Web conferencing

Getting comfortable with online etiquette — right down to the smiley emoticons and acronyms such as "FWIW" (for what it's worth) — can be a challenge. Even more daunting can be learning how to conduct a successful online meeting. But web conferencing is good for your business. Audio conferencing can save you money on travel, boost communication between workers and clients — even increase sales. With these greater rewards come risks: the chance that a misstep in Conference calls will cost your company a deal, or worse, a client. It doesn't have to come to that, of course. Don't forget to pay attention. Not that there's going to be a pop quiz afterwards, but really — do you check your e-mail when someone is talking to you? Do you take calls on your cell phone? Web meeting participants often mistakenly believe that because they are not in the same room as the other participants, they can engage in any number of activities. Moreover, if you take a snooze during a Web meeting, you could miss an important business opportunity. Do this: Minimize all of the windows on your PC — especially the one with all of your e-mail — and tell your colleagues that you are in a meeting. (Which, of course, you are.) That's particularly important if you're a speaker. Remember, you're setting the tone for the meeting, so even looking distracted can lead to disaster.