How to Use Technology to Enhance Virtual Meetings
Introduction
Virtual meetings can be a great way to bring people together who might not otherwise have access to each other. But the reality is that virtual meetings haven’t always been able to keep up with the advances in technology. They consequently occasionally experience participation disengagement and inactivity. Fortunately, there are many ways you can use technology to enhance your virtual meetings and some of them don’t even require buying any new software!
Use different types of video conferencing software for different meetings.
- Use video conferencing software for meetings that require a lot of interaction. The most effective way to convey your message is through video conferencing. It adds a personal touch and enables rapid communication with other participants.
- Use video conferencing software for meetings that require a lot of visual information. Video conferencing can be used to share large amounts of data, such as spreadsheets or presentations, instantly with all participants at once without having to send documents back and forth over email or by messenger.
- Use video conferencing software for meetings that require both interaction and visual information. Video conferencing offers the best solution for sharing both interactive discussions and visual materials with all attendees simultaneously so everyone can understand each other easily without any confusion about what was just said or shown on-screen (and this is especially true when using analog equipment).
Make sure that your virtual meetings have a human touch.
Business meetings are a necessity, but they can be time-consuming and expensive. One way to make sure that your virtual meetings don’t go too far off track is to use technology to enhance them. This includes making sure that the meeting has a human touch:
- Video conferencing software will allow you to see and hear all participants in real time, which makes it easy for people from different locations or companies to communicate effectively and build trust with each other.
- A virtual meeting room allows participants from across different locations or companies to get together in one space without having to travel anywhere—this saves money on travel costs, which means more money for your company! The virtual meeting room also has features like video conferencing software so everyone can see each other through their computers, phones or tablets (or whatever device works best).
- A virtual meeting scheduler makes sure that people know when their next appointment is happening—it’s important that everyone is on time so they don’t miss out on anything important during the call! There’s no need for paper calendars anymore because everything is digital now; this means less clutter around desks too!
Make sure your presentation is easy to see and understand on a computer screen or mobile device from a distance.
The style of the font you use on your slides can impact how well they are able to be read from a distance. If you want to make sure people can see and understand your presentation, it is important that the font is large enough for everyone in the room to see. You also want to make sure it is easy for them to read.
The best way to accomplish this is by using a sans-serif font like Arial or Helvetica because these fonts tend not have as many details in their curves (the little lines that come out of letters). They are easier on the eyes when viewed from further away than other styles such as decorative scripts or condensed sans serifs with extra details.
For example, if you look at Comic Sans compared with Futura Extra Bold Condensed here, they both have similar sizes at first glance but Comic Sans has smaller features like tails and dashes which makes it harder for someone sitting at least 15 feet away from where the presentation is being projected onto a screen (or even farther away if they’re using headphones) while Futura Extra Bold Condensed has fewer details making it easier on those who need help seeing things up close because of age or illness like glaucoma or cataracts.
Encourage participants to join with video and audio if possible, but make sure it’s okay for them not to do so if they need to.
The best way for participants to feel included in a virtual meeting is for them to have access to both video and audio. If that’s not possible, make sure you have some other way of communicating with them (e.g., chat or email). If someone needs to leave the meeting early or cannot participate at all due to technical difficulties or other issues, it’s important that you have a way of seeking out their feedback on the decisions made during the session (e.g., by sending them a recap email afterward).
Make sure that your entire team has the technology they need before starting a session.
It’s important to ensure that your entire team has the technology they need before starting a session. It’s easy to assume everyone has the same equipment, software and bandwidth—but don’t make those assumptions.
In addition to making sure every participant has what they need, take some time before the meeting to review any pre-meeting instructions with your team so there are no surprises when it comes time to connect with them remotely.
Choose an environment that works with the equipment you’re using, rather than fighting against it.
- Select a space with a big screen.
- Select a space with a strong internet connection.
- Choose a room with a good microphone and speakers.
- Choose a room with good lighting.
Highlight successful examples of when you’ve used virtual meetings in the past.
The next step is to take a look at how you’ve used virtual meetings in the past and showcase those examples for your team. This will help them understand what’s possible for their own meetings. If you have a successful virtual meeting strategy, it’s important to share it with others so they can learn from your best practices. Showcasing successful examples of when you’ve used virtual meetings in the past is also an effective way of communicating what’s possible as well as encouraging others to try something new in the future.
Making virtual meetings more engaging may require more than just new software.
There are methods to make virtual meetings more interesting that go beyond technology. Presentations can be more effective if they are easy to see and understand on a computer screen or mobile device from a distance. For example, presenters should avoid using large headings, which may appear jumbled when projected onto screens in the room. Also, keep in mind that some lighting conditions can make it difficult for others to see your presentation clearly (such as when someone is wearing sunglasses).
If you’re delivering your presentation via video conference software such as Skype or Zoom, consider providing links to supplemental materials ahead of time so people can review them during the meeting rather than trying to find them while listening to what you’re saying during your talk.
Conclusion
Of course, the best way to make sure your virtual meetings are successful is to use them regularly. The more you meet in person, the more comfortable your team will be with meeting online. That won’t happen overnight, but it’s important to remember that technology can help make those meetings better no matter how many people are involved or where they’re located on the globe.
