A Beginner’s Guide to Navigating Web Conferences
With the best business phone system, it is possible to hold a remote event with hundreds of attendees. But where do you start with such an event? Such a huge event requires as much planning as needed with any other event. This way, you can hold an event to incorporate thousands of attendees from more than a hundred countries. Below are tips to help you out:
Choose the Right Phone System
Today, phone systems are no longer used to just make and receive calls. These systems help you make conference calls, video conferencing, instant messaging, text messaging, and faxing. If you can get a free conference call service, that would be great. Ensure the system offers high audio quality, crystal clear videos, it is easy to use, and the company offers great customer support. Whether free or paid, these factors are the bare minimum that a service should meet.
Before the web conference, you need to test the systems to ensure that they are running perfectly before the web conference day.
Find Speakers/Content in Time
The success of every conference relies on the content. If you are the main speaker, you need to get your content early in advance. If you have other speakers to help you with your live presentation, it is better to pre-record them and bring some live. Some speakers might be too busy to pre-record but if they are available for the live session, it will be better. If a speaker has never presented to a live audience before, you need to pre-record them for the conference.
Even if you are having a web conference for employees of a company, you still need to have the content or the agenda of the conference ready. The speakers must be all set with the right microphone for audio clarity.
Frame the Camera and the Lights Correctly and Get a Good Microphone
Even with the best web conferencing service, you still need a good camera and good lighting to deliver clear videos. You do not want people to see one side of your face or up your nostrils. Place the camera in a way that feels natural and allows you to look directly at its lens without bending or looking up.
After you have the camera set, you need to have the right light to enhance the quality of the video. Ensure there is enough light in the room so the video doesn’t appear grainy. Mix natural light with bulbs. Try to avoid lighting your face from above, as this will make you look funny. During the conference, always look directly into the camera to maintain eye content with other attendees.
After that, ensure test your microphone for audio clarity. If you have nothing to say at some point during the conference, mute your microphone to ensure background noises do not disrupt the meeting. Sometimes, everything might be working right but the internet decides to misbehave – check your connection before the conference.
Manage Your Background, Reduce Movements, and Do Not Eat
In most cases, the web conference service might not disappoint. Other distractions come in and spoil the meeting. If you have to hold the meeting at home, choose a room (say your study) where you will have minimal distractions. Ensure the background looks professional, most preferably a plain wall. Again, inform your family, co-workers, or employees that you are on a web conference so they do not distract you.
During the conference, stay as still as possible and avoid eating or anything else that would make you appear restless. If you need to contribute to the motion, you can always note your points down and wait for your chance instead of just cutting in.
It would help if you also avoided typing when on any call, it is rude and disruptive.
Dress for the Conference
It doesn’t matter what you wear at the bottom as long as you have a professional blouse or shirt on. Even if you work in your casual clothes, wearing something professional during a web conference shows the seriousness with which you take the meeting. This matters whether you are the main speaker or you are just there to listen.
Conclusion
A good web conference service, the right content, right camera and audio settings, and call courtesy will help you navigate a web conference.