Tips to Make Conference Calls More Effective

Preparation is key. In our electronic world, you’ll want to send individual calendar invites to your call participants. Include a detailed agenda and provide any materials you need invitees to peruse before the call. This will save redundancy at the beginning of your call.

Start and end on time. Just as you would in a regular meeting, arrive early and start at the scheduled time. Especially using platforms video conferencing services, log on early enough to deal with any technical issues that may arise. Double check the dial-in number, link and any required passcode. When the scheduled ending time approaches, let your participants know how many minutes remain. They will appreciate the accuracy of time allotted and will be more agreeable to future virtual meetings.

Be aware of your surroundings. Whether you are hosting the call or just participating, be courteous by making sure you are in an environment without distraction. You don’t want to have ears on your call from those physically in your area, and even though your cat is the prettiest in the world, the rest of your callers don’t need to hear her whining for dinner.

Know your technology. Video calling platforms may have multiple features. Items such as screen sharing and breakout rooms are managed by the host. If you are incorporating these into your conference call, review these features in advance so the call can go as seamlessly as possible.

Encourage participation. As the host of the conference call, it is your job to create open environment to share ideas. Ask participants questions, look for ways to promote open discussion, and pay close attention to a participant who has been too quiet. It is easy to zone out after several virtual conference calls in one day. Ask your callers to provide feedback on what they would like to do differently in upcoming calls.

Stick to an agenda. We’re a busy nation. Chatter on office gossip or the latest sporting loss is not a good use of conference call time. Discuss the topics you’ve committed to, and it will be easier for your participants to focus on the matters at hand.

Record the call. Let your team know the call will be recorded at the beginning. It is valuable to have a transcript to refer back to if there are questions that arise or if someone was unable to attend or had to drop out of the call at any point. As the host, you can also review the completed call to learn how to improve future meetings.

Summarize before ending. Conference calls can branch into many different directions. Before disconnecting, review the main points of the meeting and reiterate any actions you need a specific participant to take. After the call, you may want to send a summary of the call via email to your participants as well. Effective communication is usually comprehensive communication.