Being modern and cutting edge is among the best ways a professional can make a great impression. I discovered a long time ago one of the very best ways to do this would be to use web conferences to promote your business or ventures. I am now a veteran of over 400 of these conferences and since you are reading my words here, you probably have a newfound interest promoting in using these conferences for your own endeavors. The problem here though is you might not be sure about how to go about things.
Web Conferencing Success Experience
You have probably seen some truly excellent web conferences and this has drawn in your interest to take part in similar conferences. Then again, you have probably also seen how disastrous a truly terrible conference can be. This has assuredly given you some pause for thought.
Not the fruit of experience, but experience itself, is the end.
—Walter Pater
I understand the boat you are in. Since I have quite a bit of experience with web conferences, I am pleased to report there are quite a few simple and effective tips which can be employed to ensure your web conferencing experience is a productive one. Here are a few of those tips:
Conference Preparation Basics
- You will have to plan out your presentation as far in advance as you can. When you wait until too close to the presentation, you run the risk of being unprepared and unable to make any adjustments to how you wish to run your venture. You want the event to run without any problems so plan things in advance and eliminate such issues.
- A trial run may seem a little “show biz” to some but it is absolutely necessary because if you try to run a conference cold without any proper practice, you are going to bomb on the actual conference day.
- There will be a conference room tutorial required of any web conferencing providers to review and you should rereview it as frequently as possible in order to be sure you understand how things are intended to be operated.
- Audio is among the most vital factors in a proper presentation. Performing something as seemingly basic as a microphone and audio check is an absolute must and it is surprising how many people overlook such a step.
- Similarly, if you are going to video record the session, this should be planned to the most basic detail long in advance as well.
The Day of the Conference
Upload the presentation long in advance and have someone designated to greet the people attending the web conference for you. Both of these steps will remove a few responsibilities off your hands.
You must be completely sure of how web conferencing software works. This includes all aspects of the software. Membership management software such as the free S2Member program should be properly set up and any contractors you have hired for video and audio editing for the archives should already be selected. You are even advised to look into proper packaging and cover art for any digital files you produce from KillerCovers.com.
As for your own performance, you should be reasonably calm, cool, and collected for the event. You should have bullet points in front of you covering the basics of the topics you will discuss. Don’t get too excited or nervous. Have fun with the process and stay calm. Maintain a proper marketing mindset and you should do okay.
Let the people attending the web conference know you are a little nervous. You may be surprised to discover they will be supportive of you. Also, tell them to hold off any questions until the end so as not to upend the presentation.
Be professional, calm, and stay focused and on topic. Don’t meander! Be mindful of time since you only have so much available to you.
Not So Difficult
As you can see, mostly all the steps are easy ones. As long as you plan things out in advance and in the proper manner, you will find your adventures in web conferencing go far smoother than anticipated. As Thomas J. Watson once said, “If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work.” So, keep working hard at being great at web conferencing….and you will become great.
