Best practices for eMeeting

The video that came in the email was clear, crisp, and vivid. It was done in a standard-def quality with still images, but it looked amazing on my computer screen. The sound quality was good too.

But what if you could have both? What if you had a powerful meeting experience with professional-looking videos and crystal-clear sound? That's exactly what eMeeting is all about — an integrated solution that gives you more freedom than the standard conference call while offering top-level customer support and great results. Here's how to make the most of your next meeting using eMeeting!

In this article, we will discuss best practices for any type of meeting using eMeeting.

eMeeting can be used for widely different types of meetings. For example, eMeeting could help you hold your next annual sales meeting or it may be just what your department needs to connect with a team overseas. No matter what type of meeting you are planning, there are a few simple things you can do to make sure everything goes according to plan and that everyone gets the most out of the eMeeting experience.

Design Your Meeting Around Video

Video conferencing is one of the hallmarks of eMeeting and one reason why it is so popular among users. When you're planning your meeting, try to make sure that video plays an integral role in the agenda. It's easy to have a "text-based" meeting with eMeeting, but many users say they prefer a video conference so that they can see everyone's face. During the pre-call preparation stage of your meeting, consider using eMeeting's whiteboard for brainstorming and use eMeeting's Video Conference mode for conducting the actual meetings.

Use All Three Devices

When you're preparing for your meeting, make sure that you've got the proper hardware to connect with everyone. eMeeting works on the go, so you can use it from your laptop, tablet or smartphone.

Use All Three Modes

If you have a video conference scheduled, then make sure to take advantage of the video conference mode. Video mode allows you to use one of three cameras on your laptop (or any other device) and broadcast that video feed live to everyone in the meeting. If you don't want to use a camera or want to show something on screen, eMeeting's whiteboard is another great feature that allows users to share their desktops with others. There's also Audio Conferencing mode which eliminates all distractions and gives you a sound experience like no other.

Know Your Guests

eMeeting allows users to seamlessly invite guests to meetings that are already in session. Just click the "Inspector" icon on the top right of any eMeeting window and give your guest a special invitation. Once you've given him or her an invitation, he/she will be able to answer from their own eMeeting client (including a web browser) and jump into the meeting.

Pre-Call Preparation

When you first use eMeeting, you'll notice that there is not much pre-call preparation needed before your meeting begins. However, there are still some things you should do to make sure that your meeting goes smoothly.

Think Ahead

The pre-call preparation stage is the most important one because it helps you prepare for your meeting by preparing people. It's important that you think about how you want to go about the meeting, what you want to accomplish and any questions you might have. When thinking ahead, keep in mind that eMeeting can be used for many different types of meetings and each meeting has its own unique features. So, it's important that you think about what type of meeting you're having and use whatever tool(s) will help make your meetings as successful as possible.

For example, if you are having an "all-hands" meeting then you might want to try using eMeeting's Whiteboard or Video Conferencing in addition to the Audio Conferencing mode. A common goal for all-hands meetings is to increase team involvement and participation, and these modes will help you accomplish that.

Prepare Your Guests

Make sure that all your guests know what they need to bring with them before they come on the call. If possible, attendees should come with a laptop and a microphone or headset so that everyone can interact directly with each other through Video Conference mode. Many vendors provide all of the necessary equipment you need so that you don't have to bring anything at all.

When creating a meeting invitation that will be viewed by guests, choose a day and time that are convenient for everyone. If you want your meeting to last from 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM then make sure those hours are not in the dead of summer or in the middle of a school day. Also, if you make sure that everyone knows how to dial in and connect to your meeting, then it won't be much of an inconvenience for them when they arrive for the call.

Use Usable Meeting Descriptions

When creating a meeting, eMeeting users can include a meeting description. This is a brief summary of what the meeting is about and who should attend. For example, if you are having an "all-hands" meeting for your department with the goal of brainstorming about upcoming projects or business strategies, then you might want to include a brief summary like this:

"This all-hands call will be used to brainstorm upcoming developments in our department's strategy. We'll be talking about upcoming projects and what our plans are for the next three months."

The meeting description can also include a list of key points that participants should remember when they leave the call. This is a great way to make sure everyone remembers all the things you talked about during the meeting.

Use The Right Tools

eMeeting's Whiteboard allows users to add notes, erase them, highlight parts of notes and even insert web links. It's easy to use and extremely powerful, so try to do as much as possible with it during your meetings.

Use eMeeting's Audio Conference to communicate with others in real time during your meeting. The audio conferencing feature doesn't allow for participants to see each other on screen and will allow you to meet whether you're located in the same room or not. The audio conferencing functionality is especially helpful when users have the ability to have a conversation with each other through phone conversations.

Use eMeeting's Video Conference function for the smartest way to conduct video meetings. While video conferencing is one of eMeeting's most useful features, it's also one of its most distracting and disruptive, so use it only when necessary.

Conclusion

So now you know how to use eMeeting. It's very good at allowing people to attend meetings and communicate with each other, so use it smartly and don't forget the basics. Don't forget to have a meeting call reminder set up in your calendar or to have people reply to your emails once they arrive for the meeting. If you're just getting started with eMeeting, then remember that it is best used for "all-hands" meetings or departments only per your executives' directions.