A business conference conducted in person is much different than a presentation made by teleconference. When you're in front of an audience, you can implement body language techniques, make eye contact, smile, and you can react to the emotions of your audience to help you achieve a sucessful business conference presentation. Business conferences done by teleconferencing can be a bit more difficult because you cannot see your audience...nor can they see you. Here are a few tips to help you achieve a successful business conference call:

	Use A Powerful Greeting Begin your business conference with a powerful greeting. Remember, you only get one chance to make a first impression...so use it wisely. The impression you make in the first few seconds of a business conference can determine whether or not your audience will be attentive and receptive.
	Stick To The Agenda Follow an outline for your business conference agenda. This keeps the meeting focused and provides cohesion so your business conference will be more productive. The easiest way to stick to the agenda when hosting a business conference is to outline the agenda on index cards. Write down each point you need to cover on a separate index card and stack them in order. Flip through each card as the topic of discussion is covered. You can even take notes that are appropriate to each topic on the the back of the index card.
	Don't Let Anyone Throw You Off Track If someone asks a question or brings up a subject that does not pertain to the topic at hand, suggest to discuss the issue at the end of the business conference - and make a note on a new index card and put it on the bottom of the pile.
	Stick To The Minutes If a business conferenceis scheduled to last 30 minutes ...then make sure it lasts no more than 30 minutes. Always be considerate of others' schedules. Format your business conference and allot a specific amount of time for each topic on the agenda. Have someone help you by timing the minutes allocated for each topic. They can signal you when the time has come to move on to the next order of business.
	Group Participation During a business conference, occasionally ask participants for their opinion or concerns about the topic you're covering. Always address someone by name - they'll pay much closer attention if they think they might be called upon for their input.
	Ending The Call When your business conference is over, recap the main points of the meeting. Go over the outcome of the meeting and stress the goals and the actions you expect from them. Thank everyone for their participation and state that the meeting is formally over.
	Basic Rules - Educate The Participants Each participant of a business conference should be aware of some basic rules. Be Punctual!   Again, always be considerate of others' schedules. Make sure you are ready for the business conference a few minutes ahead of time.   Use Your Mute Button! When any participant is not speaking during the business conference, they should engage the "Mute" button on their phone and only release it when they need to speak. Any type of background noise can be disruptive and can inhibit the clarity of the transmission.   HOLD on using "hold" If your hold feature plays music - NEVER put the business conference call on "hold" to answer another call! Otherwise every participant in the business conference will be enjoy the beautiful music you've selected (NOT!). WHO is speaking? Every time a participant needs to speak they should always begin by introducing themselves. Other participants may not recognize your voice to determine who is speaking - so always make it clear throughout the duration of the business conference each time you need to speak. Boyscouts Motto: Always Be Prepared. Unless your business conference is an emergency meeting, there is no excuse for a lack of preparation from each and every participant. If you are well aware that a business conference is scheduled - then be prepared with an outline of the important issues you'd like to discuss.