The 4 Pitfalls of Meeting In A Coffee Shop

Save your brand from becoming a victim of these four coffee shop pitfalls.

You’ve done it!

You landed a meeting with the dream client you’ve been scouting for months, and the ball is in your court for where to meet. You think “I know the coffee shop nearby” and with that one simple thought you’ve already put one strike against yourself.

If you are in the routine of regularly holding meetings in a public space, you could be hurting your reputation.

Coffee shops and other venues with a public WIFI signal have become the focal point for entrepreneurs, on-the-go. It’s easy to think of these places as your ‘virtual office’, but the problem is these areas leave too much space for the unexpected and not enough for productivity, innovation and collaboration.

Four Avoidable Pitfalls of Coffee Shops (and your brand)

If you plan on holding your next meeting over a $5 latte, read on because that investment in liquid fuel could go towards making yourself look professional with a designated place for your business, organization, or brand.

Read on to learn how that coffee shop meeting could leave room for a few unpredictable pitfalls.

Slow, Unpredictable & Touchy Wifi Connection

It happens when you least expect it. You’ve spent days preparing for your meeting with that new client; organizing a spreadsheet, creating a list of links that further reiterate your point, you’ve even memorized their work history—nothing is going to stop you! The files are on your laptop; you triple checked because you’ve been waiting for this appointment for over a month now. With the two of you seated, you pull out your laptop, connect to the free WIFI and…nothing. The server is down. The barista explains that the shop hasn’t had WIFI all morning. Suddenly, all that prep times means nothing, when your carefully curated presentation is unattainable, and you are off your game due to the inconvenience. You’ve now experienced the first pitfall of meeting in a coffee shop.

No Seats… Anywhere

The time and place you meet your client are something you have complete control over. What can’t you control? The other people who also choose to meet in your “office”. When you can’t designate a particular area for yourself, you are left with what you can take. It’s not your fault you planned a meeting when a volleyball team is traveling from out of state just happened to be stopping by your favorite shop. Now they’ve taken over the tables and chairs while you are left having an awkward conversation in the corner. You clutch your iced coffee while your potential client glances at his/her watch and you’ve officially missed the chance to make a great first impression. You’ve now experienced the second pitfall of meeting at a coffee shop.

The Unexpected Surprise

While standing in line with your potential client, you two start chatting about what type of blended, whipped and freshly concocted beverage you both are going to order. Of course, you both have your heart set on a fancy espresso drink that must take an unnecessary about of sugar and a machine to whip up. You both tell your orders to the barista and receive a disheartening look…they reply “Our espresso machine is out of order at the moment.” You’ve now scheduled the only meeting at a coffee shop where espresso isn’t on the menu. Your potential client jets from the meeting earlier and remembers the unfortunate turn of events more than what you had to say. You’ve now experienced the 3rd pitfall of meeting in a coffee shop.

4. Your Brand Got Thrown Out With The Trash!

The name of the coffee shop brightly greets you as you walk in the door, every drink is clearly branded, heck even the parking spots say reserved for patrons of (fill in a local coffee shop here). The place is a walking advertisement, and you don’t even have a designated foot of space to your brand’s name. Your potential client gushes about the place, “I’ll have to stop here for coffee more often!” You quickly realize you’ve done more to promote the meeting spot than your actual brand and the person you met with leaves with the name of the coffee shop ringing in their ear instead of your business! You’ve now experienced the fourth pitfall of meeting in a coffee shop.

Never leave what could have been a great meeting feeling less-than 100% confident. Holding a meeting outside of your home is great, but coffee shops and other public meeting places are risky unpredictable and touchy. Stick to an office environment and you’ll find you perform better and profit more both in and out of the meeting.

About Office Evolution

Office Evolution approaches office space from an innovate, entrepreneurial perspective. Our determination to offer sole proprietors and small businesses real business solutions has turned the idea of expensive executive offices, and impersonal virtual office, and co-working spaces on its head. Don’t just take our word for it schedule a tour to visit Office Evolution Aurora located at 6105 S. Main Street, Suite 200 in Aurora, Colorado. Contact our offices today by calling (303) 376.6323