Simpleology Blog

Virtual Meeting. Web conferencing makes life easier--as long as you observe proper etiquette.

Web conferencing is a super simple way to hold meetings online. It includes both audio (provided via phone) and visual (provided via the Web). This technology can save you (and your business) a huge amount of time and money since it allows people from around the world to meet for a tiny fraction of the cost of travel.

However, if you're looking to build rapport or establish new relationships, stick with face-to-face meetings. Barring that, many ordinary business activities (such as defining new policies, sharing product information, and even brainstorming) web conferencing can be a very effective tool.

Still, many people worry that web conferences are less productive--what with not being able to "see" the other attendees and the possibility of technical complications.

To put such fears to rest, here are a few tips to help make the most of an online meeting:

1. Define the rules of conduct. Since Web meetings are the "new wave" of technology, a lot of people still don't understand the etiquette involved. Be sure to provide clear instructions before jumping into the meeting.

If you're not accepting questions until the meeting is adjourned, place everyone on mute and let them know you'll open the lines again when it's time for Q&A. If you choose to keep the lines open, remember that people are busy and they may have to step away from the call for a few minutes while it's in process. Ask that attendees who need to do this to simply set the phone down rather than placing it on hold, since many phones play music or offer an annoying beep that will disrupt the whole group. You can also ask that everyone place themselves on mute until they're ready to speak to the group.

For more on etiquette, OfficeArrow has downloadable documents available.

2. Choose a provider with human tech support. The last thing you want is for technical issues to interfere with your meeting if people can't hear you, or if they're confused about how to access the visual portion of the meeting, all of your efforts are wasted. Before you select the company that will provide service for your meeting, ask if they have "live, human technical support."

My company has a partnership with RollCall Business Conferencing Solutions, so I use their service at least once a month. If one of my meeting attendees experiences a problem, all they have to do is hit *0 and a very nice person at RollCall's Texas call center will walk them through the process. It's seamless support that keeps the meeting on track. Make sure the company you're using provides that same level of service.

3. Enable the Chat feature. Many services provide a live online chat feature that allows you (the host) to communicate with the audience in real time during the meeting. This is a hugely productive tool because it helps you understand what is going on in the audience without disrupting the entire meeting. For example, if you're explaining something and several attendees send you an instant message with questions, you know you need to slow down and address the issues. This allows your audience to feel "heard" without interrupting the whole group and without opening all the lines for the entire call. It also lets you know how the audience is responding to your message.

4. Practice. Just because you won't be in front of people physically, doesn't mean you can wing it. Because you're meeting virtually, you'll actually have to work harder to keep the attention of your audience. Stumbling around, losing your train of thought, will only encourage your attendees to multitask, which is not effective for your message. Make comprehensive notes for yourself and be prepared. The nice part about meeting virtually is that you can have all of your materials at your fingertips. You don't need to worry about "memorizing" information. But you still need to know what you're doing.

The same can be said about the technology. Get comfortable with the service you're using. If you're worried, call them and ask for a tutorial. You have enough to think about during the meeting. You don't want to get off track because you aren't sure what button to push.

5. Keep it short and sweet. When meeting virtually, you still need to be cautious of the time. As with all meetings, people tend to get antsy. However, web conferences are even worse because your attendees are probably sitting in their own offices, facing their to-do lists that continue to grow as the meeting progresses. The urge to multitask can be overwhelming. Keep your meeting on topic and wrap it up quickly. A web conference is best suited to a meeting that is one hour or less. If your topic is extremely complicated and you need more time, break it up into multiple sessions or simply consider meeting face-to-face.

The author is the senior content manager of OfficeArrow, an online community for office professionals. Drop by to read more about productivity and technology. Or simply to meet some new people who believe in the power of collaboration. Registration is easy and free!

Credits: Image from Geocities.

Suggested Resource: Simpleology 101: The Simple Science of Getting What You Want (Lesson 3: "The Law of Focused Attention" has a lot of tips on how you can streamline your online meetings and make sure you don't stray from the agenda.)