If you have a large sales force, spread out over wide distances, or if you have a small staff in various locations, then video and web conferencing is an ideal way to train, manage and support your team. In case you are wondering what online conferencing has to do with managing and training a sales force, here are a few ways to utilize this new technology.

1. Hold Virtual Online Sales Meetings

Instead of calling all your representatives to one physical point, you can set up a web conference and meet with them online. Your sales people only need a computer and a broadband connection to the Internet and they will be able to take part in the online sales meeting. The newest conferencing systems have a real time notepad allowing online brainstorming.

2. Hold Meetings More Frequently

Whenever your organization holds a physical meeting, then you have to pay a cost in terms of travel as well as in time lost from normal work. For this reason meetings have to be scheduled carefully and not too frequently. When the meetings are held online, the "opportunity costs" of your meetings are reduced because no one has to leave his or her location in order to attend. This should make it possible to hold your sales meetings more frequently, and take advantage of improved communication with lower costs.

3. Show Your Staff How to use Video Conferencing to Sell to and Support Customers

As you get more accustomed to online conferencing with your staff, you can use these meetings to train your staff in online conferencing skills so that they in turn can reach their contacts, clients and customers using the same online conferencing technology. Your sales people can meet a contact "face to face" online, demonstrate products and even perform after-sales service without leaving their offices once they become familiar with online conferencing. Your regularly scheduled online meetings offer a great opportunity to impart these skills to your staff.

4. Get Valuable Feedback From Your Team With Online Conferencing

Meetings do not have be a one-way street where only the organizer or presenter gives information or instructions to the attendees. Rather, online conferencing makes it possible for the executives to get valuable feedback from the field. For example, you can take a poll of your organization or get information via an online survey using the new instant polling and survey features of the newer web conferencing systems.

5. Inspire Your Team With Guest Speakers and Special Presentations

Once you have your online conferencing system set up, you can announce and hold meetings whenever you like. Use this channel of communication to educate and inspire your staff with the best speakers in your particular field of activity. Your guest presenters do not even have to come into your office, they too can participate online which will save you a lot of money in transportation and lodging costs.

Once you get the hang of online conferencing you will probably be able to add to this list and come up with even more ideas on training and supporting your sales team.

About the author:

Dan Richmond is Co-founder of MegaMeeting.com. MegaMeeting provides Web & Video Conferencing services for individuals & businesses. For more information, please visit www.MegaMeeting.com. or call 818.783.4311.