Teleconferencing Preparation Tips

Like Video Conferencing Lesson Plans

Why teleconferencing preparation tips?  Well, smart and savvy business have realized that the best method of getting groups of distant employees or customers together for meetings is to do it virtually.  Teleconferencing is one of the best ways to accomplish this.  By bringing people together via phone, businesses are saving money, using time economically, and of course, saving money. 

Teleconferencing still has its challenges and pitfalls.  Anything can happen when you have a high-tech web phone picking up every little sound.  (Did you hear that comment that your sales rep just made about your boss?  Oops, your boss heard it too.) 

It's important to know what you're doing at these things, and since people expect the host to have things under control, we've created a crash course in telephone conferencing set-up skills just for you.

The Devil is in the Video Conferencing Details

Make sure you have your game plan ready.  Decide the date of the meeting, proposed start time, and how many participants you'll have.  Take into account possible time zone differences.  Jane in California won't appreciate a convenient 8:00 AM start time like you East Coast folks.  Of course, it's not a video conference.  Jane could just show up in her pajamas.

I Didn't Get the Teleconferencing Memo!

Let everyone know that you'll be having a teleconference about a month in advance, if not more.  People need time to make room for these things in their datebooks.  Make sure they are aware of the date and are given basic instructions in accessing the meeting if they've never done it before.  Usually they'll need a dial-in number and PIN to get started.  

Sending an email is a good idea, because many email providers allow you to track if your email has been received (that covers your butt).  You can also give the pertinent details there and not have to talk yourself hoarse 63 times.  Make sure to include in your e-mail the name of the moderator, start time and possible duration, topic, and agenda (don't panic - we'll cover agendas in a minute). 

Everyone should let you know at the time the email is sent whether they will be able to attend or if they'd like anything in particular to be added to the agenda, so you can make necessary adjustments.

Video Conferencing Demand Visuals

What's a sales meeting without charts and graphs and sales reports?  It's a good idea to mail out a packet of required visual materials about two weeks in advance.  Yes, two weeks in advance.  Paying a mint to overnight 46 packets to your participants sort of defeats the whole economic aspect of teleconferencing.  And make sure to include a copy of that agenda (we'll get to it, I promise).

 
Everyone Has an Agenda

If we didn't have agendas, teleconferencing would be anarchy.  It's important that your agenda is complete and organized, because everyone will know who made it.  No blaming your mistakes on that poor temp that was in last week.  That wouldn't be nice. 

Your agenda should include the following:

Covered Topics (Um, duh.)

Speaker for Each Topic (Why should you have to do all the talking?)

Time Allowance (Bob in IT should not be able to take three hours telling  everyone why firewalls are important.)

Agendas are important because if people are required to discuss something in front of (figuratively speaking) their colleagues, they'd like to be prepared.  Plus, agendas keep everyone focused and not milling around like conversational sheep.

But How Do I Create a Conferencing Agenda?

Gosh, do I have to spell everything out?  Just do the following steps and you'll be okay.

 Take requests.  Let people know when you send out your one-month warning that you're open to suggestions for meeting topics.  All reasonable suggestions should be included.  For anything not so reasonable, ask the co-worker to send a memo to everyone else requesting that this topic be brought up at a future meeting.  Let your co-worker know that it's a little off topic for this teleconference, but you're sure the board members are just as concerned as he is about using recycled toilet paper in the employee bathrooms.

 Table it.  Once you have your topics nailed down, put everything in table format.  Make sure to use those proper headings with information on topic title, speaker and time allotment.  Don't try to cram too much information at everyone in one sitting. The natives will get restless if you go over your promised time allotment.  Finishing early is always good.  Everyone loves that.

Consider yourself notified.  Make sure you send the agenda out to everyone with the packet that you sent out in advance.  Welcome any last minute suggestions on order and time allowances.

You are now ready to wow everyone with the best darn teleconference ever.  Your co-workers will be amazed at your awesome agenda and impressed by your time scheduling skills.  Your boss won't believe how much everyone got accomplished.  Prepartion is the key.

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