Conference Calling

How to Use a Web Conference Call as a Selling Tool By: Christopher J Enders

Holding a web conference call has long been recognized as avaluable technique for online collaborations; however, thepotential for using a web conference call as a sales tool isoften overlooked. A web conference call, also known asteleconferencing, has many uses and benefits. In order tounderstand how to effectively use a web conference call as asales tool, it is beneficial to gain an understanding of thetraditional uses of teleconferencing and how a web conferencecall works. Common uses for a web conference call include conducting trainingseminars and continuing education sessions, conducting marketresearch, holding press conferences, and coordinating meetingsincluding operational meetings, board meetings, and investorrelation meetings. From a sales perspective, a web conferencecall can be used to hold sales meetings, to make salespresentations, to provide potential retailers or affiliates withinformation on new products or services, to provide pressreleases, or even to conduct a live, online auction. There are many advantages to using a web conference call for suchactivities. A web conference call enables the sharing of realtime data and web conference call tools make it possible toprovide access to information used in the web conference callbefore, during and after the call. Web conference calls are easyto use and generally interface with other applications withoutthe need for any special hardware. A web conference call can beheld by either using a web conferencing service, or using webconferencing software that can be installed on your server. When using web conferencing services or web conferencing softwareto conduct a web conference call, you generally schedule the webconference call setting the time, date and duration of the webconference call. Sometimes there is an option to reserve audiotelephone conferencing so that the web conference call can alsobe accessed via telephone although with telephone access thesharing of files is not possible. Once the web conference call isscheduled and set up, you can choose which guests you want toinvite to the web conference call and send invitations via email.Most web conference call solutions automate these steps. When it is time for the web conference call, you present,collaborate and share information via the internet using toolsprovided through your web conference call solution. Most webconference call solutions use a voice-over-IP technology thatenables conference attendees to talk back and forth if they havemicrophones and speakers. Some even have web cam features so theweb conference call is "face-to-face" so to speak. During a webconference call, attendees can see what you are doing on yourcomputer. They can view slides used in your presentation and soforth as well opening files or documents that you sharethroughout the web conference call. Holding a web conference call for the purpose of conducting salesmeetings, sales presentations and press conferences saves timeand money because the attendees can attend the meeting fromremote locations. The web conference call eliminates travel timeand the expenses of travel. Furthermore, through a web conferencecall, hand-outs can be provided electronically rather than beingprinted resulting in even more cost savings. A web conferencecall enables real-time communications between attendees. One of the greatest benefits of using a web conference call as asales tool is that a web conference call makes it possible tomake sales presentations to multiple decision makers in anorganization first hand, rather than them relying upon thetranslation of the information from the presentation that may benecessary if they are physically unable to attend a salespresentation due to geographic barriers. Copyright Christopher J. Enders