In this day and age, increasing efficiency while cutting costs is key for businesses and individuals alike. So, instead of attending meetings in person, you can save time and money by conducting your meetings through audio conferencing. When you rely on an audio conference call to conduct these important business meetings, you need to make sure they are as effective as possible. By utilizing the following tips, you will be able to enjoy Onstream's clear conference calls that can help you easily connect with anyone around the world for the best results.
Before the Call
- Make sure you are fully prepared for the call. Being organized will allow the call to go more smoothly and cut back on the background noise created as you search through your notes for your next point.
- Let all your attendees know exactly when the call will take place, including the date and time. Send out email reminders if the audio conferencing provider you use offers this service.
- Send an agenda to all the people who will be attending your call. You can easily do this through email or by fax if email isn’t available.
- When your conference call will have a large number of attendees, you should talk to your conference call provider before you get started to make sure you have access to all the features you need so that your attendees will be able to access the call easily.
The Start of Your Call
- Choose a location free of distractions, particularly background noise. An empty office is the best choice.
- Turn off your cell phone or any other devices that may make noise during your call unless they are absolutely necessary.
- Call into the audio conferencing line early to make sure you don’t encounter any problems.
- Write out a list of the commands you can use during your call so you can access them quickly during the call.
- Check to make sure everyone is present before you start the meeting. A roll call can be the easiest way to do this.
- Cover your agenda at the beginning and make sure everyone is on the same page for the goals of the call.
- If you will be recording the call, alert all your attendees before you start the call.
During the Call
- Announce your name before you start talking so everyone knows who is speaking. Anyone else who talks during the call should also introduce themselves first. Audio conferencing can be confusing if you don’t know who is talking.
- Ask for feedback one person at a time. Don’t be afraid to call someone out by name. If you ask a general question, you may face everyone talking at once or no one may talk in anticipation of someone else speaking.
- Follow the agenda you sent to everyone. Keep a paper copy of the agenda in front of you to avoid losing your place or going off track.
- Encourage everyone to participate in the call.
- If some of the attendees are too noisy, don’t hesitate to ask them to place themselves on mute while someone else is talking.
- Summarize the meeting before you end the call to ensure everyone is aware of what occurred.
- Give out information on your next audio conferencing call, including the date and time, if there will be one.
Having a successful audio conference relies on your ability to plan well and carry out that plan. With these tips, you will increase your chances of hosting an effective conference call through Onstream Media.
