Sales Meeting

A panel discussion is another way to vary the routine. Four or five qualified people are appointed to the panel and take seats at a table facing the audience. A moderator stands in the center of the panel members. The moderator is not seated since he can better control the situation when standing. He calls on panel members to answer questions. Management can prepare the questions in advance, listing those that will provoke answers and information most needed by the audience.

It is often better, on the other hand, to use questions originated by the audience, as this assures coverage of material in which there is the greatest interest. Where questions come from the audience, they should be submitted in advance in written form. This provides opportunity to screen them, eliminating those that are objectionable. They need not be submitted days in advance – at the start of the meeting should be early enough, because it will take only a few minutes to decide which ones are irrelevant, too negative, or will be answered by speeches slated to follow. Another reason for screening is to eliminate duplication.

“I thought I was smart enough to handle questions without screening,” said a corporation board member. “But it got me into hot water right away. Don’t try it. Take the few minutes that are necessary for screening.”

As for accepting verbal questions from the floor, only in small meetings is this recommended. It’s justified in small meetings since it results in a fair degree of audience participation. But it’s risky business unless the moderator is skilled, because he must be able to recognize objectionable questions and to brush them off in a manner that does not offend. “This isn’t easy either,” said a Baton Rouge sales manager. “People are inclined to wear their feelings on their sleeves. One must be very careful – more careful than he might think.”

The moderator gets participation from all members of the panel by limiting each answer to a couple of minutes. But he must know what to do if a member gives an incorrect answer or leaves an erroneous impression.

It’s important that one or two members of the audience do not hog the show with their questions. There have been post-meeting comments such as, “If only someone had strangled that loud-mouth in the third row! Without him, the meeting wouldn’t have been so bad.”

A rule of thumb: when one member of the audience has spoken a second time, the moderator should thereafter concentrate on getting questions from people who have not previously participated.

Other points of consideration are whether table “mikes” will be needed and whether name cards should be placed on the table in front of panel members. These two items can add much to the event. If name cards are used, however, the printing should be large enough that it can be read by people in the rear of the room.

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