Conferencing Hints & Tips

Tips for a Successful Conference

Notify the Participants
Let all conference participants know the date, how to access the conference, the moderator's name, start and estimated end times, subject and agenda.

Prepare in advance
To avoid meeting delays, take time before the conference to create and upload any resources you'll need for your meeting, such as presentations, surveys or quizzes.

Determine Equipment Needs
If there are multiple participants in the same room, high quality speakerphone equipment is recommended. We recommend that you discourage the use of cordless or mobile phones, as these may cause static or other interference.

Share visual aids for more impact
Use the web to share slides and applications for a more interactive conferencing experience.

Set the Conference Goal
1. Pinpoint the meeting objectives.
2. Provide an agenda in advance.
3. Try to limit the agenda to three or four topics, and let the participants know how much time you intend to spend on each.

Moderate a Successful Conference

As the moderator, there are several steps you can take to lead a successful conference:

Enter the meeting early
Ensure  participants can access your meeting at the scheduled start time. Give yourself a few minutes to open the meeting room and make sure all necessary system components are loaded.

"Do Not Disturb"
Make sure you lead the conference from an office or meeting room where you won't be disturbed.

Share Your Enthusiasm!
Your voice accounts for 78% of your effectiveness on the telephone.

Introduce Yourself
Begin the conference by introducing yourself and your location, stating the objective of the conference and giving instructions for audience involvement.

Set the Rules
Remind everyone of the ground rules during a conference:
1. State one's name before speaking
2. Keep background noise to a minimum; use the mute button when not speaking
3. Mute all participants in non-collaborative meetings to minimize background noise.
4. Keep comments concise and focused on the topic.

Keep It Simple
Present the information clearly in an easy-to-understand manner.
Remember this simple, 3-step rule:
1. Review the agenda
2. Conduct the meeting
3. Summarize decisions and action items

Don't Be Afraid to Pause
One of the most common complaints about conferencing is the fast pace of the presentation.
Using pauses can lead to a more effective presentation.

Q&A
In general, effective presentations allow about one-third of the time for interaction with the audience. Let the participants know if and when you want interaction.

Stay on Schedule
Be respectful of everyone's time and try to end on schedule.

Reach Closure
1. Ask for summary statements
2. Recap action items
3. Thank everyone for their participation
4. Use a formal sign-off to end the conference

Have fun!
To make the most of technology, create an atmosphere that promotes interaction. Involve people from every location by asking direct questions.  Don't make your presentation a scripted show; make it a genuine meeting. To help participants better understand and recall content, limit presentation materials to 6-7 lines per slide. And use larger-size fonts for legibility.The more employees enjoy audio and web conferencing, the more likely they will use the services in place of expensive travel costs.

Browser Test
All participants should perform a browser-check (included in the meeting invitation) to ensure there are no firewall issues before the conference.

Just In Case…
Remember that if technical difficulties arise during your teleconference, simply dial *10*, or call 1-866-GENESYS for assistance.