If you think an agenda is simply a list of topics for a client review meeting, you are missing an opportunity to move your business forward.

Agendas are a good way to build momentum, says Sara Gilbert, founder of Strategist Business Development in Montreal. They can help to develop your business and make it more efficient at the same time.

Here are three questions to keep in mind when developing your agenda:

1. Who will receive an agenda?
Creating an agenda for each client will take some time and you should decide if you want to limit the number of clients who receive one.

If you’ve already segmented your clients, then you may decide your top two tiers will get one but everyone else will not, suggests Gilbert. The purpose is to make sure you can provide this service consistently to those clients. “Inconsistency impacts your professionalism,” says Gilbert. “People want that consistency, it brings security.”

2. Which services will you introduce or review?
The first item in every agenda is the review of personal and financial goals. You should also ensure there is enough time during the meeting to assess whether the client is still on track.

But if you stop there, you may limit the potential to increase your business with this client. Your next step should be the introduction of other services you have added to your practice.

For example, if you have decided to present charitable-giving strategies to your clients, inform them through the agenda. You might also want to attach an article on the topic so the client can become more familiar with the subject prior to the meeting.

In order to effectively introduce a new service, that item should be on the agenda of every client meeting. So, over the course of one year, you know you are discussing philanthropic strategies with all of your clients.

If you are instead reviewing a service, this will require studying your client’s case a little more closely. You want to know if there are any subjects you may want to revisit with clients.

Maybe one of your clients did not want to discuss estate planning five years ago because the relationship was new and he or she wanted to ease into the different services. Include that topic on that agenda, with a note saying you would like to discuss it.

3. Are you encouraging questions?
Inform your clients that the end of the meeting will be dedicated to answering their questions. Because you have informed them of what you will discuss, they can start thinking of questions based on your topics — or anything else that has crossed their minds.

You can also invite them to share their questions prior to the meeting so that you and your team can research those and be ready to answer them when you see the client, Gilbert says.

This is the first in a three-part series on planning and follow-up for client meetings.