It’s one thing to attend a meeting, but the burden increases significantly when you are the one in charge. There are so many things to consider, so where should you start if you want to make an impression and make the best use of everyone’s time?
Steps to Take in Preparation for a Large Video Conference
Before calling a large meeting, consider the following questions to ensure that you don’t waste your time—or anyone else’s:
- Why? Write down the purpose and objectives of your meeting. This should be clear and concise (one or two sentences).
- Who? If you cannot decide who should be at your meeting, make a list of people who ideally should attend, and a second list of people who absolutely must attend. Inviting team leaders can reduce the meeting size, since these people can pass information along to their staff after the meeting is over.
- How long? Be realistic when estimating how long your meeting will last. Make a list of the topics that need to be discussed and estimate a rough timeline for each. Generally speaking, it is better to overestimate than underestimate the time needed, since running out of time may mean organizing a second meeting.
- When? Many software applications can help narrow down times when all participants are available. When asking for a meeting, give people as much advance notice as possible to avoid schedule conflicts. When the meeting has been scheduled, make sure to send a confirmation email with the date, time, and location, and remind each participant to mark his or her calendar.
- What? After the meeting has been scheduled, ask participants to send you any items they wish to have discussed. This way, you can prepare an agenda that will address everyone’s concerns, ensuring a more productive discussion. As the date approaches, send each participant a copy of the agenda that summarizes the purpose, goals, and topics of the meeting.
- How? If you will be using any visual aids or presentation software, make sure you are familiar enough with the technology to avoid unnecessary interruptions. Make sure the tools you need are available in your meeting space beforehand, including cameras, microphones, Wi-Fi, PowerPoint, and your preferred conferencing software. Confirm that you know how to use the software, how to hook up the equipment, and how to troubleshoot in case you are disconnected.
At Casamo & Associates, we can help you have an efficient and productive conference without worrying about technical difficulties. We can coordinate schedules, create presentation documents, and host your meeting in our fully-equipped videoconferencing site. We can also help your attendees find videoconferencing sites near their locations using our network, and provide technical support during the meeting. Visit our Online Scheduler page to book our conference room, or call us today to learn more out about the services we offer.
