A meeting summary is a concise, well-structured document that captures the key points, decisions, and action items discussed during a meeting. In other words, it’s a summary of everything that was said.
It serves as a valuable reference tool, ensuring that everyone is on the same page and that important details aren't lost in the ether.
Manually creating a meeting summary can be time-consuming, but a little bit of help goes a long way. Claap, an AI-powered meeting assistant, can help you generate meeting summaries effortlessly. Here's how to use it:
Using Claap can save you significant time and ensure that your meeting summaries are consistently well-structured and accurate.
Sign up today to try it in your next meeting.
Before diving into the art of crafting a meeting summary, it's crucial to understand the distinction between a meeting summary and meeting minutes.
Now that we've clarified the difference, let's explore when to use each.
Meeting summaries are your go-to choice when:
This is really useful for things like catch up meetings or when a meeting is short and to the point.
In these situations, a concise meeting summary strikes the perfect balance between brevity and clarity.
On the other hand, opt for meeting minutes when:
Meeting minutes provide a more formal and detailed account of the meeting, ensuring that all legal and procedural requirements are met.
If this applies to you, check out our meeting minutes template to get started.
Creating and distributing meeting summaries offers several benefits:
Efficient Communication: Meeting summaries enable you to communicate the most critical information quickly and effectively, reducing the time spent on lengthy meetings.
Accountability: By documenting action items and responsibilities, meeting summaries help hold team members accountable for their tasks.
Improved Decision-Making: Clear summaries allow for better-informed decisions by ensuring everyone has access to the same information.
Time Savings: With a well-structured summary, team members can review essential points without having to rewatch or reread the entire meeting.
Transparency: Meeting summaries foster transparency within your team, keeping everyone in the loop and preventing misunderstandings.
Now that you know just how important a meeting summary is, let's explore how to create one effectively.
Writing a meeting summary might seem daunting at first, but with the right approach and tools, it can become a seamless part of your meeting routine. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you get started:
Begin your meeting summary by expressing gratitude to all attendees for their participation. A simple "Thank you for joining the meeting" sets a positive tone and acknowledges the value of their time. No need to go overboard on the compliments.
The core of your meeting summary lies in summarizing the essential points discussed during the meeting. No need to include things like who won your meeting icebreaker. Focus on the following:
Agenda Review: Briefly mention the meeting's purpose and agenda.
Main Discussion Points: Highlight the most significant topics covered.
Decisions Made: Clearly state any decisions reached during the meeting.
Action Items: List action items and the responsible parties.
Remember, brevity is key. Aim to provide a concise overview without delving into unnecessary details.
Identify and outline any follow-up tasks that need to be completed before the next meeting. Assign responsibilities to team members and include deadlines to ensure accountability.
Highlight any key decisions made during the meeting. Clearly state the decision, who made it, and the rationale behind it. This section ensures that everyone is on the same page regarding the outcomes of the meeting.
While your meeting summary should be concise, you can’t forget the small details like the date, who attended, and how long the meeting lasted.. Ensure that you include any essential context or information necessary for understanding the discussed topics and decisions.
If there were any documents, presentations, or files shared during the meeting, attach them to the summary. This makes it easy for team members to access the resources they need. If you have a recording of the meeting too, that is a great way to give your team different options for how they catch up.
Once you've crafted your meeting summary, share it promptly with all relevant stakeholders. Ensure that it reaches everyone who attended the meeting and anyone else who needs to be informed.
This might sound like a lot to remember. So why not take the stress out of it and generate meeting notes in 30 seconds with Claap.
Still feel like creating your meeting summary manually? We've created FREE meeting summary templates that you can copy and use for your meetings. These follow the best practices outlined earlier and can serve as a starting point for your meeting summaries.
Meeting Date: [Date]
Meeting Duration: [Duration]
Meeting Purpose: [Purpose]
Attendees:
Summary:
Agenda Review: We started the meeting by reviewing the agenda, which included discussing [Topic 1], [Topic 2], and [Topic 3].
Main Discussion Points:
[Topic 1]: We discussed…
[Topic 2]: We discussed….
[Topic 3]: We discussed…
Decisions Made:
Action Items:
Attachments:
[Attach relevant files or documents here]
Next Meeting: Our next meeting is scheduled for [DATE] at [TIME]. Please review the action items and come prepared to discuss progress.
Meeting Date: [Date]
Meeting Time: [Start Time]
Sales Rep: [Your Name]
Prospect: [Prospect's Name/Company]
1. Acknowledgement
2. Key Points Summary
3. Follow-up Actions
4. Important Decisions or Insights
5. Attachments and Additional Resources
Meeting Date: [Date]
Meeting Time: [Start Time]
Sales Team Members: [List of Sales Team Members Present]
Meeting Led By: [Name of Meeting Leader]
1. Acknowledgement and Thanks
2. Key Points Summary
3. Follow-up Actions for Sales Team
4. Important Decisions Made
5. Attachments and Additional Resources
Meeting Date: [Date]
Meeting Time: [Start Time]
Customer Success Team Members: [List of Attendees]
Meeting Led By: [Name of Meeting Leader]
1. Acknowledgement and Thanks
2. Key Points Summary
3. Follow-up Actions for Customer Success Team
4. Important Decisions Made
5. Attachments and Additional Resources
Meeting Date: [Date]
Meeting Time: [Start Time]
Facilitator: [Facilitator's Name]
Attendees: [List of Attendees]
1. Acknowledgement and Thanks
2. Key Research Findings
3. Next Steps and Action Items
4. Decisions and Conclusions
5. Attachments and Additional Resources
Meeting Date: [Date]
1. Team Achievements and Highlights
2. Upcoming Goals and Objectives
3. Challenges and Areas of Focus
4. Announcements and Reminders
Meeting Date: [Date]
Meeting Time: [Start Time]
Trainer: [Trainer's Name]
Participants: [List of Participants]
1. Training Overview
2. Key Topics Covered
3. Follow-up Actions for Participants
4. Additional Resources and Materials
5. Feedback and Improvement
In conclusion, mastering the art of writing the perfect meeting summary is a valuable skill. It enhances communication, accountability, and decision-making within your team.
Whether you choose to create summaries manually or leverage AI-powered meeting notes, the key is to ensure that the essential information is captured concisely and shared promptly with your team. With these tools and techniques at your disposal, you'll be well-equipped to run efficient and productive meetings while keeping everyone on the same page.
