Small business owners wear multiple hats, and it’s unlikely that will change for most of them in 2017. Between an influx of emails and phone calls to return, leads to convert and employees to supervise, the dizzying pace that small business owners operate at can quickly derail a meeting.
While their responsibilities are here to stay, small business owners can certainly make their meetings more efficient in 2017 to free up some time. We all know New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep, but with the right set of tools and approach, small business owners can run better, more productive meetings.
Here are a few ways small business owners can maximize each minute spent in meetings this year:
1. Live by the Meeting Agendas
A new year means new habits, and that means small business owners should make agendas a true standard in 2017. Sharing an agenda ahead of time allows owners to determine goals and keep the discussion on track. Without clear talking points, irrelevant conversations can quickly sidetrack a meeting and ultimately require another call or in-person discussion.
A well-designed agenda ensures team members prepare for the meeting, helps quickly get the group on the same page and signifies when the meeting is over. A small business owner’s time is precious, and agendas can prevent meetings from running over.
Simple Meeting Agenda Template:
2. Always Assign a Meeting Moderator
Delegating specific roles is another way to keep discussions and decision-making on target during meetings. With a designated moderator, small business teams can stay focused and on track. This person should remain an active part of the conversation, but shouldn’t replace the leader’s (often the small business owner) presence in the meeting. Moderators should pinpoint action items to ensure they’re executed on post-meeting.
Meeting Moderator in Unified Meeting 5:
3. Use a Conferencing Provider that Matches Your Work & Meeting Style
While Wainhouse Research found that more than half (54 percent) of small business owners believe in-person meetings are the most productive method, 69 percent said their colleagues work in other offices or telecommute. Clearly, many small business owners and their employees lead on-the-go lifestyles, often taking calls from home or while travelling.
In 2017, consider a flexible conferencing platform that supports an increasingly mobile way of working. With a solution like InterCall MobileMeet, business owners can join meetings with a tap of the screen on their smartphones. To quickly connect with colleagues and customers, businesses can easily store meeting profiles and send meeting invites from their calendar.
How to Keep Meetings Flexible and Mobile with MobileMeet:
4. Leverage Video Conferencing
For small business owners looking to cut travel costs or offer more lenient remote work policies in 2017, video conferencing solutions like InterCall Unified Meeting 5 is an appealing option. Instead of flying employees in for a single meeting, small business owners can use HD video calls to meet face-to-face. Video calls can help ease any hesitations small business owners may have about hosting online meetings since the platform allows teams to communicate on a more personal level than with audio-only calls.
UM5 Provides HD Video Conferencing:
Meetings – virtual or in-person – are a necessary part of maintaining and expanding a small business. For owners striving to grow their companies in the New Year, making meetings more efficient and actionable will be crucial. By embracing the tips outlined above, meetings will be viewed as an asset rather than a dreaded part of a small business owner’s day.
Looking for a new conferencing provider to support your business in 2017? Learn more about InterCall’s solutions for small and medium size businesses.
