Too many business lunches eat up the afternoon and leave you with nothing but the bill. Margaret Miller, president of TERAGRAM Coaching & Consulting Group in Hamilton, Ont., offers these lunch lessons:

1. Watch the clock
Set aside 90 minutes for lunch. To keep to your schedule, don't wait an hour before getting down to business.

2. Have an Agenda
Take a list of the few key points you want to discuss to the meeting, which will help you avoid chasing down information you forgot to get over lunch.

3. Take Notes
Let your client know that you'd like to make some notes during the meeting rather than trying to recall discussions from memory. Your notes will be more accurate and you won't waste time recovering any information you forget.

Article By Deena Waisberg