The Do's and Don'ts of Web and Audio Conferences

If you've never done it before, hosting a web conference can seem like a potentially intimidating experience. Thankfully, the leading audio conferencing providers and web conferencing providers have reliable services and years of experience under their belts to help make your web and audio conferences seamless and rewarding both for you and your participants.

There are, however, steps you can take to ensure you present the best conference possible regardless of the topic:

DO's

• First – DO choose your conference topic and presenter wisely; lack-luster presenters and content not relevant to your discussion can destroy even the most carefully planned meeting
• Second – DO be your own best promoter and marketer. Increase your likely rate of participants by getting the word out via email blasts, blogs, and posting on social media websites that relate to your topic. The more diligent you are when it comes to spreading the word about your conference, the better chance you have of a high turn-out
• Third – DO try and keep your presentation under an hour if possible, this includes polling and Q&A sessions. While you want to be sure you cover all points of your topic, a conference that lasts too long will have participants mentally checking out (and losing major points) before you're through wrapping it up
• Fourth – DO be sure you start and end your conference exactly when you said you would – no sooner, no later – in order to appear as professional as possible and as a courtesy to your participants

DON'Ts

• First – DON'T forget to practice, practice, practice! Just like the saying, ‘practice makes perfect', while  you can't foresee every issue that might occur, holding a couple dry-runs of your conference will help iron out any kinks you may encounter along the way – especially if you're new to holding conferences
• Second – DON'T forget to be enthusiastic during your presentation, speak clearly, and stick to the point. Keeping your participants actively engaged will keep them focused on the topic at hand, and increase the chances they'll be a return participant for your future conferences
• Third – DON'T underestimate the value of an experienced moderator, they know what they're doing and can help keep you on track much more than going at it alone
• Fourth – DON'T forget to follow up! Collect as much feedback from your participants as possible and follow-up with the no-shows to see why they couldn't attend. Their input can prove invaluable for your future conferences

Source: Conferencing Services

Why You Might Not Want to View Web Conferences from Your Mobile Phone

As web conferencing technology evolves, so do the expectations to view them on the go. Many businessmen and women today shell out lots of money for smartphones intended to make their life easier by letting them do everything from making a call to paying your bills or watching a movie. Mobile web conference viewing is the latest demand for these devices.

Sure, people want to view a webinar on a mobile phone, but do they need to?
The consumption rate for mobile devices increases every year around the world. According to comScore (the preferred source of digital marketing intelligence and global leader in measuring the digital world), in December of 2010 almost 47% of US mobile subscribers used media – i.e. accessed the Internet, used applications, or browsed the web – which was an increase of 17% from 2009.

While the ability to watch movies and TV shows are standard features on smartphones and users have come to expect the best of everything – battery life, speeds, and graphics included – however, it is vastly different than viewing rich media, like web conferences. Furthermore, the mobile phone market has been flooded with new smartphones – each with their own technologies inside. This makes it difficult for web conferencing providers accommodate the various requirements needed to develop applications that work with each device, although there are existing applications for the iPhone and BlackBerry offered by PGi, and both InterCall and WebEx have applications available for iPhone, BlackBerry and Android users.

One of the biggest issues users seem to experience when viewing a web conference on a mobile phone is not being able to see everything on such a small screen. Conventional web conferences incorporate visual aids, such as PowerPoint slides with graphics, text and/or video that can be difficult to read on small screens. In addition, more engaging web conferences regularly involve collecting feedback from participants via Q&A or polling sessions; this can be difficult or even impossible with some mobile applications, forcing you to be a passive participant as opposed to active.

Another issue users experience is that when they are participating in a web conference on a mobile phone they are often multitasking (driving, walking, etc.). These environments tend to have poor reception depending upon the carrier and are frequently noisy.

In short, trying to participate in a web conference from your mobile phone can lead to complications, so you should plan accordingly. If you choose to employ a mobile application, make sure you have a web conference provider that is proven to be reliable, allows you to be an active participant rather than passive, and that you can allot your full, undivided attention to the conference.

Source: Conferencing Services

Top 5 Web Conferencing Mistakes Hosts Make

Web Conferencing is one of the most cost-efficient and effective marketing tools businesses currently have at their disposal. However, there are steps you can take to make your web conferences a more productive and enriching experience for your participants, and likewise, there are certain things that can be damaging to your success as well. In this article I’m going to discuss a few of the main mistakes web conferencing hosts make.

Failing to prepare and rehearse
Ever heard the saying 'failing to prepare is preparing to fail’? This holds true to web conferences. Not being prepared is one of the biggest mistakes that hosts make, and a big reason their web conferences tend to go downhill fast. Rehearsing is just as important. Just like any other performance, doing a few dry-runs in advance will help you avoid any potential mishaps and increase your chances of conducting an effective presentation with confidence. It is important to keep in mind that during your conference you’re immersing your participants into your world and engaging their ears, eyes, and mind. If any component – audio, visual, or collaboration/interaction – fails, your participants suffer.

Not trying it before you buy it
It’s a common rookie mistake; a new or first time host buys a conferencing service only to find out that the technology doesn’t actually meet his/her needs or requirements. Both web conferencing and audio conferencing providers offer features with their services. These features aid in keeping your participants actively engaged in your meeting, and allow you to receive instant feedback. For example, PGi GlobalMeet lets you share your desktop, presentations, and videos in hi-def with your audience. In order to be sure all of your needs are met speak with a professional that is familiar with the service or products you are interested in prior to making any purchases. Know what you are getting ahead of time will increase your chances for future success.

Not providing sufficient materials in advance
This goes hand-in-hand with prior preparation and rehearsal. Not providing sufficient materials in advance can slow your meeting down dramatically. Having your materials distributed prior to your meeting, and ready to go once it starts will ensure a streamlined conference from start to finish.

Not knowing how to handle mistakes properly
Everyone makes mistakes; it’s how you cope with those mistakes that really count. Whenever a slip-up arises, generally it’s best to just make light of it and move forward.

And there you have it! By avoiding these 4 common mistakes, you will considerably increase the effectiveness of your meetings. For more information on conferencing services and products contact one of our professional account managers today!

Source: Conferencing Services

The 5 Most Essential Features for Any Web Conference

Web conferencing has become a crucial element to the exchange of data, promotions and marketing for businesses of all types and sizes. By providing users a way to meet and collaborate – with the effectiveness of in-person meetings – at minimal cost, web conferencing is a tool that every modern business can benefit from and should employ.

With that being said, every web conferencing service offers features to help make your meetings more productive and engaging. While some providers offer a more robust list than others, there are 5 must-have features that are essential to conducting any web conference. They include:

1. Outlook integration – when your web conference supports Outlook, scheduling meetings and sending announcements and invitations to your attendees is as simple and easy as the click of your mouse
2. Desktop and application sharing – being able to share your desktop and applications with your attendees helps keep your audience engaged in your meeting, and everyone on the same page. Moreover, by allowing your attendees to take control of your desktop and applications, you keep them actively involved in your presentations and increase their information retention
3. Presentation and document sharing – just like with desktop and application sharing, presentation and document sharing helps you interact with your attendees by giving them easy access to your materials and more incentive to give you valuable feedback quickly
4. Chat – having a chat feature included in your web conferencing service streamlines your written communication and increases the ability for your team to collaborate in real-time more effectively, and therefore, be more productive. A number of providers also offer private chat and sub-conferencing features with their web conferencing service which can be especially beneficial for companies with multiple branches when presenting products or marketing ideas to customers
5. Download-free option – chances are your customers are not as tech-savvy as your IT department. By offering a download-free way to hold or enter your web conferences, your attendees can access meetings with the least amount of trouble, and chances are they will be more inclined to stick it out

By employing these 5 features in your web conferences you will experience a more rewarding and enriching conference that opens up countless opportunities for communication and collaboration not only for your partners and employees, but your customers as well.

To learn more about web conferencing and web conferencing features, contact one of our professional account managers today!

Video Phones in the Office?

The rise and fall of video phone providers and manufacturers have left today's companies with little to choose from the in way of reasonably priced solutions. And despite provider's pitches, company uptake has never approached vendor's prediction casts. This begs the question: will video phones ever make sense for business users?

Video Conferencing offers countless benefits, such as:

• Enhanced productivity and reduced costs – eliminating the need for business travel keeps your staff in-house, allowing  for more time to be spent on mission-critical issues, and less money spent on travel
• Better business relationships – the convenience of video conferencing allows you to meet with your customers, partners, and employees more frequently and effectively, with quality that rivals in-person meetings
• Instant feedback – meet and collaborate with your international branches and customers in remote areas

Thanks to vendor's aggressive marketing, video conferencing technology has made considerable headway into the corporate conference room over the past ten years. That being said however, the average employee's desktop continues to be devoid of this collaborative tool.

Despite multiple reports that show desktop video technology enhances employee productivity and offers a noteworthy return on investment, many companies today still seem apprehensive about utilize desktop video conferencing technologies. Perhaps it is due to misconceptions – either about bandwidth use or dependability – but more than likely the main concern that keeps customers from employing video phone technology is its cost.

In an attempt to ease customer apprehension and make video phones a more viable alternative to deskbound phones, providers are looking for ways to bring costs down, so they average similar to what you would pay for a VoIP handset. Unfortunately, compromises have to be made to make that a possibility. For instance, one cost-efficient video phone might be built to work only with a specific vendor's hosted VoIP service, while another uses public video conferencing services (like Skype). Others, still, work with a majority of the leading VoIP and video conferencing standards and provide comprehensive features, like H.323.  Skeptical vendors are opting to go for the more conventional video phone system that blends single-user video conferencing ability with multiline VoIP/SIP phones.

Here at ConferenceShopper.com, our partnership with the industry's leading providers allows us to offer you the most comprehensive and cost-efficient conferencing solutions available on the market.

Now we want to know what you think about video conferencing. Have you had any good/bad experiences with video conferencing? Do you think it'll become a 'thing of the past'?

Source: Conferencing Services

InterCall's Acquisition of Unisfair

InterCall's Acquisition of Unisfair – Keeping Pace with the Continuously Evolving Face of Domestic and International Business Communication Needs

In this day and age, it's a given that technology is constantly evolving. Businesses are looking to expand their reach and effectiveness while cutting costs – and conferencing services have the power to do just that. Not long ago, the ability for a business to host any virtual event was considered a luxury. Now however, conferencing services are quickly becoming a must-have tool as more and more businesses are looking to host large, engaging virtual events.

InterCall is the largest web conferencing service provider in the world and offers the broadest range of services to support the unique and changing needs of all businesses. That being said, much has changed during InterCall's 20+ years of existence. Back in 1991, operator assisted conferencing was the wave of the future; then came reservationless conferencing. Today, as a growing number of workers around the world are going mobile, InterCall continues to evolve as well offering the broadest range of services to support the shifting requirements of small and large businesses.

A little over a month ago, InterCall acquired one of the leading worldwide providers of business environments and virtual events, Unisfair, and has been working toward incorporating their services into InterCall's suite of event products. For over a decade, Unisfair has led the virtual events space and provided cloud applications to enable businesses to create interactive and branded virtual environments. Their environments are engaging, user-friendly, and permit a highly interactive experience via exhibition floors, networking areas, and speaking sessions. Furthermore, Unisfair delivers extraordinary marketing intelligence by tracking every participant's activities.

This acquisition is expected to mean great things for businesses that are already hosting remote, online events as well as those looking to employ those services. Both InterCall and Unisfair share a vision of providing top-quality technology to improve worldwide virtual collaboration and communication. As a result, InterCall is excited to now offer complete end-to-end solutions on a proprietary platform – from simple webcasts to immersive and comprehensive virtual presentations.

Here at ConferenceShopper.com, our close partnership with InterCall allows us to provide you with the top industry-leading conferencing services currently in the market for the best available price.

Now it's time to tell us what you think. What are your thoughts on InterCall's acquisition of Unisfair? How do you think it will impact the communications industry as a whole?

Source: Conferencing Services