Six Great Online Meeting Hacks

Dennis Snider

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As business meetings become ever-more digital, it becomes increasingly important to master the art of the virtual meeting. Unfortunately, this modern, digital format allows participants to become distracted. As such, meeting hosts risk losing the attention of their audiences.

To ensure that your online engagements are productive, we’ve collected our top tips for digital meeting success:

  1. Set your agenda. Although, in the age of the digital meeting, formal agendas may seem a little old-fashioned, they’re as effective now as they ever were. Consider attaching an agenda to your calendar invite. Alternatively, you could publish your meeting topics 1 or 2 days before the meeting. By setting a clear agenda, you’ll be able to steer your meeting effectively and ensure that your objectives are met.
  2. Check your tech. No matter how tried and tested your IT suite may be, it’s important to know the system inside-out. Ensure that your teleconference system is working and that your speakers are turned up. If your meeting will be hosted online, double-check your connection! Nobody wants to be kept waiting.
  3. Plan ahead. Before entering any teleconference or online meeting, take time to plan. Consider the questions you want to ask and make a note of them. By jotting down your thoughts before the meeting, you’ll be able to fully engage in the conversation rather than thinking about or reciting your questions.
  4. Share the love. If you’re referring to some information that’s supported by images, stats or documents, show your peers what you’re looking at. Screen sharing is a great way to keep your listeners engaged and to highlight important information. Remember to sign out of messaging platforms and email accounts first, to avoid any embarrassing pop-ups!
  5. Direct your audience. Some online meetings have speakers jumping in from every angle. Others experience long pauses in which no-one speaks up. To avoid awkwardness, direct your questions at specific individuals. Through careful direction of the conversation, you can ensure the meeting is productive and that nobody is left out.
  6. Engage your audience. Teleconferences and online meetings can be tiresome. What’s worse, you can’t judge the body language of your meeting participants. To maintain their focus, ensure that you’re just as engaging as you would be in a face-to-face meeting. If your energy levels are high, your audience will stay tuned in.