Web conferencing services are becoming more and more popular and necessary. With more businesses going global and more and more employees working from home, many businesses have adopted a conferencing service of one type or another. Depending on the needs of the business, utilizing web conferencing services may be the best solution.

Web conferencing services include the ability to share documents, make presentations and confer with anyone from around town or the world! With the use of your computer, web conferencing allows you to launch a meeting with all the bells and whistles. The following is a list of services and solutions that web conferencing services accomplish:

1. No software necessary, browser-based system

2. Entire audience can see each presentation, document and spreadsheet

3. Set-up multiple users as presenters to the group

4. Monitor audience participation

5. “Hand-Raise” ability - Know when a group member has a question

6. Pointer Ability - Keep everyone on the same track during the presentation

7. Full Screen - Enlarge the presentation to fill the entire screen

8. Host ability to chat with individuals or different groups

9. Present a slide show

10. SSL Encryption for ultimate security

11. Firewall Protection

And a quick overview of web conferencing pro’s and con’s shows us:

Pros:

Computer requirements are relatively simple and almost everyone utilizing a computer for business purposes will easily meet and exceed the requirements.

Ability to share audio and visual presentations, slide shows or programs.

Easily communicate with each member.

Cons:

Fees can add up quickly. Depending on services rendered, standard web conference prices are about $.49/minute per user. Audio capability can result in additional charges. If you plan to hold regular web conferences, there are subscription prices but, again, this will vary by provider and generally will require some sort of one-time set-up fee. These fees can range from $1000-$3000.

If you are not quite sold on the idea of committing to a browser-based conference system, there are other conferencing solutions.

Audio conferencing allows members to communicate via telephone. This can include regional, national or global members. You will need to apply for audio conferencing services if you feel that this is the best solution since most phone systems only allow for three members to participate at one time.

For the most part, “free” conference solutions are for audio conferences only. Maybe you want to test a provider before committing to their contract or are deciding on the best conferencing solution. Free conference providers will have limitations, but if you are looking to host a small group, the limitations may not even be noticed.

Microsoft Live Meeting is the name of the application Microsoft offers. Live Meeting allows meetings to be integrated with Microsoft Office, which can be quite useful! It offers similar benefits as web conferencing, but with the added connectivity of Microsoft office.

They offer a standard and professional service. It is recommended to purchase the professional service since this allows the use of all the benefits that Microsoft Live Meeting offers.

A hosted conference offers many benefits. Services vary depending on provider, but for the most part, hosted conferences are mostly audio conferences that have an assistant provided from your conference provider.

The live assistant helps with “checking-in” and any technical difficulties that may arise. The assistant is also valuable as an extra security measure. Hosted conferences allow you to focus on your presentation or meetings, while the assistant handles the “details” of running a smooth meeting.

Of course, only you will know which conferencing or web conferencing services will best meet your needs. There is a huge need for conferencing solutions and many providers to choose from. Take your time, understand your business needs and by all means, use the free trial options!



Thanks to Tomaz Mencinger for contributing this article to our Conferencing blog:

Conference Bridge Service

Teleseminars are a great way to connect with your customers. You can provide information, answer questions, and market your products and services through teleseminars. You can also invite your joint venture partners to talk on your teleseminar. The marketing opportunities and ideas are endless. Following are situations and questions about the components of a successful teleseminar. Internet gurus will reveal the secrets to achieve this goal.

One major concern regarding teleseminars is the number of subscribers that attend the teleseminar. An example of this concern involves an Internet marketer that put on his first teleseminar. He sent an email to his subscriber list of over 2,000 email addresses. He sent an email twice a day for three days regarding the teleseminar. The copy on the emails was top notch as it was written by copy writing professionals. However, when it came time for the teleseminar he had low attendance on the call.

This left him to wonder the source of the low attendance. Was it due to the quality of the subscriber list? Was it that his subscriber list was not used a teleseminar? What could he do to significantly increase the attendance at his next teleseminar?

Internet Guru Answer: We need to examine his situation more closely. Did the Internet marketer set up a squeeze page that enables people to sign up for the teleseminar? Did the emails have a clickable link to the squeeze page? Did the Internet marketer track the number of people that clicked on the link in the email and then actually signed up for the teleseminar?

First of all, don’t worry if you have low attendance at your first teleseminar. Low attendance can be the result of many factors. For example, your subscriber list may not yet be “trained” to attend your teleseminars. Be proud that you gave a teleseminar. Keep providing more teleseminars and your subscriber list will catch on. The attendance level will increase if you are persistent.

You should also verify that you have a squeeze page for each teleseminar. The squeeze page should enable each person to sign up for the specific teleseminar. This specific list will go to an Autoresponder. This helps you keep track of who and how many sign up for the call. Plus, you can then market to this quality list before and after the call.

You can also track the link from the email to the squeeze page. Make sure to check how many people clicked on the link AND actually signed up for the teleseminar. These numbers will give you a conversion rate concerning the number of people that actually signed up for the call.

Another way to significantly increase teleseminar attendance is to bribe your subscriber list. For example, tell your subscriber list that if they attend the teleseminar then they will get a free bonus worth a good chunk of money. Also after they sign up you can send a voice broadcast to remind them to attend the teleseminar. Recommended voice broadcast systems include: Voice Shot and Market Touch Media.



Thanks to Matt Bacak for contributing this article to our Conferencing blog:

Net Meeting Video Conferencing

Teleconferencing is, possibly, the most efficient communication breakthrough of the 20th century. The thinking is to enable a group (three or more people) interactive communication through an electronic medium between people at many locations!

Teleconferencing is being used in the following ways nowadays: – Audio conferencing, making use of telephones – Video conferencing, employing interactive televisions with sound, – Computer conferencing, employing printed communication via computers and keyboards.

Bonuses:

Voluminous cost saving on group meetings that includes cost of traveling, setting up the venue, food, and other related costs.

Meetings are focused and a lower amount of time is lost.

People and speakers who cant spare effort for face-to-face meetings can participate.

Disadvantages:

The most basic problem with teleconferencing is technical failure. A nightmare for all organizers, teleconferencing also requires basic training or orientation for participants in use of resources. Teleconferencing is also a hindrance in interpersonal communication required for negotiation and bargaining.

It is also cumbersome to break ice during a teleconference and establish a rapport between participants. A profitable teleconference depends on detailed planning of the event.

The upcoming tips can help you have a better teleconferencing session:

Think through the Agenda

It is positively imperative that you plan your items on the agenda. The agenda itself ought to be clear, well defined and should spell out the expectations from the participants. Keep in mind the participation and if you expect an input from everyone on every item, then make sure that you have built in sufficient time for the meeting. Also, indicate to the participants that they go through the agenda before the teleconference.

Technically Sound

It is necessary that all participants have prior access to dial in number and pass-codes. You must also convey if you are offering a toll-free number. Check all materials before the conference and ensure that you have a back plan for technology failure.

Getting there

If you are the facilitator, it makes sense to be the first one online. A team-building activity could help get the meeting to a good start (specifically if the group is diverse and is meeting for the first time!). Be careful to substantiate the protocol and the talking order to avoid confusion and an arrangement where one person monopolizes the meeting.

Teleconferencing Etiquette

Least disturbance should be the decorum of all teleconferences. As a participant it is your job description to insure that you dont introduce noise in the form of noisy background, buzzing sounds of low grade cordless phones, reception errors of cell phones any other noise like rustling paper or tapping pens. If the calls are long, the organizers must offer breaks at previously decided times.

If the call is an international one, be aware of accents and avert speaking too fast.

Other Tips for Organizers – Use names to get notice. – Use more than one user to break monologue and boredom. – Involve everybody and if required go around in circles asking for input. – During breaks, pair off people to facilitate interaction. – Share duties, like taking notes, with participants to encourage interaction. – Do take constructive criticism for which you need to be ready with constructive criticism forms.



Thanks to John Thompson for contributing this article to our Conferencing blog:

How To Video Conference

Are you contemplating running a teleseminar in your Internet business? Are you ready to connect with clients through a valuable teleseminar meeting? Congratulations are in order because a teleseminar is an impressive and valuable way to strengthen your Internet business. Planning and running a teleseminar may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Following are common questions regarding teleseminars.

Teleseminar Question #1: Do you need to create a web page for a teleseminar and capture the names on an Autoresponder? Or can you just send out a promotional email about the teleseminar to your list?

First, you need to create a sub list of people from your general list. The sub list contains people that are going to attend your specific teleseminar. You can create this sub list by capturing the personal information of people that sign up for your teleseminar. This means that you will have to set a squeeze page for each seminar.

Setting up a squeeze page is quick and easy. The purpose of setting up a squeeze page for each teleseminar is that you can obtain a high quality sub list of people that you can directly market to after the teleseminar. If you just send an email to your general list then the quality of responses and number of responses tends to be lower.

You should also collect different subscriber lists for each product as well as each teleseminar. In essence, you will have a general squeeze page that you drive most of your traffic to. You will have different sub lists for sales letters, teleseminars, etc. Each sub list will be obtained from a specific squeeze page. This helps you target customers and follow up on a personalized basis. Remember, the fortune is in the follow up.

Teleseminar Question #2: What schedule should you follow to send out emails before a teleseminar?

Thursday night has proven to be an optimal night to have a teleseminar. Send emails out on Tuesday and Thursday for a Thursday night teleseminar. Also send an email to your teleseminar sub list about 15-20 minutes before the call to remind them of the teleseminar.

Another tip regarding promotion of your teleseminar is to not promote the teleseminar too soon in advance. For example, announcing or promoting a teleseminar two weeks in advance is too early. Many people will forget to sign up or will make excuses as to why they can’t attend the teleseminar. Therefore, you should wait to the last minute to announce and promote the teleseminar. For example, send out a teleseminar invitation on a Monday or Tuesday for a Thursday teleseminar.



Thanks to Matt Bacak for contributing this article to our Conferencing blog:

How To Video Conference

There is now an abundance of free teleseminars and webinars available online if you are willing to do your research and look for them. Professional business people will recognize free teleseminars as a great way for you to get to know them, their product and/or service and how they can help you, so they are worth taking advantage of.

A teleseminar is an event that is hosted by telephone using a conference system. There will be a host who arranges the call on a specific time and date. On that date and at that time participants dial in to listen to them talking on their particular topic. You can have anything for 2 to 200 people on a teleseminar call.

Webinars are exactly the same except using a conference room with video facilities. Usually you will be watching the host perform a task and you will have full view of their computer screen. They take you through a particular system or process so that you can learn how to do it yourself.

Assuming that the teleseminar, tele-class, webcasts or even free offline seminar has the intention of providing value first and selling second you will have alot to gain from attending and listening to what the speaker has to say. Many teleseminars are USA based but with the uptake of webcasts - being able to listen to the teleseminar from your computer without the need to dial in - there is nothing to stop anyone from around the world taking advantage of what’s on offer, time zone permitting! I have stayed up until 2am to listen to a teleseminar in the US because I love the speaker.

Many times the audio of the call is made available to those people who register so it can be worth registering even if you can’t make the time and/or date because then you get to listen to the call and the questions asked/answered.

If you are looking at attending a free teleseminar, before you join the call think about any questions you may want to ask. Sometimes teleseminar organizers offer an opportunity for you to send questions in advance to the speaker and this is a great way of getting the speaker to focus on what you want to know.

Don’t feel shy about speaking up, that’s the great thing about being on the telephone, no one can see you so go ahead and ask as many questions as you need to in the time allowed.

Its so easy to be taken advantage of on the internet and free teleseminars are a way of helping you to feel more secure about the person you are thinking about buying from and their product, plus they are an excellent way of learning something new and maybe interacting with some new people from around the world.



Thanks to Diane Corriette for contributing this article to our Conferencing blog:

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