Sabrina George
Sabrina George is vice president of marketing at Onstream Media & Infinite Conferencing, divisions of Onstream Media Corp., a leading provider of webinar, web conferencing and streaming media solutions.
5 Ways to Maximize Your Next Online Meeting
June 20, 2015
A robust virtual workforce and rising travel costs are making online meetings the norm rather than the exception. But as easy as they are to arrange, a virtual meeting comes with its own idiosyncrasies and can be a counterproductive sinkhole if not planned properly. Here are a few tips to make sure your time is well spent.
1.) Watch the clock: Before the meeting starts, alert people to exactly how much time they have to talk. Everyone should prepare what they need to say ahead of time, and even email the meeting members a concise agenda of the points they plan to cover. Also build in time for others to give their observations and feedback.
2.) Pick a leader: Like a rudderless ship, a meeting without a leader is a shipwreck waiting to happen. Name a leader and that person is in charge of setting the agenda, starting the meeting on time, keeping things moving and ending on time. He or she can’t be afraid to politely end any rambling and suggest holding a smaller meeting just for the people involved to continue the conversation. Proper meeting lengths depend on the amount of material being covered, but a good range is 20 to 30 minutes.
3.) Keep Everyone Connected: Meetings are a great time to stay in touch with the rest of your staff, asking for their input and allowing them to share something of importance to them. These questions may be positive or negative in nature. A good mixture of each keeps things interesting and honest. Get a short response from each person. It can often be useful to ask some of the senior members of your group or those in higher positions the questions first to allow other employees to gauge what they will say when it is their turn to answer. Remember, you want honesty.
4.) Resist going into multitask overdrive: As tempting as it is, stay focused on the meeting, and don’t jump at the opportunity to catch up on email, peruse social media and finish another unrelated assignment. Listen to what’s being said, and avoid the embarrassing question that leaves you flustered because you’d tuned out the discussion.
5.) Control your sound and technology: Be courteous to others, and be familiar with the mute button. Everything and anything that can be picked up on your receiver or laptop microphone probably will—and be amplified online for all to hear. Also, if you can’t make an online meeting from an office, choose a setting as quiet as possible, preferably not a café or other public setting where you have no control over your environment. And finally, don’t wing it with the controls. Make time to test out the online conference controls well in advance, so you’re not left fumbling at the last minute.
While you can’t control every circumstance, a little planning goes a long way toward executing a successful online meeting.
Partner Voices
Overview:
The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality.
In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way.
“We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.”
Amenities:
The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.
The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience
The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need.
Gold Key Members
The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events.
OCCC Events:
This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.
The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:
AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023
200,000 Attendees
$257 Million in Economic Impact
MEGACON 2023
160,000 Attendees
$205 Million in Economic Impact
Open Championship Series 2023
69,500 Attendees
$89 Million in Economic Impact
Sunshine Classic 2023
42,000 Attendees
$54 Million in Economic Impact
Premiere Orlando 2023
42,000 Attendees
$108 Million in Economic Impact
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