni.

There is a distinct difference between writing an email to a colleague and scheduling a meeting. You can't just write things like "hello" or "hope this email finds you in good health." You will need to be precise, to the point, and avoid any flowery context. The email should convey that you mean business.

So, what do you think should be present in your email? Here is how to schedule a meeting in Meet.

• A distinct yet clear subject line

Imagine you receive a meeting email stating, "Be free at 2:00 pm." Won't it make you question, "for what?"

That is why it is important always to write a clear yet engaging subject line to get started with how to schedule a group meeting. It is the first thing that a person notices about an email, so you need to offer a valid beginning.

For example, you wish to schedule a meeting regarding discussing details for any new project. You shouldn't write a subject line such as "Meeting at 2:00 pm." However, be clear and state, "Discussion for a new project at 2:00 pm." It informs your recipient what you are organizing this meeting for and your intentions.

• Always use salutation

Be it a meeting with colleagues or company superiors, the inclusion of salutations is an essential aspect of learning how to arrange a meeting by email. You need to be respectful to recipients to convey your professionalism. The salutations that you use can differ based on your audience.

If your email is being targeted to a single person, using gender-based salutations such as Mr/ Ms/ Mrs might help. However, if you plan to send an email to a group of people, words such as "Respected colleagues or team members" might be useful.

• Offer a proper introduction

Always refrain from writing abrupt emails. Do you ever introduce yourself as "So this Sam Smith. There is a meeting at 5:00 pm. Be there?"

It will not only make you sound arrogant, but juniors might find you intimidating as well. Some may even argue that you are disrespectful. Hence, avoid all conflicts and properly introduce yourself.

Mention your designation and reason for organizing a good round of discussion. Let your colleagues know who you are and why you wish to talk to them. No need to construct an entire essay; however, a simple two to three-sentence explanation should do the job. Keep reading to find out more about how to arrange a meeting by email.

• What is the reason behind your meeting?

"Meetings at work present a great opportunity to showcase your talent. Do not let them go to waste." – Abhishek Ratna.

In case you are finding it difficult to understand why you need to attend this meeting in the first place, know that the sender isn't probably aware of how they should construct a meeting email. While being short and precise is an expectation in every email, but not zero information. A meeting email without an agenda is like creating an application without your name. It looks not only abrupt but also half-hearted.

That is why; always keep a clear agenda in mind. Try mentioning the agenda in the subject line when learning how to arrange a meeting by email. It will communicate to your recipient why you are scheduling a meeting and for what. You must know by now that everyone in a company has a particular task assigned to them; so, asking them to show up for a meeting and letting their work gets hampered isn't expected. By mentioning the meeting agenda, your recipients are also able to comprehend the importance of the same.

• Flexibility regarding venue and time

While punctuality is considered proper work ethics, it shouldn't conflict with someone else's work. Your meeting regarding target achievement may coincide with your superior's discussion with clients. Both are important affairs, and you cannot create conflicts if they propose to change the time. At times, you may even find the conference room occupied for some other purpose. Hence, instead of complaining, try being flexible.

Understand every being in a company is preoccupied with their responsibilities and work goals; you must consider their liabilities before your own. Try to keep the timings and venue flexible when wondering how to schedule a meeting. In case your timings are also restricted due to some other reason, reschedule the meeting on some other day when every member is free and available. A little consideration may go a long way.

• Always request the recipient to reply or provide confirmation

It must have happened quite a few times that you ordered a parcel on amazon, which was supposed to reach you in a week but shows up after a month. Don't you find these situations annoying? And do you wish to face the same in your workplace? That is why, when learning how to schedule a meeting, you will be taught about approaching colleagues for confirmation or reply. Some of the members may be stuck with certain pre-arrangements and won't be present for the discussion.

Instead of charging them later for not showing up, ask for a reply?this way, they are made aware that a minimum etiquette is required. You also don't need to bother yourself about wrongfully reprimanding them if they don't show up for a meeting.

• Send a reminder

"If you aren't meeting regularly with your team, you don't have a team. What you really have is a collection of boxes on an org chart."- Barbara Burke.

An official meeting email is no joke. When scheduling a meeting, ensure to set a reminder. This way, the employees can comprehend the importance of attending a particular meeting. For example, if the company is about to schedule a review meeting, always choose to set a reminder. Write words such as "Attendance mandatory" within email format to inform members of its importance. All emailing mediums come with the option of setting a reminder. This way, your employees will be able to clear up their schedule to make time for the meeting.

It also serves as an alarm clock when they are required to be present for the meeting and the place.

Keep reading as you get to learn more about how to schedule a meeting.

Trivia

Tips for scheduling a meeting the right way!

• Ask if you really need to conduct a meeting for this agenda
• Plan your questions and queries beforehand
• Avoid being judgmental of others' opinions
• Give attendees the time to explain their point

Templates for scheduling a meeting email

• Schedule a meeting with someone you know

Meeting with colleagues regarding a discussion about target achievement for the month.

Example:

"Subject: Target achievement for the month of December at 2:00 pm

Dear teammates,

I am writing this email to schedule a meeting to discuss our achievements so far in terms of monthly targets. It is to ensure that everyone is on track and assist those who are lagging. Hopefully, we can conduct this discussion at 2:00 pm, on December 23rd, 2020, within office premises.

Please confirm whether this time works for you or would you prefer some other date.

Thanking You

Sam Smith"

• Schedule a meeting with someone you do not know

Meeting with a client to discuss progress with a new project.

Example:

"Subject: Requesting a meeting regarding changes made to the project

Mr. Wallis

This is Sam Smith. As per our last discussion regarding the alterations, we have come up with certain changes you can make to the project. If possible, we would like to hold a brief discussion regarding the same with your team and mine. Hopefully, we can have our discussion on December 23rd, 2020, at 2:00 pm.

For confirmation or any alteration in the timings, please let us know. We look forward to our discussion.

Regards,

Sam Smith"

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Meeting request email samples

Example 1:

"Subject: Meeting request for target allocation

Dear colleagues,

With the new month's approach, I would like to schedule a brief meeting to discuss the upcoming challenges with expected target achievement. All team members are requested to be present for the same. The meeting will be held at 4:00 pm on December 31st, 2020.

Please send confirmation for the same by replying to this chain.

Regards

Shannon Page"

Example 2:

"Subject: Review meeting on January 1st, 2020

Dear colleagues,

This is to inform all members about the upcoming month's review meeting for discussing task allocation, target achievement, and feedback. The meeting will commence at 11:00 am on January 1st, 2020. Attendance is mandatory.

Reply and send your confirmation. For more information, please contact human resources.  

Regards

Sam Smith"

Other than standard discussions, certain meetings are necessary and require the attendance of every person the email reaches. Keep reading to find out how to schedule a meeting to arrange important discussions.

"It's god's job to judge the terrorists. It's our mission to arrange the meeting!" – U.S. Marines.

Example 3:

"Subject: Team meeting with the client

Dear colleagues,

As per our last discussion with the client regarding certain changes to the application in the process of development, we have scheduled a 30-minute meeting to share our perspective. The meeting will commence at 12:00 pm on December 26th, 2020.  

Send confirmation along this chain, and in case of any alteration, kindly inform us.

Yours sincerely

Shannon Page"

Example 4:

"Subject: Discussion regarding issues with target achievement

Dear team members,

In our recent team analysis, there have been certain shortcomings and issues that team members encounter at the time of target achievement. I want to discuss to share your problems and come up with a solution for that particular issue collectively. The meeting will be held in the conference room one on December 29th, 2020, at 11:00 am.

Please send confirmation for the same by replying to this chain. In case of alterations, please let me know.

Regards

Sharon Smith"

Example 5:

"Subject: Discussion regarding the upcoming application launch event

Dear teammates,

As we are approaching D-day, I would like to coordinate a short meeting to discuss each member's tasks and responsibilities for the day. The meeting will take place on December 30th, 2020, at 6:00 pm. Attendance of every member for this meeting is mandatory.  

Confirm your approval along this email chain, and also, in case of any issue, please get in touch with me.

Regards

Shannon Page"

What is a meeting scheduler?

Often, instead of relying solely on emails and some other messaging medium, you can go for certain applications and software available to make your life easier. It is understandable when you say, "Who has the time?" as every person within a company is preoccupied with some work or the other. That is why instead of letting the pressure pile up, simple use meeting schedulers. Knowing how to schedule group meetings using these online tools and applications is also necessary.

With a simple click on these applications, you can learn how to set meetings with a person or team with ease. Usage of these mediums is extremely common and assists in making life for you a bit easier.

Stated below are certain pros and cons of using these.

Advantages of using meeting schedulers

• Convenience

With meeting schedulers, you need not face any hassle over knowing how to arrange a meeting by email, receiving confirmation, ensuring all employees are informed, gathering mailing details, etc. Simply mention the calendar's meeting details as the members of your team are notified of the same.

Once they receive the information, they can discuss and choose to make certain changes if necessary. You need not worry about them forgetting about the meeting either as they receive notifications about the meeting half an hour before it starts.  

• It makes resource management easier

By scheduling a meeting via this medium, you can avoid complications of knowing how to schedule a meeting via email. You can simply mention details regarding the same in the applications that input this information in a shared calendar. This way, members receive notification regarding the time and place of the meeting.

It saves you a lot of time and effort. You need not bother formatting and then sending reminders as you can use software or applications instead.

• Increases automation

When you construct an articulate email stating information regarding conducting a meeting, it can be useful for completing other responsibilities. Other than major issues, certain minor tasks exist in an organization that probably requires your attention. Therefore allowing a scheduler to coordinate the responsibility of reminding teammates of any meeting makes your work automated.

This way, your employees are also given the freedom to focus on their work and complete their tasks partly before appearing for your meeting. It prevents you from hampering anyone's work and instead enables them to achieve personal and professional goals. Keep reading to know more about how to schedule a meeting using tools and applications.

• Ensures employee satisfaction

When learning how to schedule a meeting via a scheduler, you will notice a more satisfied workforce. The constant notifications and reminders enable them to finish their work much faster. They can concentrate on their responsibilities for the day and manage their workload before attending said meetings.

A scheduler is also handy for arranging meetings with clients. It offers the flexibility to make changes if any person deems it necessary. Therefore, your clients have the option of choosing a different time, date, or venue if they need to. They can also propose to include another person or member as they are presented with information regarding the meeting's nitty-gritty.  

Disadvantages of using meeting schedulers

• Extremely impersonal

When learning how to schedule a meeting, a scheduler may be deemed as a modern and apt method for organizing a discussion. However, many will admit that it reduces the personalization of messages.

"As new applicants became a part of Sam's workforce, he wished to hold a small round of introductory meetings with them. He simply wanted to get to know the members of his team. However, Sam immediately encountered the issue of many of the newcomers appearing nervous and even worried about the reason for the meeting."

The issue here is that Sam's medium to conduct a meeting may have been convenient; however, it lacked the personalized touch. Instead of allowing applicants to feel comfortable, they were overcome with fear regarding their company position.

• Difficulty while using a scheduler

Many may claim that the scheduler is a convenient medium for setting reminders for an appointment or meeting; however, there are certain technical difficulties that a user may encounter while learning how to schedule a meeting. This includes problems regarding setting reminders or even making changes to the specified time. Therefore, these technical issues make writing an email seem like child's play.

• Need for synchronization

Often, if you're working in a team comprising several members, they may face conflicting timings for a meeting. Why would a company need to conduct so many meetings in the first place? However, an organization's work doesn't end with setting goals and offering feedback.

It continues where they dedicate themselves to ensure that every member of their workforce can assure the company's development. Therefore, at the time of scheduling a meeting, synchronization and harmony are expected. However, when it comes to coordinating the same via certain applications, conflicts may pertain, such as team members holding a meeting on the same day, the HR requests a brief discussion regarding company principles.

• Requires reliable internet access

Of course, you should be aware by now that both emails, as well as schedulers, require proper internet access when setting meeting details. However, compared to an email, a scheduler requires a more high-speed internet connection. An email can be framed offline and, once constructed, can be sent almost immediately.

You must remember that emails are what began the era of digital messaging, so indeed, this medium is more convenient for setting meetings when it comes to unreliable internet access.

Best meeting scheduling tools that you can use online

• Demodesk
• HubSpot
• Arrangr
• Assistant.to
• YouCanBook.me
• NeedToMeet
• Pick
• Zoom
• Clara

Best meeting schedulers for mobile

• Rally
• Google Calendar
• MeetingBird
• X.ai
• Doodle
• Calendar
• Calendly
• Woven

So, you now have two options before you. One is the old fashioned medium, where knowing how to arrange a meeting by email and setting a reminder will save you the hassle. However, minor setbacks such as issues with alterations in meeting time, venue, or date may lead you to redraft the same thing.

Else, you can go for the newer version of setting a meeting, which is by using a scheduler. While the errors that come with this medium are low, minor issues with understanding this medium's technicalities tend to arise.

This is why, while schedulers are usable, try opting for a more traditional means of setting meetings at times. It is personalized and helps avoid unnecessary conflicts between fellow teammates and colleagues.

So, what makes the cut for you?