4 tips to host an effective conference call.

In today’s business world conference calls have become a ritual. People travel less and tend to have more of conference call meetings. Therefore, it is necessary for the people who belong to the corporate world to handle or host the conference calls effectively. In this soft skills video from Skillopedia you will learn some soft skills to handle and host  effective conference calls.

Set a plan –

Firstly to conduct a conference call you need to be mindful of others’ schedules. There are various people who attend conference calls. People who are in different areas or different time zones or busy with other meetings. One should avoid lunch hours or weekends for any conference calls. Once the time is decided send out a meeting request. This request should include the names of the participants, the agenda- the points and topics to be discussed. Send out a reminder email about the conference call and one can also use this opportunity to send out any reports or documents that would be helpful during the call.

Starting the call –

It is essential to be on time especially if you are the one who is hosting the call. Many at times some attendees might join in late so have some small talk notes handy. Introduce yourself and ask others to introduce themselves as well. There should not be any background noise while you are on a conference  call.

Stick to your agenda –

While you are on the call make sure to stay focused. Firstly focus on the positive aspects then move on the steps that can be taken to cover the challenges and offer solutions. Do not over promise and feel free to say that you will get back with answers if you are not sure about something. A conference call is very much like a meeting and therefore one should take notes. At the end of the call ask if anyone has any questions and thank them for their time and wishing them a good day.

After call work –

Once the conference call is over , one should immediately create a recap and send it to the attendees. This recap helps to ensure if others are also on the same page. Document the notes into minutes and send it out and ask if any corrections or adjustments are required.

And at the end build on the knowledge that you learned and keep your attendees actively engaged on conference calls. These tips will surely help you to look forward for your next conference call.