Knowledge is power, and today we’re going to get more powerful by learning about web conferencing mistakes.  These are fairly common, easily avoidable, and we can have better web conferences by knowing about them ahead of time.

Mistake #1  Arriving on Time - While it’s good to be punctual, “on time” for a web conference host is at least ten minutes beforehand.  This pre-conference time lets us get set up, check for problems, organize speakers and moderators, and be ready for “on time”.

Mistake #2  Leaving Other Programs On - A web conference allows us to share PowerPoint, documents, spreadsheets, and even our desktop, but we can also inadvertently share an email popup or instant message with all of our participants!  We should make sure all non-conference programs are turned off, and while we’re at it, we should double-check our background image to make sure it’s professional.

Mistake #3  Getting Sidetracked - To host a web conference, we have to be on a computer.  And on that computer--most likely--is all of the tools needed to create, correct, and finish the very things we’re having a web conference about.  Resist the temptation to stop the conference to update, change, or integrate.  Just make a note, and do it afterwards.

I hope this small review of mistakes to avoid wi ll help you in your future web conferences.  Help us out too, and tells us other mistakes you know of in a comment!

It can sometimes seem like some prospects won't ever become customers. As time drags on – along with your customer's feet – you approach the time when you have to stop trying. Of course, there are some cases when nothing you can do will bring them around, but until that time, you want to do all that you can to get the sale.

In BusinessKnowHow, you can read five tips for turning cold prospects in to hot leads. Communication without inundation is the cornerstone of eventually turning prospects around. First, recognize that while they may not want to buy from you now, or next month, it's possible that their circumstances will change.

You probably already have a customer and potential customer email list. Now it is time to use it for more than one-to-one communications. Create a monthly newsletter about your company, your products, and your industry. Keep it informative; don't turn it into a sales piece. As the months go by, your monthly news email will keep your company in the forefront of potential customer's minds.

Taking things a step beyond a newsletter, host a monthly conference call. Again, keep it informative, but lighten things up with guest speakers and contests. Speaking of guest speakers, don't be afraid to use people who will talk about things outside your industry. Just be sure they are entertaining.

People and personal relationships are key in business, and this situation is no different. If you can befriend someone in the company, do it. They don't have to be in the decision making process to be invaluable. If you stay in touch with your contact, they can keep you apprised of changes within their company. Another great contact to have is the receptionist or secretary of the decision maker. They may or may not have influence, but they can guide you through their company's political harbors.

Problems are universal. Everyone has them, but not everyone deals with them the same way. In business, problems will happen, but it's how you handle them that makes the difference between your company being a success and a failure. It's not in the usual job description, but overcoming obstacles and handling incidents are a daily part of work. Employees are expected – and rewarded - by taking care of problems themselves, but what happens when they are ill equipped to deal with the situation?

For Employees: Sometimes, there just isn't anything you can do to fix a problem. When this happens, almost all of the time you will need to bring it to the attention of your supervisor or boss to get a solution. This can be a difficult task, especially if you have a difficult boss. So what should you do?

First, identify the specific problem and its root cause. Next, figure out what caused the root cause. Finally, come up with as good a solution as you can as well as a secondary solution. Put this all together in a memo stipulating what happened, why it happened, your two solutions, and how you think it can be prevented in the future. Then, notify your boss that you would like to have a quick meeting. Even if it is scheduled for five minutes away, email your memo to the boss. This will let him know what is going on so as not to surprise him. As an additional bonus, it will also start his gears turning on what to do.

For Employers: Mistakes and problems can kill a company, but you must keep your emotions in check. Assuming your employee did not maliciously cause the problem, it is never good to lose your temper or throw blame when the employee comes to you for help. Listen to what they have to say, acknowledge their assessment and proposed solutions, and fix the problem. Your business will be that much better for it.