Comparing Internet Conference Call Services

Whether you are making your first Internet conference call or you have hosted dozens of conferences, you need to do some comparative shopping. Otherwise, the results could be less than what you had hoped for.

Here are some tips to help you compare.

First, you want to think about the costs and the value. To some companies, cost is the most important thing. Others realize that the cost of teleconferencing is much lower than hosting a traditional live seminar.

Regardless of how much they pay, they save money.

Whether or not cost is a major concern for your business, you should still think about the value of the service. Some services are free to the organizer, but the providers have very little to offer.

Some providers charge more, but they include guides to help beginners learn how to use the services and make the best presentations possible. You also have to think about your clients, customers or employees. Do you want them to bear the cost of the calls?

If you choose one of the free services, each of the participants will have a fee charged to their phone bill. The fees vary from 2-10 cents per minute.

If you choose a service that provides a 1-800 number, your participants pay nothing to hear what you have to say. Only the organizer pays for the Internet conference call service.

Which service to choose depends a lot on what you are hoping to accomplish. If you have a lot of new information to share with your employees, you don't want them to have to pay to hear it.

On the other hand, if the participants are your equals or the down-line of your MLM, they can afford to cover part of your costs.

Since there will be a per-minute fee for any Internet conference call, you need to do a little planning to keep your costs to a minimum. Assuming you are the speaker, you should write down what you plan to say and practice.

This will give you an idea of how long the main part of the presentation will last. It's a good idea to record your practice sessions and listen to what you are saying. Are you making your point?

You should also consider what questions your participants will have and how long it will take to answer those questions. Some of the more advanced services offer the option of including online scripts with frequently asked questions that you participants can access during or after the presentation.

That's a time saving tool as well. In fact, some service providers offer a number of free tools that will help you keep your costs down.

The main thing to remember is to compare all of your options before you choose an Internet conference call service provider. It's the only way to be sure you are getting the best value for your money.