For the past few years, businesses have gradually been going virtual. What had previously been a slow process, has in 2020, become a torrent, with millions of companies coming to rely on the virtual conference as the new normal.
However, many are stuck with the practices and habitats of real-world meetings. Just as in eras past, people struggled to adapt to the new technology, with early tv presenters treating the medium like radio. So, in the present-day will, people need to adjust the old practices of real-world meetings to the realities of video conferencing.
Therefore, to help you adapt and make your next virtual conference a success we’ve put together a few key points to consider.
Use Video
When working from home, employees might be reluctant to use video when engaging in a virtual conference, with many being worried about what they look like or their messy backdrop. That might be fine for a quick chat with a colleague. However, for team meetings or a presentation with a client, video is a must. It will allow people to use body language to understand each other, and will stop some from multitasking. Thus, ensuring everyone is giving their complete concentration to the meeting at hand.
If people are concerned about their backdrops, then they need to use a virtual background. With Hello Background’s zoom virtual background images, people can disguise their backdrop with a serene natural scene or a professional-looking boardroom. No more messy piles of clothes or cluttered bookshelves, they’ll be able to present a crisp and organised image.
Keep the Sessions the Right Length
With real-life meetings, there is a social expectation to stay focused. However, when remote working, we are all living in a world of perpetual distraction. Additionally, removed from familiar communication cues, meetings can trail off, becoming disorganised and confusing.
As such, keep the meeting to the point by giving a specific length. As the old saying goes, necessity is the mother of invention. By creating a deadline, minds will be focused on the task at hand, forcing the attendees to resolve the problems and discuss the issues within the allotted time. It also stops people becoming bored or disinterested.
Record the Meeting
One of the main benefits virtual meetings have over their real-world equivalents is the ability to record meetings. If some attendees are double-booked and unable to attend, they will be able to catch-up by watching the recording. Additionally, if anyone wants to review or clarify a point after the meeting, they can re-watch the recording.
Recording meetings can be especially useful when delivering a training session, as future employees can be given access to the video. Thus, become an essential training resource.
Use the Toolkit
In addition to the recording function, virtual conferences come with a range of other features that aren’t available in real-life. Screen sharing can allow multiple people to share their screens with ease, demonstrating their past work or the latest figures. Instead of a single presenter, the burden can be shared amongst the team. Meanwhile, presenters can use virtual whiteboards to draw out diagrams or make notes – a fantastic resource when trying to explain a complicated topic that words can’t do justice.
Establish the Rules
Before the meeting begins, establish some basic norms and rules going forward. Many will not have used virtual conferences before or may have only attended a few sessions. Therefore, by getting everyone on the same page regarding basic etiquettes, such as background noise, interruptions, camera placement, resolving technical issues before the meeting, it can be a considerable help during the session.
The last thing you want is for the entire meeting to be derailed because a dog is barking incessantly in the background. Or for your number one salesperson to spend the whole call with the camera pointing up their noise.
Follow these simple tips for a successful virtual conference, given time; they’ll become second-nature.