When requesting a meeting, it’s important to be very clear about what you are specifically asking for. In your request, make sure you include this information:
- Who you are and your connection to the decision-maker (if they don’t already know you)
- The reason for the meeting
- What you hope to achieve by meeting
- How much time you are requesting
- How soon you would like to meet
- Anyone else you would like to attend the meeting
When you provide this detail, the decision-maker will be better able to handle your request. They will likely be thinking about:
- Whether they are the right person for you to talk to, or if someone else would be a better fit to resolve your issue
- How well your issue fits with their priorities and how quickly they can respond.
- How much time they need to dedicate to your request.
There are three different scenarios once you make your request:
- Decision-maker accepts: Great news! You can proceed with scheduling the meeting.
- Decision-maker declines: If they decline your request to meet, ask them for feedback. Is there a specific reason? Is there someone else you should be meeting with instead of them?
- Decision-maker ignores: If you don’t receive a response, wait for a few weeks and follow up politely to check in on your request. If there is still no response after another few weeks, you can follow up again, asking for their feedback to learn if there is someone else you should be meeting with instead of them. (See the Follow-Up Email Template.) If there’s still no response, try another decision-maker – perhaps you’ll have better luck!
If they accept your request for a meeting, be sure to communicate any accessibility needs that you have. For example, let them know if you need to have a support person present, or if you need a captioner or key-worder to make the experience accessible.
