In many jobs, you’ll sometimes have to arrange a meeting with colleagues, your boss or manager, clients, etc.
This page shows you the words and phrases to use to arrange a meeting – when you write or when you speak.
Follow the plans below to structure your emails and phone calls when you arrange a work meeting.
Formal Meetings
Here are ways you can write an email to arrange a meeting with people you work with. Follow this “plan” to write a simple, concise and clear email.
I’d like to arrange / organise / call a meeting…
… to discuss our strategy / plans
… to clarify our policy on / our response to …
… to prepare for the exhibition / conference
… to finalise details / preparations for …
… to establish guidelines / our procedure for …
… to examine our financial position
… to review our options / our spending / our budget / our policy on…
The meeting will be held at (place) on (day) at (time) / from (time) to (time).
(Please find attached the agenda.)
Please confirm your attendance / Please confirm that you can attend.
I look forward to seeing you (all) then.
(your name)
Informal Meetings
You can either email or phone or speak in person to arrange a more informal meeting. Here are some phrases you can use.
In emails
Would you be free for a meeting on (day) at (time)?
Can you make / attend a meeting on (day) at (time)?
I’d like to discuss / prepare / review…
It’s about (subject).
I’ve prepared an agenda (attached).
Please confirm that this date suits you.
Face-to-face
Would you be free for a meeting later today / after lunch / some time tomorrow about…?
We need to discuss / prepare / review / go over…
Shall we say at around (time) in the boardroom / my office?
How To Arrange A Meeting With Clients
Here are some ways you can email a client to arrange a sales or presentation meeting.
Salutation
Dear (name)
Introductory paragraph
Following our meeting / phone call on (day), I’m writing to set up a meeting with you …
…to discuss a possible solution to (name of problem)
…to discuss some ways in which our product / service can benefit you
…to present our new (product) to you
…to introduce you to (name of new colleague)
Next 1 / 2 paragraphs
Here, you’ll need to give some more detail about the meeting, your product or service, etc, and why it will benefit your potential client. Try to be as specific as possible and match your client’s needs to the product or service.
Final paragraph
Would you be free on (date) at around (time)? I estimate the meeting will take 15 / 30 minutes.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely / Best wishes
(your name)
Useful Meeting And Discussion Phrasal Verbs
to set up a meeting = organise / arrange a meeting: “I’d like to set up a meeting to discuss the travel details.”
to work out = find a solution to something, or finalise something
“We need to work out how our approach this negotiation.”
“Can you work out a time that everyone can make?”
to thrash out / to hammer out = to discuss until you find a solution – often to a complex situation:
“We’ll need to sit down and thrash out the details of the agreement.”
“They hammered out an agreement after eight hours of talks.”
to pin down = to get someone to agree something – especially when this person doesn’t easily commit to things
“You’ll need to pin him down for your starting salary.”
to go over = to discuss
“Can we go over the arrangements for the launch?”