Sandy Stachowiak wrote this guest post.
Today, more companies use the web to host meetings, demonstrations, or training sessions. Remote workers, remote offices, consulting services, new product training, and other reasons to use the internet are all great reasons for using the web.
This entails some basic etiquette for presenters, such as sending the URL and conference calls information days in advance, respecting differences in time zones and country, and using a practical and accessible Web meeting tool.
Web sessions should be avoided if possible. Many factors are important in a Web meeting’s success.
Here are five common annoyances that you can avoid if you are a presenter in a Web-based meeting.
1. Notifications via email and/or chat.
Close your chat and email applications.
Close your chat or email applications unless you are training or demonstrating something that requires them to be open.
Your desktop should not be shared with your meeting attendees. They should not see your chat windows, email notifications, chat window statuses, friends signing in or out of chat, or any other communications that may appear during your session.
I attended several Web demonstrations recently. The thing I remember most about the demonstration was that the presenter used Trillian, and had many people sign in and out of chat.
I was also able see short descriptions of emails that were sent to this person’s email inbox. One of my coworkers sent me one.
It is impossible to know what another person may see on your screen so it is best to turn off notifications and applications before you start a session.
Another true story: My coworker was presenting Web demonstrations and didn’t turn off her chat app.
Her chat window opened in the middle of her demo with a message from me at lunch about open positions at a local business. This may have not worked out for me since I was at work. The next message, before she could close the window, said that “you must be 18 years old” It was then clear to the audience that it was a job for my child and not mine!
They laughed, but it was not the right thing.
2. Windows are too small, or words are difficult to read.
In full screen mode, open the application(s) that you are currently using.
You might be showing a Web page or an Excel spreadsheet, Visio diagram or other software. You should make sure that you open all windows in full screen mode. Zoom features can also be used to zoom so that your attendees can clearly see all items in the application.
When creating documents or diagrams, it is a good idea that the font is larger than usual. You might even consider creating a special set for the Web session.
Recently, a web meeting showed diagrams. Although there were many text boxes that made up the diagram, some were so small that they were difficult to read.
I saw other people in the room, including myself, try to read them, but failed.
3. Presenters who aren’t prepared.
All items required for the Web session should be set up early. You should be the first person to arrive at the session with all documents, applications, and windows open (but minimized) so that you can show your attendees.
It is disrespectful to your audience if your attendees arrive before yours and you have to wait while they connect and open all the necessary information. Presenters have an obligation of being prepared.
Another Web meeting I attended had the presenter arrive late and was the last to arrive.
They then had to scramble to open all the necessary items for the meeting. They also needed five or more browser tabs open to view the items, and each took a long time to load.
We literally sat there