The COVID-19 pandemic has thoroughly changed the way we live, communicate, and do business. The vast majority of business meetings now happen online, via various webinar applications. That raises the question–what can you do to make your online meetings 100% effective?
Luckily, we know the answer! Online meetings are in our DNA. That’s why we decided to share our experience and show you five great tips for effective online meetings. Here we go!
Over the last four years, we have conducted and analyzed thousands of online meetings. That analysis enabled us to name five tips that will let you squeeze the most out of your every online meeting.
Prepare and share the meeting agenda
A meeting without a clear agenda often leads to confusion and a lot of wasted time for you and your coworkers. Make sure every session has a significant purpose and is planned as thoroughly as possible. Keep only relevant questions and topics on your agenda. And remember to share it with every participant. Send the plan at least several hours prior to the meeting and ask participants to get acquainted with it.
Make sure everything works
Technical difficulties and glitches are a perfect recipe for wasted time. Check every device and program you are going to use before the meeting. Your equipment has to be fully operational. Moreover, make sure you know how to operate your webinar app, for instance–start a presentation or invite another user to the conference room.
Minimize distractions
If you want to make your meeting effective, make sure there are no distractions in the way. Turn off your cell phone, tell your coworkers that you are not to be disturbed for the next hour, close your internet browser, and find yourself a quiet spot. Your mind should be fully concentrated on the meeting and its agenda.
Set a time limit
Always try to assess how much time is needed to discuss the meeting’s topic. Inform other participants about the time limit and ask them to stick to it. Remember– time is one of your most valuable assets; you should protect it! If possible, put an online timer on the screen so that everyone sees how much time is left. Always finish your meetings on time!
Invite the right people
Make sure that everyone involved in the project is present. On the other hand, don’t invite people whose presence is unnecessary. Overcrowded meetings are immensely problematic to control. Make sure that every participant of your meeting is there for a reason and has something relevant to add.
As you can see, these rules are relatively straightforward! But the fact is, many managers often forget about them. They invite more people “just in case”, or fail to set the time limit. It’s an easy way to lose control over a meeting! That’s why it’s best to remind yourself of these rules from time to time. Print them and keep them in a visible place so that your team can get acquainted with them.
And remember: If you’re after effective and engaging online meetings, LiveWebinar is your obvious choice!