Conference calling services have provided a bridge for the space between us due to COVID-19. Many businesses sent employees home, and we’ve all been eager to reconnect and gather again. Luckily, we’ve had technology to keep us all connected and working, but conferencing services can offer so much more than just a platform to chat.
When you host a video conference, you’re essentially getting the same experience as you would with an in-person conference—minus the chance of catching or spreading the virus. Did you know that you can use conference calling services to host memorable online events as well?
Online events are also becoming more and more popular for their convenience and cost-effectiveness. For your next event, try using a conference calling service. Here’s how.
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Be As Detailed As Possible
A good presentation is detailed and complete. Have you ever seen someone give a presentation that was dry, dull, and boring? Or one that was missing half of the information, or where the presenter was unable to answer all of the questions? A detailed presentation is a memorable one.
Making your presentation detailed also means making it unique. When you’re discussing information that’s been repeated before, people tend to tune out. Use intriguing visuals, and a story-like narrative to make things more interesting. Storytelling can improve online presentations and meetings alike!
People like to hear things in a context that relates to them. While you and your audience are bound by the context of work, you still want to appeal to a more personal side of things. Use real-life examples, or tell a story of how your presentation material relates to an experience that you had.
Get To Know Your Software
The last thing you want to be doing during your presentation is troubleshooting your software or hardware. If you’re new to video conferencing, it’s a good idea to get to know your software before you host your event. Troubleshoot any compatibility or connection issues, and make sure your conferencing platform supports screen sharing.
Screen sharing takes the video conference to the next level. You’ll be able to show your audience what’s on your computer screen, which makes for more in-depth and interactive presentations. Your webinar will be the envy of the industry with your screen sharing capabilities.
Polish Your Guest List And Agenda
Next, you’ll need to decide if your guest list is more exclusive or if it’s an open event. Open events are fine, but they might be less secure, as you don’t know who’s watching. Polishing up your guest list is a good way to ensure that only the people you want there will attend. Practice a “camera on” policy as well. You want to see everyone’s faces both to connect with them and to secure the event.
Every meeting or event should have an agenda. It doesn’t matter if you’re just writing things down or creating a polished, beautiful agenda from a template—as long as it serves its function. A well-planned event has a good agenda that explains the purpose of the event, important timestamps, when (and where) the event will take place, and how long it will go on for.
Be sure to provide your guests with your finished agenda before the event. Ideally, they’ll have access to it at least a few days prior, but it’s also ok to provide the agenda just as they join the conference call.
Record Your Event For Later Review
Perhaps the best way to host better events is to record them and review them later. Looking back on your first online event can tell you a lot about the audience, the presentation, and how you handled things. You might be surprised (pleasantly or otherwise) by what you find.
Pay close attention to how you presented your information and whether or not your audience seemed to be engaged. Did you hold yourself well? Were you confident in the information and your speech? Remember that body language can tell you a lot about a person and the information they’re presenting.
Many conferencing platforms allow you to record both video conferences and audio calls. This usually comes as a standard feature, along with 24/7 support, multi-caller functionality, and HD video and audio. Modern conference calling services are truly the ultimate business communication tools.
The Bottom Line
Hosting a memorable event means being well-prepared, holding yourself high, and using the right tools to make sure your attendees are all included. Remember that the security of your event should be a priority, and you can always use a password to keep unwanted visitors out. Always use an agenda, and don’t be afraid to look back on your event via the recording feature to learn how to host a better, more productive event next time.
