Virtual Team Meeting is not a new concept among organizations. The onset of the pandemic has skyrocketed the use of Virtual Meeting Platforms, like Dreamcast, as work from home and remote work culture is burgeoning. Meeting these goals is no longer rocket science. Below are the nine steps which would lead to more engaging online team meetings.
1. Check tech first
Technical glitches pour the bucket of cold water over the high expectations of organizers, leading to an inefficient virtual team meeting. Issues like signing in on the Virtual Corporate Meeting Platform and audio and video glitches can arise during the meeting, making it highly disturbing for both organizers and fellow team members. For ruling out the chances of any technical glitch, designating a technical support person or team proves to be the best decision.
Organizers should also inculcate the habit of logging in onto the Virtual Team Meeting platform at least 10-15 earlier to check the strength of the internet, audio, and video settings. To eliminate the chances of technical glitches from the attendees’ side, sending an email containing the login information, platform’s link, etc., would help them examine and solve the issue if it arises. If screen sharing is also part of the virtual meeting, do prepare a Google Drive copy of the content to be shared. If any technical glitch arises, attendees can use these shared links or docs as a reference.
2. Bring the members onboard before the online meeting starts
Engagement with fellow team members and increasing their excitement before the meeting officially starts can result in more interaction and involvement throughout the virtual session. These motifs can be achieved by either running polls or asking to write answers in a chat box available on the Virtual AGM Platform. A quick chit-chat session before the meeting would work as a cherry on the cake. It will make audiences more aligned with the organizer and enthusiastic throughout the event.
3. Set up roles for various tasks
Teamwork leads to success. The same applies to conducting meetings on Virtual Meeting Platforms. Organizers can’t look after attendees’ network strength, software issues, and other problems but can control the things that they can. Setting up roles within a team ensures the consistency of the virtual event, making it successful and highly productive. Following are a few of the significant positions to be assigned during a meeting:
Technical Support: This team can have one to two members. At the time of a technical glitch, hosts won’t be rushing as technical ninjas would be there to fix the issue, ensuring smooth occurrence.
Executive: Virtual Team Meeting Platforms like Dreamcast have a feature of live chat. Having an executive member who would look after the chat area and reply to the queries would make it easier for a host to conduct a meeting seamlessly.
4. Include interaction sessions in the meeting’s schedule.
Monotonously reading a presentation aloud in front of audiences makes them fall asleep or distracts them. To increase engagement with the attendees, take apart time for conversation. Ask for doubts, questions, and opinions on the ongoing topic. It will lead to two-way communication and will increase participation in the meeting. Grab their attention by demonstrating that their presence and views matter. For example, conduct live polls frequently to check the engagement and nerves of the audience.
5. Start the online meeting with icebreakers.
Fostering connections in person is easy compared to a meeting on Virtual AGM Platforms. In physical gatherings, attendees get enough time and space to break the ice and enter the conversation. But in online conferences, where attendees join from different countries and time zones, it becomes harder to bring them all under the same roof. That’s where icebreakers come into being. Fun and humorous icebreakers are a magnificent way to kickstart a meeting. Funny questions and virtual games can be used as icebreakers to make the atmosphere positive from the inception of the meeting.
6. Presentations should be visually appealing and interactive
PowerPoint is a well-known choice among many when it comes to preparing presentations. Though it is easy to use, presentations made using it are not compelling and interactive enough to gauge the audience’s interest and make them awake throughout the session. Encourage active participation by conducting frequent QandA during the virtual meeting. Also, including visuals and graphics in the presentation increases the audience’s interest. Try to use graphs, charts, and images as much as possible to make the presentation visually appealing.
7. Gamify the Virtual Meeting Experience
Including some elements of the game in virtual meetings can be a game-changer. There are a few things in gaming that lead to engagement. Why not use those elements for enhancing audience engagement on virtual team meeting platforms? Gaining points and making unbreakable scores attract the users to games such as Subway surfs. Getting points for giving accurate answers with lightning-fast speed will inspire members to press the button on their devices, keeping the intention of winning in mind.
8. Follow-up mails work wonders
The virtual meeting doesn’t get over after the scheduled time. Engagement with the attendees continues even after the end of the online conference. Send follow-up emails to attendees. A follow-up email can include highlights of the meeting, key takeaways, and the meeting’s recording. Don’t make the email lengthy and unreadable. Write engaging content, which will push attendees to open it and read. These steps inculcate a sense of connection among the attendees even after the meeting ends.
9. Ask for Feedback
Feedback is a crucial part of enhancing future virtual conferences. Ask attendees what they liked the most, which part of the meeting stuck with them, and what can be improved? Having valuable feedback helps organizers conduct many engaging meetings further efficiently and productively.
Conclusion
Above mentioned steps can be religiously followed to conduct a highly effective online meeting. The hybrid model of work has been expanding, and online meets have become a new normal. Virtual Meeting Platforms, like Dreamcast, have emerged as a solution that helps in live audience engagement and inclusive communication among organizations. Dreamcast offers a wide range of virtual solutions helping others host their virtual events smoothly. You can also schedule a demo with the company.
