Bad presenters are like toned-def singers… they don’t know how bad they reallyare. So just in case, here are some tips that will catapult you to becoming the next presentation guru (…or at least point you in the right direction)!

The 10 / 20 / 30 Rule – This stands for ten slides, twenty minutes, and thirty-point font. This is a formula you can implement as you develop and revise your next power point. Remember that the average person can only comprehend about ten different concepts in one sitting. Keep your presentation under twenty minutes to ensure that you leave enough time for Q & A and that you don’t bore listeners with too much information. Lastly, using 30 point font will force you to use fewer words and make your slides easier to understand. This tip comes from Guy Kawasaki (http://blog.guykawasaki.com/2005/12/the_102030_rule.html), who’s blog points us to this PowerPoint competition.

Six Words Per Slide – So why use fewer words? Seth Godin, best selling author and marketing consultant, suggests no more than six words on a slide, EVER (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2007/01/really_bad_powe.html ). He says that PowerPoint is meant to compliment you as the speaker and not become a replacement. Instead, he suggests using captivating images and catchy headers that will blend well with what you are saying. The fewer the words and the better the image, the more memorable it will be.

Cue-Cards & Handouts – If you limit the amount of words for each slide, then you should make yourself cue-cards to remember the details. You should also create a hand-out with important information on it for your listeners. We advise however that you don’t provide a hand-out until after the presentation or else people might leave early or become distracted by your notes. 

1. AccuConference Outlook Plug-in: Allows you to easily create a conference and send a calendar notice to your participants. Its free and is compatible with all conference call providers.  http://www.accuconference.com/outlook/plugin/
2. David Allen’s Productivity Plug-in:  Lets you implement David Allen’s email productivity tips with the click of a button. http://gtdsupport.netcentrics.com/buy/
3. Did-They-Read-It: Tells you if, when, where (geographically), and for how long your e-mails are read. (http://www.didtheyreadit.com/index.php?aff=2&affad=3
4. Google Desktop Search: Search your emails (and files) quickly and easily. http://desktop.google.com/
5. Spambayes: An effective anti-spam plugin. http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/windows.html

It’s relatively easy to hype up a one-time conference, but how do you keep your participants engaged for a weekly meeting? Try a weekly conference call contest!

For example, have your attendees share an innovative business idea. It could be a solution to a current problem, or a new idea to boost profit and sales. After everyone submits their idea, cast a vote and the winner will receive a gift card. In order to be eligible for the prize, the winner must attend next week’s meeting.

There are multiple ideas worth sharing. Submit your own weekly incentive to AccuConference and you can win a $25 restaurant gift card to Brinker Restaurants (www.brinker.com) Gift card can be redeemed at Chili’s, On-the-Boarder, and Macaroni Grill.

Did you know that as the moderator you can terminate a call with the touch of a button? Simply press * 9. This will ensure that you are not charged extra if your participants do not hang up their phones. Avoid paying for the “stragglers” who stay on the line to chat, and for the phones that are not hung-up properly.

Dogs can be very entertaining, but they can also be a nuisance – especially when they are barking during a conference call! Believe it or not, it happens. Many professionals work from home where noisy distractions abound. So if you have not trained your dog to "mute" on command, then consider pressing *6 to mute the phone when you’re not talking. And if you need to put participants on hold, and you don’t want the "hold music" to interrupt the call, press *6.

We encourage all of our clients to use the *6 feature on a regular basis, whether at home or at the office. This will enhance the conferencing experience for everyone.

Are you having troubles making sense of your monthly statement?

Instead of naming your conferences 1,2,3,4,5…. try using the following:

1.) Department – (i.e. Marketing, Accounting, Public Relations.)
2.) Individuals – (i.e. John Smith, Lisa Brown)
3.) Region / Location – (City, State, or Country)

There are two types of conferences to keep your organized: Active and One-Time Use.

Active conferences, which are used on a regular or semi-regular basis, can be named like this:
 
1.) Marketing – Weekly Review
2.) Accounting – Quarterly Update

One-Time Use Conference, often used for special speakers or events, can be named like this:

1.) David Byrd – How to maintain a salt-water aquarium
2.) Rob Anderson – The secrets of a car enthusiast.

You can use similar steps when creating customized participant codes.

Follow these suggestions and you will be able to track attendance, usage and expenditures easily. 

Would a rock star begin a concert without testing his instruments and microphone? In the same way, take the time to do a sound and system check before you start your conference call. This includes testing your phone / headset and your computer if you are using our web-based features. It is best to have someone else assist you who can call into your test conference to make sure everything sounds right.

These conference call suggestions might not apply to you, but they certainly affect you. Like a fly on a movie projector, even the littlest thing can cause an entire group to get distracted (or frustrated!) Conference Call Etiquette: 10 Tips

• Keep multi-tasking to a minimum.
• If you talk fast, try slowing down.
• Speak clearly and exude energy. Your voice is the only thing you have to keep everyone’s attention.
• Speak directly into the phone. If using a microphone remember that being too close will sound distorted and being too far away will sound quiet.
• Call from a quiet location. Even printers and phones in the background can be distracting.
• Use the mute button when you’re not talking or need to sneeze.
• Avoid bad phones, bad headsets and speakerphones. (Speakerphones pick-up all sorts of background noise!)
• Announce when you leave and return from the phone.
• Avoid too much paper shuffling or typing.
• And avoid gum, chips or any other food while on a conference call.

As a teleconferencing company, we have many clients who use VoIP. Naturally we'd prefer that clients use a land-line, but we know it's inevitable. That being said, here are a few suggestions.

(This is not an endorsement… it's damage control.)

1. Bandwidth – The key is high bandwidth. Avoid scheduling your meetings in the afternoon because that is when call volume is the highest. Overloaded networks reduce call quality and cause problems like echoing. Echoing effects teleconferencing because computers rely on dial tones to recognize your pass codes.
2. Monitor Bandwidth – Just because you paid for the "super-duper-high-speed service" doesn't mean its performing how it should. Check your bandwidth regularly to make sure you're getting the service you paid for. Try these sites: http://myvoipspeed.visualware.com/or http://www.speedtest.net/ .
3. Reliable Service: Your local power company and internet service provider (ISP) should be reliable. If your power goes out or your ISP shuts down then your phone will also.
4. Expect More- VoIP is capable of offering land-line quality, so don't settle. Some business-grade VoIP services can use a variety of connection methods and do not rely on an ISP. For example, look for a VoIP provider that offers dedicated point-to-point T1 connections.
5. Avoid Speaker Phone– The combination of VoIP and speaker phone is almost certain to compromise quality. Consider using a headset if you want to have your hands free.

And when you find that "perfect" VoIP provider, call and let-t-tt-t-t us know.  To read more about VoIP click here for a great article.

Is there an art to holding a successful conference call? Some may say no, but in all actuality, there is. The art comes in planning. The moderator must fine-tune each detail of the conference, from the agenda, the email invitations and to the scheduling details. A successful conference call takes a knowledgeable organizer who has provided all the participants with the correct conference information, including the date and time and deciphering the time zones. The moderator needs to know the features available to him through his conferencing provider. Is recording available? If so, how do I initiate it? Can I see who is on my conference call? What about a live question & answer session? How can I facilitate one? Most conferencing providers have a customer support center which can answer all those important questions. Take advantage of all the features. This will enhance your conferencing experience.
 
On the day of the conference call, make sure you are prepared in advance with the telephone set up. If using a conference phone make sure it is tweaked to capture all the speakers and will not cut out voices. Individual phone lines are recommended above a conference room speaker phone. Encourage your participants to also dial from land lines and not cell phones.

As the moderator, call into the conference at least 10 minutes before the call is to being. Welcome your participants and let them know you will begin shortly. If you are having more than 10 people on your conference call, consider using Lecture Mode to mute all the participant lines. This will ensure a very professional atmosphere to deliver your message. The Q&A can be done very concisely and accurately when the call is in Lecture Mode.

By following these conferencing ideas, you will create a memorable event.