Web Conferencing Etiquette.

  

  

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While etiquette may be struggling to regain its once prominent place in a society now inhabited by five generations and exploding morays, online manners are still in their infancy. Just understanding the new acronyms can be a challenge. You may know that LOL means lots of laughs or laugh out loud but what does QT or HOAS mean? (Answers at the end.)

While a lapse in social etiquette may only cause some confusion, a business on line etiquette snafu can cost money.

If you're one of the many companies taking advantage of the convenient web conferencing services on the web, you know they're good for business. They bring you and your customers together, save on travel costs and can even increase sales.

So, if you want to avoid any snarky situations that can cause a less than favorable opinion of you and your business, consider these five pointers.

• Stay in the moment- Most of us think we're born listeners just because our ears work. That's like saying you are a born pianist because your family had a piano in the house. - Linda Eve Diamond

It's no wonder listening is hard when we speak at 125 to 250 words per minute but think at 1000 to 3000 words per minute. And in a web or audio conference, we think we can multitask because no one sees us.

Refrain from taking calls, answering emails or speaking with someone else during a web conference. Remember, you're in a meeting.

Stay in the moment with all of the participants, all of the time. The simple fact you can't see everyone means you'll lose up to 55 percent of the total meaning (8 percent is the spoken word and 38 percent the tone). So, you have to remain alert.

Listen. The simple, quiet act of listening will make you uniquely valued in the world.  - Linda Eve Diamond 

• Ask specific questions- For example, refrain from asking, "Does anyone have a question?" You might say, "What are your thoughts on xxx?" or Please give me your comments about xxx.
• Engage your audience- As a speaker, it's tougher holding a remote audience. (It's hard enough when they're in front of you!). So, if you have visuals, intersperse relevant cartoons, quotes, pictures or videos with your presentation. Your audience will thank you for it.
• Sync audio and visual- You want to avoid being in a situation where you're discussing a new offering but the visual is showing your company mission statement.

 Make sure that any visuals match the topic being discussed.

• Reassure- While web conferences are becoming more commonplace, and you've sent invitations with all of the pertinent information, still do the following:
• State which meeting everyone is in
• Let the participants know how to connect
• Let them know how to reconnect
• Let them know the expected length of the session
• Review the objective of the meeting

If you can master these five web conferencing rules, you'll get the most from this cost effective and efficient feature.

 BTW (by the way), QT means (cutie) and HOAS means (hold on a second).