How To Conduct Your Telemeeting, Teleconference Or Teleclass
By Susan Dunn, MA, Personal and Professional Development Coach, Wed Dec 7th

More and more entrepreneurs and businesses are turning to theaffordable and efficient use of teleconferences for meetings,classes and training. Everyone calls in to a dedicated bridgeline at the appointed time and there is no need to get togetherin person. You can imagine the time and money this saves.

Whether you conduct your own, or pay a coach to conduct one foryou, here are some things to keep in mind:

The Advantages

Teleconferences save time and money. Participants don’t have togo anywhere; they simply pick up the phone and dial in. This cansave hours out of a person’s day.

You don’t have to pay the transportation for a speaker, andthere are no refreshments or equipment to arrange and nofacility to book. The logistics are minimal. You can see theadvantages already.

Teleconferences also expand your choice of presenters. You canchoose the best person for the job – internationally – not justthe best person in your town, or someone whose transportationyou can afford to pay.

People taking teleconferences can be exceptionally comfortableand receptive because they can be in their own home or office.There are few distractions such as there would be in any room,where your mind can wander as you look around, hearannouncements, have someone else get up to leave for therestroom, or watch staff coming and going. Teleconference allowfor total focus.

The Disadvantages

Not everyone is experienced or skilled in what it takes toconduct a meeting or training over the telephone. It’s importantto book a coach or trainer with experience in teleconferencework. You cannot see the participants faces to read theirexpressions or receive feedback, so the presenter must know howto work around this.

Why? The other day I spent the morning with a friend working ona joint project which involved meeting somewhere, then drivingto the next place. As we got into the car for the drive, shetold me she would have to dial in to a telemeeting, but not toworry, we could keep working. She dialed in, put her phone onmute, and continued the conversation with me. She un-muted atthe end of the hour to sign off.

The astute teleconference or telemeeting conductor knows how tomake the call interactive enough so that participants must staytuned in, engaged, and actively participating.

If you’re working internationally, you also have to considertime zones, and there are some localities that can’t be workedin, day or night. In that case, you will have to have twoseparate sessions.

Here are some things you need to know:

1.You can rent teleconference bridge lines for free or forlittle cost.

Start with a free one and see if you like it. Here are threeplaces you can try http://secure.konferex.com/konferex.asphttp://www.freeconference.com/?Source=Google/freeteleconferencehttp://conferenceup.com/conference.html

2.Take one of the basic training courses in teaching bytelephone on the Internet. Here is one:http://www.teleclassinternational.com/main2 raining.html .

3.Then work with a coach for individualized instruction so youcan perfect the general knowledge you receive from thestandardized training.

4.Have your coach sit in on your first couple of teleconferencesto give you feedback.

5.Sit in on some free teleclasses yourself to see what works andwhat doesn’t. It’s an excellent way to learn. Here is onesource: www.teleclass.com .

6.Send a list of procedures to participants each time until youhave worked with the same group for a while. This should includesuch things as:

·Call from a landline and be on time. ·Announce yourself whenyou enter the call, and each time you make a comment. ·Don’t hogairtime. Let others speak. ·Call from a quiet location – nodogs, machines, people talking, or children. Others need to beable to hear what’s going on. Put the phone on mute if need be.·Be courteous to the instructor and to the others on the call.·Keep your comments relevant to the task at hand and things thatwould be helpful to others. ·Announce when you are leaving thecall.

Let your participants know how you want to handle questions. Arethey welcome all along, or will there be a Q&A time at the end?

Also inform them if this will be primarily lecture, orparticipatory. This will allow them to prepare their mindset.

Any information you can give ahead of time will be appreciated,and will optimize the value of the meeting or seminar, just asyou would send a hardcopy agenda within your office.

7.During the teleconference, check in with participants fromtime-to-time, using their names.

Say, “Mary what do you think about this?” or “John, would youlike to make a comment?”

This assures people stay with you on the call, and also allowsyou to get the feedback you can’t get because you can’t see theparticipants. You can’t tell if you’re boring them on thetelephone, or losing their interest, unless you ask.

8.End by going around the virtual “room” asking each participantto tell you what they will take with them. This assures everyonestays on for the duration of the call, and stays invested. Italso gives you the feedback you need to see if you have made thepoints you meant to, and how to correct on futureteleconferences.

9.Ask participants for feedback at the end of the call, or tolet you know by email. You want to know how to improve in thefuture. 10.There are advantages to paying for a bridge line.Here are some:

·They may be more reliable, though I have never had trouble witha free bridge line. ·They may allow you to record the call soyou can sell the recorded version later, or send it to those whomissed the meeting. Also for your own feedback. ·You can putguests on mute if need be. ·They may provide volume control.·Some provide on-hold music ·Can allow for 100 or moreparticipants

Extremely effective and efficient, many are turning to bridgelines for conferences, meetings and training. Give it a try.

About the author:©Susan Dunn, MA, Personal and Professional Development Coach,http://www.susandunn.cc . Transitions, career, emotionalintelligence, relationships, leadership, communication.Coaching, Internet courses and eBooks,http://www.webstrategies.cc/ebooklibrary.html .Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for FREE ezine. I train and certify EQcoaches. Email for info.