Most people don’t get second chances. When you’re in a meeting and you’re trying your hardest to close that deal, you need all the help you create the best impression and get clients to say yes. Mistakes, though, could leave you in the lurch. Here are some tips to help you make every single one of your online meetings count:
Have a clear objective
Don’t send out invitations unless you have a clear objective. In the US alone, there are 25 million meetings that happen in the span of a day, says The Muse. That amounts to more than 37 billion—a colossal amount—spent on unproductive meetings. That’s time, money and energy people could have spent elsewhere. Before you send out that invite, make sure you have a clear outline of the meeting’s agenda to avoid wasting your time and everybody else’s.
Remove the clutter
Be sure to clean up your spot before you turn on that video camera. If you have toys and coloring books lying around for your kids, be sure to tidy those up. You want to project a professional image and the sight of too much clutter might not only derail the professional image you want, it could also distract the rest of the participants in the meeting. Those aren’t likely to impact your meeting in a positive way so do a bit of cleanup before you do an online meeting.
Dress for it
A lot of people think taking video calls in your home means you get to wear whatever you want for the meeting. But if you aren’t going to wear your PJs to the board room any time soon, then you’ll want to ditch your PJs as well. Keep your meetings on a professional keel by dressing up for them, says the Branding Magazine. You wouldn’t want to make the wrong impression and lose any chance with a client because of a wardrobe mistake.
Don’t be late
Nothing is as unprofessional as being late for a meeting. It’s automatically a point on the minus column. This is especially a bad move to make if you’re trying to impress a client. Don’t want to hurt your chances before you’ve even begun to negotiate? Start as you mean to go. Set the right tone from the start by being on time for your online meeting.
Check your tools
Don’t forget to confirm your equipment is working. Be sure to check your tools a day before the meeting and then a few hours before the meeting on the day itself. That way, if there are any updates you need to do or you need help getting a few issues fixed, you have plenty of time to get to them before the meeting starts.
Pick the right one
The right tools make the process a whole lot easier. That’s why picking the right one matters. A sound option is the BlueJeans video conference software. With a range of features, it’s an excellent tool for improving your meetings and making your teams as collaboration-ready as possible.
Master your tools
Knowing how your systems work will help you a lot during the meeting. If you’re worried about how to use it, you’re going to spend the whole meeting distracted. Master your tools ahead. Know them inside and out. That way, you can…
Plan ahead
Yes, you have a clear agenda. But do you have a plan? Plans help maximize the use of your time. You won’t have to waste minutes covering the same ground or wondering what to do. Do you need more time for research? Do you need to improve on results? Know the course of action you want to take. Those plans will ensure your meetings are fast and productive.
Stay focused
One of the biggest reasons meetings are unproductive is because people multitask. It’s tough to stay on top of the meeting when your attention is engaged elsewhere. Instead of reading your emails and replying to phone messages, put all your attention on the meeting. Be there. The more engaged you are, the better the outcome of the meeting will be.
Watch the body language
If you’re doing a pitch, video calls provide you with a way to get a better gauge on what your clients feel from the other side of the camera. You can read their body language and adjust your pitch accordingly instead of barreling straight through. Reading those cues can help you find the right approach to take and video makes that possible.
Be flexible
If you haven’t given this technology a try, you’re missing out on a powerful collaboration tool. Be flexible by being open to new video conferencing guidelines and features. Technology and demand are shaping the market and if you aren’t flexible enough to change and adapt, you’ll be sending your company to its end.
Photo: Simon Blackley
