Businesses are embracing online meetings. Knowing how to run a meeting with web conferencing software is a crucial skill — one that can give you a leg up on your competition.
Online meetings can save you money on travel, boost communication between workers and clients, even increase sales. If you run them right. Follow these 8 tips and you’ll be ahead of the game.
1. Have an agenda distributed ahead of time. This is even more important online than in “normal” meetings. Having the agenda in front of all the attendees — preferably
2. Practice with your web meeting software. As a leader, you should know how the features work. Planning to use the whiteboard? Figure out how to use it before the meeting. Only want to share one document from your desktop? Again, practice once and learn what to do. Few things are more irritating to meeting participants than waiting five minutes while the leader mumbles “hmm can you see this now?” in vain.
3. Make sure everyone’s prepared. Participants seem less likely to do their prep work (homework, if you will) for online meetings. I recommend a quick “how are you doing” phone call to anyone needing a nudge.
4. Remember to smile while you speak. Call center staff the world round know that your facial expressions translate into your voice tone. Even if there’s no one to see you, smiling (with authority) works wonders.
5. Keep background noises to a minimum. Start with a request that cell phone ringers be turned off. Don’t type near the phone’s receiver. If you’re at home, put the dogs in a different room.
6. Don’t be the note-taker. Ask someone else to handle this responsibility. Managing a good online meeting requires your attention. Don’t distract yourself with the additional task of taking minutes.
7. Check for understanding. After each key topic, make a point of pausing and asking a question or two to gauge their understanding. It can be as simple as “Does this approach to the budget make sense?” Use this feedback as a replacement for seeing their facial expressions.
8. Know who’s on the call. Always start the meeting by asking participants to identify themselves. There’s often a “surprise” attendee you didn’t expect — invited at the last minute by one of the official attendees. Your participants have a right to know who else they’re talking with.
Still unsure about how to run a meeting? Sign up for a free trial with a internet conference vendor (see resource box for helpful links) and take the software for a spin. Set up a practice meeting with a coworker and hone your techniques. It’s an investment in your career.
