A Comprehensive Guide to Take Meeting Notes: Proven Strategies

Sanjay Patel
Salescamp
Published in
4 min readJun 2, 2022

There are many ways to take meeting notes, but the best way is by keeping them in a digital document. In this article, you’ll find out some of the most common methods for taking meeting notes, as well as the pros and cons of each one. You’ll also learn how to become a better listener so that your notes will be more accurate and valuable.

Why should people use meeting notes?

There are plenty of reasons why people should use meeting notes. Meeting notes can help individuals remember what was discussed during a meeting, they can provide a written record of decisions that were made, and they can be used to follow up with action items. In addition, meeting notes can be helpful for those who were not able to attend the meeting, as they can catch up on what was discussed. Overall, taking meeting notes is a great way to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that important information from meetings is not lost.

Types of meeting notes:

There are a few different ways that you can take meeting notes, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Below, we’ll go over a few of the most popular methods so that you can decide which is right for you.

  1. The Cornell Note-Taking System: This system is designed to help you remember key points from a lecture or meeting. To use it, you divide your page into three sections: a main note-taking area, a summary area, and a cue column. As you listen to the speaker, you jot down key points in the main note-taking area. Then, after the meeting or lecture, you summarize what you’ve learned in the summary area and write down any questions or ideas for further research in the cue column. This system works well if you need to remember a lot of information from a meeting or lecture.
  2. The Listening Method: This method is best if you want to capture everything that was said in a meeting or lecture. To do this, simply listen to the speaker and write down everything they say verbatim. This can be useful if you’re trying to remember exact quotes or if you want to make sure you don’t miss anything important. However

Tools for capturing and organizing notes

There are many different ways to take meeting notes, and the best method for you will depend on your own personal preferences and work style. However, there are a few tools that can be helpful for capturing and organizing notes during meetings.

One option is to use a digital recorder to capture the audio of the meeting. This can be especially helpful if you are attending a long or complex meeting, as you can go back and listen to the recording later to ensure that you didn’t miss anything important. Alternatively, you can use a note-taking app on your phone or tablet to jot down key points from the discussion. Evernote and OneNote are two popular options that offer features like syncing across devices and easy sharing with others.

If you prefer to take notes by hand, consider investing in a good quality notebook and pen that you can use just for meeting notes. This way, all of your notes will be in one place and easy to reference later. Whichever method you choose, make sure to take some time after the meeting to review your notes and add any additional details or clarification that may be needed.

The line between speaking and taking notes

We’ve all been there before. You’re in a meeting, and you’re trying to pay attention to the speaker while also jotting down some notes. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to do both at the same time. As a result, you might find yourself either missing out on key points or struggling to read your own handwriting later on.

So what’s the best way to take meeting notes? It turns out that there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Depending on the type of meeting, the topics being discussed, and your personal preferences, you might need to adjust your approach.

Here are a few different strategies that you can try:

If you’re attending a long meeting or one where complex topics are being discussed, it might not be possible to write down everything that’s being said. In these cases, it’s better to focus on capturing the main points rather than trying to transcribe every word.

To save time, use abbreviations and symbols when taking notes. For example, you might use “&” for “and” or “

A note-taking guide for various types of meetings

There are different types of meetings that you might find yourself taking notes for. Here is a guide on how to take notes for each type of meeting:

  1. One-on-One Meetings: In a one-on-one meeting, it is best to use a notebook so that you can have a physical record of the conversation. Write down any important points that are discussed and be sure to date the entries.
  2. Group Meetings: When taking notes in a group meeting, it is important to be as concise as possible. Use abbreviations and bullet points to capture the main ideas that are being discussed. It is also helpful to designate a specific area of the page for each speaker. This will help you keep track of who said what.
  3. Conference Calls: Conference calls can be tricky to take notes for because you can’t always see everyone who is speaking. Try to use a notebook or legal pad so that you can have plenty of space to jot down notes. Be sure to date and label each page with the name of the call.
  4. Webinars: Webinars can be challenging to take notes for because you are usually looking at a slide deck while

Conclusion

Now that you know all the different strategies for taking meeting notes, it’s time to put them into practice. The best way to improve your meeting note-taking skills is to simply start using one of the methods we’ve outlined above. Experiment with different techniques and find the one that works best for you. And don’t forget, practice makes perfect!

Originally published at https://www.sellius.co.

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