Great Ideas for your Small Business: Set Up a Teleconference
If you are stressed out and tired of airports, bad airline food, and the expense of traveling, con- sider joining the modern age. Videoconferencing, once available only to major megabuck corporations, is now accessible and affordable for smaller companies. Best of all, you don’t need any equipment to conduct a multisite discussion.
Although many other companies offer videoconferencing services, Kinko’s, the small business owner’s friend, offers videoconferencing services at more than 150 locations. If everyone on your conference call goes to a Kinko’s, the cost is $150–$200 per hour per site with a half hour minimum.
In addition to broadcasting your image, you can transmit graphics, slides, videotape, and computer data. “It’s the second-best thing to being there,” said a Kinko’s spokeswoman.
Here are some tips from Kinko’s on making your video-conference a success:
- Arrange the conference in advance and make sure everyone knows what needs to be accomplished.
- Send out an agenda and other materials prior to the conference.
- Remember, time is money, so prioritize your points and choose one person to act as chairperson at each location.
- Avoid wearing bright red, white, plaids, stripes, or prints, because they are distracting and create visual problems on camera.
- Speak naturally and clearly. Pause briefly at the end of your remark because there is a slight lag-time in transmission.
- Don’t cough into the microphone or hold side conversations during the session.
- Let everyone know when you are about to show graphics.
- Identify yourself from time to time so everyone can keep track of the participants.