In Sales? Use Web Meetings to Earn More

Those in sales know it sometimes takes a while to close a deal. But you can shorten the sales cycle with web meetings.

In today's world of shrinking margins, enhanced productivity and emphasis on ROI, the three-martini lunch has gone the way of Friendster as a networking tool. Internet conferencing solutions help you qualify leads faster and get to “yes” from the comfort of your desk.

Web Meetings with Prospects
InterCall offers a number of audio, video and web conferencing tools to shorten the sales cycles. You can qualify prospects with sales demos and free webinars. Follow-up surveys let you determine which leads are worth a follow-up.

Different (Key)Strokes for Different Folks
As you build relationships, use powerful web conferencing software to share important news, advancements and product features in an interactive, visual environment. Offer a personalized demo, show testimonials or answer questions in a way that holds the attention of your prospect.

Some people simply respond better to pictures while others prefer words. Once you understand whether your prospect is an auditory, visual or kinesthetic learner, you can tailor your meeting to match his style.

• Give kinesthetic learners control of your company web site or a product manual to learn on their own.
• Show visual learners a product demo on video.
• Tell auditory learners about your product features, supporting your words with PowerPoint slides that highlight key points.

When it comes time to close the deal, you may want to take a trip to meet your prospect—or maybe not. Everything you can do in person you can do through web meetings—except take in the sights of an exciting locale. Unless your client lives in Oahu, Hawaii, you might as well use web conferencing to close the sale as well.

Sara Steele is an associate marketing manager at InterCall responsible for various corporate communication initiatives; including social media and channel marketing efforts. Sara began working with InterCall after graduating from the University of Colorado in 2006. In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, and spending time with family and friends.

We Can Thank Star Trek for This

Many of us across the country are slowly melting in the extreme heat.  One way to beat the heat is to escape for a couple of hours at the movies.  We recently saw the last Harry Potter movie which got me thinking about the “technology” those kids have at their disposal.  They live in a world of wands, owls, apparition and disapparition.  No smartphones or computers are found at Hogwarts.  Such a contrast to the gadgets Star Trek introduced us to years ago –many have become a reality including the “Communicator”.

Every time Captain Kirk talked into his communicator, the person he wanted to talk with immediately responded.  Well we aren’t quite there yet. We still have to initiate a call by dialing and waiting for either a live voice or voicemail answer.  No guarantee that the one we are trying to contact will immediately respond.   However, with IM integration to your BlackBerry you can know in an instant who’s available to meet.

Cisco Connect IM for BlackBerry now delivers instant messaging (IM) and presence to your BlackBerry.  With this free app download you can:

• Access your desktop IM contact list and take action with features such as click to IM, click to call, click to email, and click to text
• Join an instant WebEx meeting from an IM conversation
• Maintain security using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption and by connecting your BlackBerry directly to the Cisco IM infrastructure.

Now for us muggles, magic wands aren’t an option, but what other conferencing gadgets would you like to have to make instant collaboration even easier?

Sarah Murphy is a marketing manager at InterCall. With over ten years of experience in the conferencing industry, Sarah has worked with customers and products that cover all segments of conferencing, including traditional operator attended services, video and online meeting solutions.

Remote Meetings in a Bizarro World

I dread every Tuesday at 11:00.

At InterCall, we try to practice what we preach and use either InterCall Unified Meeting or another web conferencing tool that we resell in order to have better meetings.

Last week, though, I participated in a meeting that did not use web conferencing, and I was reminded again that not everyone takes advantage of online meetings as automatically as I do. What I experienced was probably what a lot of people go through, and they don’t realize there is an easier way to have more productive meetings.

Here’s the painful way the meetings go:

• I open up my meeting invitation that contains only audio conference dial-in information. I pick up the phone to dial the number, then enter the passcode. Usually I don’t enter it right, so I either have to enter it again or just hang up and start over.
• I search my inbox for the email I received that contains an attachment and instructions to have the document open for our meeting.
• Every time the call starts, we spend at least five minutes with the host asking, “Who just joined?” after every beep she hears. Once the flurry of beeps subsides, the host asks us to recap who is on the call. This usually begins with silence because no one knows who is going to go first, then at least three people all try to speak at the same time. I usually wait until it seems like everyone must have had a turn; sometimes I’m fast enough and can announce my name, but more often than not, I miss my chance. Only later, when the host says, “I guess Cambria couldn’t make it” do I get in my “No, Cambria’s here.”
• Next we’re instructed to refer to the attachment in the email. This also takes some time because people can’t find the email and need to ask who sent it and when or they realize they’ve deleted it and ask for it to be resent. Once everyone has opened the document to review, we spent more time talking about what page we are on or which chart is being referenced.

Sound familiar?

In a bizarro world (ever seen ‘The Bizarro Jerry’ episode on Seinfeld?), here’s the way this meeting would run with web conferencing:

• I open up my meeting invitation that contains a link for the web conferencing and audio meeting combined. I click the link to open the online meeting tool, confirm the phone number where I should be dialed and pick up the phone when it begins to ring.
• As I enter the web meeting, the document we need to review is already open on the host’s desktop for all participants to see.
• As participants join, the host can see their name and know who’s on and who’s missing.
• Once we’re ready to begin, the host walks everyone through the document—that we all see at the same time—and directs our attention to certain sections and charts.

Sound better? Even writing this second scenario is easier.

If you’re over wasting time with the “Who’s on the call?” and “Where are you in the document?” questions, you should give web conferencing a try. Your bizarro world might not make your topics more enjoyable, but most likely you'll want to make web conferencing—and easier meetings—part of your reality.

Use Event Management Software to Plan Any Size Event Conference Call

Many InterCall customers think of an online event as a webinar or large-scale event conference call. But companies large and small can use our event management software, backed by our professional event services staff to produce any type of event of any size.

What are some instances companies choose to rely on experts to help with their event planning? Some examples include:

• Interactive employee, partner or customer training
• Corporate communications, within or outside your company
• Quarterly investor relations meetings or important announcements
• Marketing, including lead generation seminars
• Press conferences for new product launches and more

InterCall's event management software makes it easy to plan conference calls and online meetings, but some events demand a bit more—expert event planners to assist you every step of the way. Before your event conference call or webinar, InterCall's experts can:

• Help you review your objectives for the meeting, making sure you have all the services you need for a seamless presentation.
• Assist with rehearsals to make sure everyone knows their role on the day of the big event conference call.
• Execute checklist reviews to ensure everything happens on time and in the right order.

During the event, expert operators offer you the highest level of customer service as they:

• Monitor the meeting
• Greet participants
• Introduce presenters
• Manage the question and answer session

After the event, InterCall's event planners assist with archiving, transcription and managing follow-ups.

Have you ever “gone it alone” when planning a meeting, corporate announcement or investor relations event conference call? How did it work out? Would it have been easier to enlist the help of professional event planners to make sure your important event went smoothly?

Cambria Vaccaro is the Senior Director, Marketing Communications and our “Industry News” blogger.  Cambria has been in the conferencing industry for nearly fifteen years, and has seen it evolve from a traditional video bridging service to include cool web features and remote communication services.  She is an avid runner, cook, wife and mother of two gorgeous girls.

InterCall Announces Integration with Microsoft Lync Online

I’m in New York today for the launch of Microsoft Office 365. Office 365 is a subscription service that combines the familiar Office desktop suite and Outlook (Exchange) with cloud-based versions of collaboration services SharePoint Online and Lync Online. If you want some background information, check out our past blog on Office 365.

If you haven’t heard, InterCall has partnered with Microsoft to offer integrated audio conferencing with Lync Online. I’m especially excited for this launch because of the unique value we bring to Office 365.

Why do I think you should partner with InterCall for Office 365? 

1. Features

• Enable external participants to join meetings
• Connect on multiple devices
• Call scheduling via Outlook®
• Dial-in and dial-out
• Mute/unmute
• Lock/unlock
• End conference
• VoIP/PSTN integration, including mixed recording
• *0 in-call support

But you don’t get to be the world's leading conferencing provider (based on Wainhouse Research in 2010) with features alone.

2. Support

We have a 24/7 global support with certified agents skilled in all aspects of Office 365. We provide tier 1 and 2 support to our customers, as well as pre-sales technical assistance and consultations. Free online and recorded training sessions are included.

3. Expertise

InterCall’s professional services for Office 365 are second to none. We offer custom training and adoption programs. For companies that need more in-depth assistance with deployment of Exchange Online and SharePoint Online, we have professional migration services to help transition, configure and support data and operations from legacy applications to Office 365 solutions.

Add to that the fact that InterCall is a Microsoft Silver Certified Partner and national systems integrator (NSI), plus the multiple certifications we hold, and I think you can see why I’m excited to be a part of this launch.

For more information:
US and Canada or EMEA

Damon Martin is vice president of sales for West UC Solutions, InterCall’s dedicated team of UC specialists. Based in Wichita, Kansas, Damon oversees InterCall’s systems integration and consulting services. When he’s not working with InterCall customers on their UC strategy, Damon enjoys spending time with his family, boating and reading.

Do You Need Conferencing Software for Webinars or Online Web Conferencing?

There's a debate brewing in online conferencing: What's the difference between a web conference and a webinar? Is there one?

Online Meeting Tools Review sheds some light on the subject with an interesting post explaining the difference.

According to the post:

A web conference is a non-public online meeting emphasizing collaboration. One person may be the host, but desktop sharing and other tools make it easy to switch the role of presenter.

A webinar, on the other hand, is often open to the public and offers more of a single presenter and large audience ambiance. The experience for the audience is largely passive, although tools such as polls, chat functions and Q&A sessions can add interactivity to a webinar.

Conferencing Software for Online Web Conferencing
Now that you know the difference between the types of online conferencing programs, you can decide on the best software for your purposes. Small meetings, project assessments and “touch-base” sessions, as well as some collaborative sales meetings where your prospects may be expected to have a lot of questions, would fall under the web conference umbrella.

Look for conferencing software with collaborative tools such as desktop and file sharing, shared web browsing and easy “one-click” entry into meetings.

Conferencing Software for Webinars
Training (customer or employee), marketing seminars and press conferences are considered webinars.

You'll want chat functions for attendees, the ability to poll attendees and to host question and answer sessions. Additionally, you'll want tools for marketing your webinar in advance and to follow up with attendees after the event, as well as tools to track attendance.

Before you can select the best web conferencing software for your company, you need to define your conferencing purposes and goals.

Don't forget to consider InterCall’s streaming services as another option for one-to-many presentations. 

What meetings could you replace with web conferencing?  Are there opportunities for you to save time and money by hosting a webinar? If you need help assessing the right solution for your business, use our interactive tool to get started. 

Sara Steele is an associate marketing manager at InterCall responsible for various corporate communication initiatives; including social media and channel marketing efforts. Sara began working with InterCall after graduating from the University of Colorado in 2006. In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, and spending time with family and friends.

How Can Web Conferencing Software Help Your Investor Relations Department?

Investor relations is a touchy business—one innocent misstep raises eyebrows and could place your company under scrutiny. Transparency is expected as the minimum: What can you do to set your company apart? Your web conferencing software can help you keep investors in the loop on everything from quarterly IR calls to important announcements.

If you're already using web conferencing software to host your annual IR call, here are some more ideas to help you manage investor relations and maintain transparency throughout the year.

1. Hold board of director meetings. Easy to use meeting software lets you host planned board of director meetings. Web conferencing service software like Microsoft^® Office Live Meeting, offered by InterCall, integrates with Microsoft Office Suite, meaning board members won't miss a meeting when invitations and reminders are delivered straight to Outlook^®.
2. Update investors on changes and developments in your company. Have an important announcement? Don't send it off in literature that no one reads. Invite your investors to a web meeting where you can answer questions using a variety of tools like shared web browsing, video and PowerPoint.
3. Meet with analysts and media. Maintain your commitment to transparency with regular meetings with financial analysts and the media. Use a webinar to share exciting news and make sure to leave plenty of time for questions and answers.
4. Your web conferencing service can help you meet federal requirements for archiving IR meetings on tight deadlines. You can put an archive link on your web site and also use Encore^SM to listen to a digital recording of the meeting through a dial-in number. Podcasts permit investors to download the recorded conference onto their MP3 player or aggregator such as iTunes.

What other tips do you have for hosting succesful investor relations events?

 

Cambria Vaccaro is the Senior Director, Marketing Communications and our “Industry News” blogger.  Cambria has been in the conferencing industry for nearly fifteen years, and has seen it evolve from a traditional video bridging service to include cool web features and remote communication services.  She is an avid runner, cook, wife and mother of two gorgeous girls.

The Who, What, Why and How of Web Conferencing

Web conferencing isn't new, but it's only in the past few years that companies like InterCall have made it affordable and user friendly enough for anyone to use. From entrepreneurs holding a press conference to Fortune 500s holding investor relations meetings, web conferencing is useful whenever geographically distant individuals or groups want to interact with one another—whether that means across town or across the world. That covers the “who.”

What Can Web Conferencing Do For You?
“A picture is worth a thousand words.” “Actions speak louder than words.” We've all heard the axioms. Let's face it: Listening to someone drone on for 30 to 45 minutes about their great product or service or staying focused during a brainstorming meeting over the phone gets tedious. Web conferencing brings people closer together to share pictures, ideas and even words in a more dynamic way. Whether you're selling a service to prospects or selling an idea to an existing client, web conferencing helps you get your point across more quickly and easily.

Why Use Web Conferencing?
This is an easy one: to save money. Travel costs a lot in terms of cash and lost productivity. With the right web conferencing software, holding a web meeting is quick and easy. Want to get closer to someone across the world? Use the web.

How Do I Sign Up for Web Conferencing?
Sold on the benefits of web conferencing for your business? The knowledgeable staff at InterCall can help you select the web conferencing software package that's right for you.

There’s also an online tool for all of you ‘do-it-yourself’ types. All you need is a PC, an Internet connection and a desire to do business in a whole new way.

Sara Steele is an associate marketing manager at InterCall responsible for various corporate communication initiatives; including social media and channel marketing efforts. Sara began working with InterCall after graduating from the University of Colorado in 2006. In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, and spending time with family and friends.

Losing Control of Your Conference Calls?

Last week, I was attending an important quarterly conference call with several of my co-workers. I was trying to listen closely and take notes, but the sound of heavy breathing was coming through one of the audio lines. I couldn’t concentrate and my frustration started to quickly grow. I could tell I wasn’t the only one who felt this way, as I could also hear the tension in the speaker’s voice. Luckily for us, we were using our proprietary web conferencing platform, InterCall Unified Meeting®  to host the call. Audio integration with InterCall Unified Meeting allowed the moderator to easily identify the culpri t and quickly mute his line via the active speaker icon. The call continued to move forward with no further interruptions.

Whether it’s the heavy breather, the food chewer, the barking dog, the screaming child, of the fire truck driving by, these annoying distractions can quickly spiral a conference call out of control. Unproductive conference calls, such as this hilarious video depicts, can waste a significant amount of time getting everyone's attention and making sure they're all on the same page. Most times, the trick is just a matter of showing someone what you are talking about so there's less confusion, less distraction and everyone is following along with you. Had the star of the video, Dave Grady, been using InterCall's easy-to-use online meeting solutions, he could have controlled the flow of his meeting from the very beginning.

Control your audio conference calls

Dial-out to participants and even mute lines to keep Sparky and the kids at bay and other distractions away.

Share, present and collaborate

Show presentations, applications or your entire desktop and keep all eyes on the same page for faster decision making.

Run meetings from the road

Free mobile apps for your Android^TM phone, Blackberry® or iPhone® allow you to run your online conferences anytime, from anywhere so you can see and share key documents - even on the go.

Schedule and start meetings in just a few clicks

Starting and running meetings have never been easier with our free Outlook® and Lotus Notes® plug-ins. Just click to schedule, click to start and click to have InterCall Unified Meeting dial you.

I want to hear about your most annoying conference call distractions. Share them at www.intercall.com/beenthere.

Sara Steele is an associate marketing manager at InterCall responsible for various corporate communication initiatives; including social media and channel marketing efforts. Sara began working with InterCall after graduating from the University of Colorado in 2006. In her free time, she enjoys running, skiing, and spending time with family and friends.

Collaborative Tools Make Sales Easier from Start to Finish

What's the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words “video conferencing” and “sales"? Your thoughts may turn to stuffy, dark conference rooms, windows shaded to prevent ambient light. PowerPoint slides highlight selling points on a large center screen. The process might seem one-sided, as those on the near side make a pitch and the far side weighs their options before fading into oblivion. A few days—or weeks—later, the groups meet again for the big decision.

But today's collaborative tools offered as part of many popular conference software packages make a typical sales demo far more interactive. In fact, it's hardly fair to call it “typical”—there are no limits to how you make your pitch.

Web Conferencing Sales Demos Bring Your Products to Life 
Instead of static PowerPoint slides, imagine using web conferencing technology to integrate product demos with satisfied customer testimonials and even to provide a sneak peek at training and support after the sale.

If something isn't clear to your prospect, you can draw it out on a virtual whiteboard. Show clips of your products in action and use web browsing capabilities to better tell the story behind your product with a quick, guided tour of your company web site.

Make sure to take time to answer questions—or ask a few of your own. What features does your customer looking for? What needs do they hope you can fill?

Best of all, the technology never gets in the way of the message you're sharing; collaborative tools packaged with conferencing software are so user-friendly, your prospects won't have to think twice about how to follow along.

Conferencing Software Solutions
InterCall offers a number of conferencing solutions to fit your sales needs. Some of our most popular products include:

• InterCall Unified Meeting^®
• Adobe^® Acrobat^® Connect™ Pro
• Microsoft^® Office Live Meeting
• Cisco WebEx^TM Meeting Center

With so many options available for collaborative web conferencing tools, the only question is which one is best for you? Use our interactive tool to help you figure it out. 

Cambria Vaccaro is the Senior Director, Marketing Communications and our “Industry News” blogger.  Cambria has been in the conferencing industry for nearly fifteen years, and has seen it evolve from a traditional video bridging service to include cool web features and remote communication services.  She is an avid runner, cook, wife and mother of two gorgeous girls.