Creating a Winning Business Conference Call

by Brian Johnson

Introduction

Creating a winning business conference call takes some awareness and preparation, but with some helpful tips you can display competence and professionalism.


Before the Meeting

1. Set an agenda for your call.
   This works to keep your meeting focused and on track. If possible, send your agenda to the participants prior to the call.
2. Send all required materials for the business conference call three days ahead, far enough in advance that people have an opportunity to review them. Provide more advanced notice if input is required prior to the meeting. Consider including a very brief table of contents to assist your audience with "last minute" review and preparation. 
3. Send a reminder one day ahead.
   In your reminder, send the conference call number and call procedures 24 hours ahead to help ensure everyone is ready when the meeting time comes. 
4. Operated assistance-options.
   This is a more expensive option, but it will be cost-effective if you conference call has 50 or more participants. With that many participants, the operator frees your hands and lets you conduct your teleseminar without worrying about roll calls, wrap-ups, and general troubleshooting should a problem occur with the line or with a participant who may need to be muted or excused from the call. 
5. Hardware Recommendations
   • Speaker phones: Avoid speakerphones as they will introduce background noise into the call. Be sure to TEST the working condition of your equipment before an important meeting! Speakerphones pick up lots of background noise, and sometimes cause "clipping" because of the limitations of the equipment. If you are purchasing a speakerphone for a future meeting, try to find one that is "full digital duplex". This will allow all parties to speak at the same time with no clipping.
   • Wireless phones: Cellular or cordless phones are more likely to cause static or other distracting noise that they pick up in the airwaves. If possible, always use a "land line" (hard-wired) phone with a handset, rather than a cordless or cellular.

Starting the Meeting 

1. Test the dial-in number and access password 10 minutes prior to start of meeting to ensure the business conference call service is available and scheduled properly. 
2. State your name first, before the business meeting begins. 
3. Appoint someone other than moderator to take meeting minutes. Whoever is taking minutes should have their phone muted because the clicking of typing will be too distracting for others. 
4. Have a prepared reference list of who is attending the conference call meeting. 
5. Conduct a roll call so you know who is on your conference call. 
6. Request that each participant use the "Mute" button on their local phone to reduce background noise problems. Instruct participants to only "Un-mute" when they need to speak.

During the Meeting 

1. Do not put your phone on HOLD. This usually puts music into your conference and prevents others from continuing the meeting. 
2. If no one in your room needs to speak, use the "Mute" button on the phone to prevent background noise from disrupting the meeting. When someone needs to speak, simply release the "Mute".

Concluding the Meeting 

1. Make a last request for additional questions or concerns prior to ending the call. 
2. Establish the day and time for your next business conference call. 
3. After closing the meeting and bidding farewell to your audience, be the last person to disconnect from the call. 
4. Forward meeting minutes to the audience within 24 hours following the business conference call.

Conclusion

Using the tips listed above, your next business conference call can be a winner for all attending. Plan in advance, and take the time to ensure the conference number works just before the meeting. Be flexible and even humorous about small problems that make occur during the call. Your professionalism in handling such situations will be evident.

About the Author

Brian Johnson has been a business consultant for the small enterprise market since 1997.  He is also a contributing author for business conference call tutorials, at http://www.audio-video-conferencing.com.