So, you have a potential client who's requested a meeting with you. At "your office". But, you work at home. And, if you're anything like me, your home may not be worthy of a spread in Architectural Digest, or even Not-Quite-A-Safety-Hazard Gazette. What to do?

As an independent professional myself, I've had meetings literally everywhere you can imagine - parking lots, onboard boats, and at mutual friends' weddings. I've even met extremely busy clients at their supermarket and walked the aisles with them, asking questions while they shopped. But, that's a bit extreme. There are several more tame options for alternate venues for meetings. Here are a few:

Go to see them. Or, if they work out of their home, they may be comfortable having the meeting at their place. When I offer to "come to them", most clients are thrilled and flattered - they think that you're taking great care of them, and they're glad to not have to worry about travel time. I've even found that going into my clients' offices and homes helps to give me an idea of their design and organizational styles. It even give me an idea of how much project management may be required on a particular project - if their home is chaotic, there's a good chance that the project will be, too.

Just be sure to dose up on allergy medication if you have any pet allergies - you never know when "Fluffy" may be lying in wait. Pets are even common in offices these days - which I learned the hard way (with a combination of much sneezing and a rescheduled meeting).

There's always the local coffee shop. Though this option is now a bit "laughed at" as the official meet-up for freelancers, many clients don't mind meeting here. Just make sure that you don't schedule the meeting for the early morning rush hours if possible, so you'll have some peace and quiet. And, do an audit of the off-name coffee shops in your area - small, local places are often more cozy and atmospheric than the local Starbucks'. You may even find a shop nearby with free Internet access, which would enable you to show your live, online samples in a meeting - a great benefit.

Restaurants are a good option, too. Everyone needs to eat lunch, right? And, a restaurant would be the perfect place to take care of lunch and business at the same time. Visit several of the restaurants in your area, at least to read the menus, to get an idea of the food quality and price range, and to make a basic survey of the menu options. Do a bit of advance consultation on the restaurant choice with your client as well - it's a good idea to make sure your client's not a vegetarian if you're planning to take them to the steak house. And, good etiquette often dictates that you pick up the tab - but it's tax deductible, at least!

Hotel lobbies can be comfortable. There's a hotel by my house that has a grand, sweeping foyer with several groupings of armchairs, sofas and tables. This particular hotel is very accommodating to occasional business meetings - but you may want to check your local hotel before scheduling a meeting there. I suggest phoning ahead to inquire whether they'd mind you having a meeting there, or going by yourself and "hanging out" for an hour or two, with your laptop or a good book, to make sure that their security team doesn't get itchy about your presence. You don't want to get shut down mid-meeting!

Many public and school libraries have conference rooms. You can either use these rooms on a first-come, first-served basis, or you can sign up for a specified time - depending on the library. The good news here is that you get a large, private, quiet space, and if there is a cost associated, it's often minimal.

Check with your professional associations. Many professional associations offer meeting space as a benefit. For example, some Chambers of Commerce offer their meeting rooms to their membership. So, check with the

Outdoor sculpture gardens or parks can boost creativity. For these two options to work, you need favorable weather and an open-minded client, but when the combination's right, great things can come of these meetings. Walking while you talk can also keep the inspiration, and your blood, flowing. A dog-owning client will often love this idea - as long as you like dogs too, invite the pooch along!

Form an alliance. If you have a friend, business acquaintance or client with an office space, you may be able to arrange to take an occasional meeting at their workplace. I have a couple of such alliances, and I offer my alliance partners small consultations and bits of help in exchange.

Rent-a-room. And I'm not talking about a sleazy motel room! If you'd like to present a buttoned-down, professional image, there are several options for conference rooms that you can rent by the hour. There are now "Executive Centers" popping up all around the world that rent out not only office space, but conference room as you need it as well. HQ Global is one option for an executive meeting space. You can also rent conference rooms at some Kinkos locations. Some hotels offer this option as well.

Choosing a great place to have a meeting involves developing a bit of intuition about your client, and doing some research on the options available in your area. But, with a touch of creativity and sometimes a bit of cash, you can find a great place that will be host to a comfortable, project-winning or relationship-building meeting.

Erin Ferree
951-2 Old County Road
Suite 171, Belmont,
CA 94002
USA
Tel: +650-358-9973

©2005 Erin Ferree