January 2006 Archives

Conference calls offer a great alternative to on-site meetings. You don't have to find a conference room that's available. There's no travel time to build into your schedule. You can "attend" in your sweat pants and no one knows. You can eat even if you don't have enough for everyone (as long as you're on mute so others don't hear you chew). However, it seems the relaxed nature of a conference call leads some people to relax their manners as well.

I was on a monthly conference call today for leaders of a national organization. One of these "leaders" joined the call late and even though someone else (who had joined the call on time) was talking, she butted right in and introduced herself - literally cutting off the person speaking. And she kept talking, apparently oblivious to the dead silence that met her introduction.

She reminded me of another conference call participant with whom we had to deal recently (different group). He consistently joined the call late, often 20-30 minutes into the one hour call. He always announced himself with a lengthy explanation for his tardiness, never bothering to notice he was interrupting someone. He repeatedly asked questions and brought up discussion points that had been discussed before he joined the call. His behavior was rude and disruptive, and frequently extended the call much longer than necessary, much to the consternation of other committee members.

Here are a few simple rules for conference call etiquette:

1. Notify the call leader in advance - If you know you are going to be late, let the call leader know ahead of time, especially if you have a discussion item on the agenda. This way, s/he can tailor the agenda order and advise others to expect you late.

2. Place your discussion item(s) on the agenda - If you have something you want to discuss during the call, let the call leader know in advance so s/he can add it to the agenda. If you think of something during the call and it doesn't fall under an item already on the agenda, hold it until the "other business" portion of the agenda.

3. Review the agenda before the call. Jot your questions and comments next to the corresponding agenda item so you don't bring them up out of order. This is especially important if you are going to be late for the call. You don't want to alienate other participants by going back over what you missed.

4. If you're tardy, be extra courteous. If you must join the call late, be respectful of other participants. Wait for an appropriate pause in the conversation to announce yourself. (Note: many automated conference services ask you to state your name, but resist the urge! The call will be interrupted with a recording of you saying your name - it's the same as jumping on and announcing yourself.)

5. Take responsibility for following up on what you missed. If your question or agenda item was discussed before you joined the call, don't force the rest of the team to rehash it. Contact the call leader or another participant post-call for an update, or wait for the minutes to see if your question was answered.

6. Mute the phone unless you are speaking. This helps reduce distracting background noises and, if you're in sweats, you're probably at home, and other callers shouldn't be subjected to your dog barking when the FedEx guy knocks on your door.

7. Get to the point - Nothing irritates participants more than a call running beyond its scheduled time because someone drones on and on and can't get to the point. Keep your comments on target and limit the editorializing unless you're in a free-flow or brainstorming stage of the call.

Do you have other tips to share or pet peeves from conference calls you participate in? Share them with us!

ACG Florida's 2006 Conference and Capital Connection will be held November 2-3 at the Harbor Beach Resort and Spa in Ft. Lauderdale.

The Apopka Chamber's Business After Hours I co-hosted last night was a huge success. Attendance doubled over the one we hosted last year and included Apopka's Mayor and most of the City Commission. I've uploaded a photo set. We should have some more pictures posted soon.

Attendees say they came because the Business After Hours we hosted last year was so much fun, but having the event at the new upscale restaurant in town surely helped. Captain and the Cowboy is a fabulous place to eat, by the way.

So, besides the word of mouth from last year's event, how did we create such a rousing success - especially considering we found out in late December that we would be hosting? A little basic marketing:

1. Announcements - the Chamber's Executive Director announced the event details during the monthly board meeting and Chamber luncheon and encouraged everyone to attend.

2. Personal invitations - My other co-host, Ralo Flores, and I attended the Chamber's membership luncheon, as we usually do each month, and personally invited people to come.

3. Flyers - people need something to put in their planner to remind them. My graphic artist and co-host Linda Jobman created a great flyer that tied in with our golf theme and provided all the pertinent details on the event.

We handed the flyers to people as they left the luncheon. Sure, it would have been easier to just put one at each place setting before the luncheon started, but then stuff would get spilled on them and people would forget to take them when they left. This way, people had left with the flyer in their hand...plus, we had a few seconds to tell each person how much we'd like to have them join us.

In the grand world of marketing, what we did was very, very small. But as we all know, sometimes it's the smallest things that make the biggest difference. Our attendance doubled, so it worked!

Hosting a business networking event is a great way to showcase your business and get to know other business people in your community. Most Chambers of Commerce offer business-after-hours events, and many allow members to sponsor or even host the event.

If your local chamber does not have a monthly program in place, offer to start one. Or better yet, just host your own. If you have an office large enough, host at your place of business. If not, partner with a local restaurant or hotel and host it there. It's a win-win: you get a place to host your event and they get potential customers into their facility. You can usually negotiate a good price for food and beverage, and you don't have to worry about cleaning up when it's over.

I'm co-hosting the Apopka Chamber's Business After Hours tomorrow night with Linda Jobman, my graphic artist and founder of Stickybeak Designs; Ralo Flores, owner of DJs Unlimited, the ultimate in mobile entertainment; and the wonderful team at the new Captain and the Cowboy.

It promises to be another great evening. We already have MORE THAN DOUBLE the RSVPs we had for last year's event. It's free for Chamber members and offers a great opportunity to network with over 100 community and business leaders.

If you're in the area, join us from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. for great food, loads of fun, serious networking, and LOTS of door prizes (including gift certificates to Captain and the Cowboy).

"He was quiet." "He got picked on a lot." "He was bullied."

The student shot by a deputy during yesterday's standoff at Milwee Middle School is still on advanced life support. Late last night, more details began to emerge as to what may have led to this tragedy. Media interviews with Chris Penley's classmates at Milwee Middle School all had the same theme: "He was quiet." "He got picked on a lot."

These comments are all too familiar to Brent Scarpo, a former Hollywood actor and casting director (credits include The Shawshank Redemption, Air Force One) whose award-winning documentary Journey to a Hate Free Millennium explores the issues of hate and student violence.

Brent has traveled the world working with students, teachers, faculty and administrators trying to understand the root causes of student violence and find ways to prevent it. He has worked with juveniles incarcerated for hate crimes. He has been in war-torn foreign countries and still believes "the most dangerous places in our world are the halls of a high school."

Long before Brent became a client, I was helping him get his message out. I have seen Brent's presentation too many times to count yet continue to marvel at his gift for opening the channels of communication between students and faculty. I still get emotional when I watch Journey (even though I've seen it dozens of times) and his new program, Why Do You Hate Me? is just as compelling.

I have been with Brent when students thank him for giving them the non-violent tools to handle bullies they have feared for years. I have cried with him when a student suddenly realizes her actions toward another student have been that of a bully and she asks us to help her repair the damage she believes she has done. Nothing is more powerful than watching a student truly "get it" and want to put a stop to the violence.

It's not often a speaker can transcend boundaries and inspire any age groups, but the subjects of hate and violence affect all of us, regardless of age, race, sex, or socio-economic background. Brent can. And he does.

If you are interested in bringing Brent to your community, school or organization, call me. It will be one of the best programs you ever see.

It has happened again: another incident involving a student with a gun in school. The latest crisis unfolded here today at Milwee Middle School.

Join us for the second annual Women's Leadership Summit, hosted by Orange County Mayor Rich Crotty.

Thursday, March 9, 2006
8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Orange County Convention Center
Orlando, Florida

Featured speakers include Eleanor Clift , contributing editor for Newsweek , and Chin-Ning Chu , America's foremost authority on Sun TzuÕs Art of War. During last year's inaugural conference, over 500 women were inspired and empowered to assume leadership roles in business, politics and their community.

Get more information, register online or apply for one of 100 full-fee scholarships that will be awarded.

My web guru, Josh Hallett, is featured in Chris Cobbs' article on blogging in The Orlando Sentinel today. The article includes some of Josh's sage advice for companies facing negative commentary on their business:

"The power of the blogosphere is in allowing the community to comment...If a company finds a blogger complaining about its customer service, the firm must be willing to reply with more than a noncommittal response, like 'We're working on it'...A company must be willing to 'lead with the truth' to be effective in the blogging world."

It's a quick read packed with lots of useful information.

Maryaime points to a great post for anyone needing help from a techie.

As a business owner, I have laughingly wondered aloud to colleagues and associates whether a computer tech is more important than a CPA for small businesses. If I really had to, I could do my own taxes (and did in the early years thanks to TurboTax ). But if my computer crashes and I can't bring it back up with the restore disk that came with it, I'm in big trouble and so is my business.

Fortunately, I have a very good tech team on board. And I make sure they know on a regular basis how much they are appreciated because in my business, if the computer goes down, productivity often follows.

At first glance, those who eschew blogging as a waste of time will find a seeming validation on Guy Kawasaki's (ahem) blog. The header on Let the Good Times Roll defines a blogger:

Blogger. n. Someone who has nothing to say writing for someone with nothing to do.

However, even the most cursory of glances through his postings will reveal this guy as an accomplished author who understands business...and the business of blogging.

A columnist for Forbes magazine, Guy is one of the people responsible for the success of Apple's Macintosh computer. It's worth the read.

Bulldog Reporter recaps Outmedia's Review of the Top 10 Tech Transformations of 2005, noting public relations may be the most impacted.

We had a fabulous time last night as a silver sponsor at the Grande Masque Ball at the Gaylord Palms. The ball is an annual benefit for Orlando's Peforming Arts and named the "Best Charity Event" in town by Orlando Magazine.

The evening featured great performances by Orlando's Philharmonic Orchestra, Ballet and Opera. In between the five courses of dinner, guests mingled and danced to music by a full orchestra. We rang in the new year to Funhouse with Lisa Z., a dynamic ten-piece dance band featuring the powerhouse vocals of Lisa Compton. What a great way to kick off the new year!

I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year!