My consulting colleague Ray Hodge from Brisbane, Australia just got word from the doctor that according to some blood tests he isn’t going to be able to travel for a few months.  His client base is all over the world and typically meets with them face to face.  Since he is home stricken for a few months and because he relies on communicating with his clients regularly to improve their performance he had asked for some ideas on how to use the right tool at the right occasion with a diverse range of clients.

Below you will see 6 options which involve advantages/disadvantages and a variety of tools that will help anyone who is unable to travel because of health reasons, weather problems, or cost to travel doesn’t make sense for the budget.

Tools to Communicate and Collaborate

Phone conversation

Advantages

  • Everyone has a phone
  • No internet
  • Quick solution

Disadvantages

  • No visuals to demonstrate advance concepts
  • Longer conversations to explain concepts
  • Long distance/overseas charges may apply

Tools

  • Telephone
  • FreeConferenceCall.com – host free conference calls, record conversations, mute participants
  • Viber – mobile app to make phone calls free to other Viber users with internet connection
  • Skype phone calls – make international phone calls with internet connection

Phone conversation + computer demonstration

Advantages

  • Visuals with voice accelerate comprehension
  • Decision making time decreases
  • Demonstrate website or software
  • Hand over mouse control

Disadvantages

  • Must have high speed internet connection

Tools

  • Phone
  • Join.me – simplest screen sharing software

Phone conversation + computer collaboration

Advantages

  • Collaborate on documents, forms, and presentations in real time
  • Visuals with voice accelerate comprehension
  • Decision making time decreases
  • Demonstrate website or software
  • Hand over mouse control

Disadvantages

  • Must have high speed internet connection
  • All participants must be knowledgeable using chosen tools

Tools

Video conversation

Advantages

  • Facial expressions and body language deliver more effective communication
  • Rapport is built faster using video

Disadvantages

  • Increase reliance on faster internet speed
  • Both parties must be knowledgeable using chosen tools

Tools

  • Google Hangout
  • Google iChat
  • Skype video call

Video conversation + computer computer demonstration

Advantages

  • Facial expressions and body language deliver more effective communication
  • Rapport is built faster using video
  • Visuals with voice accelerate comprehension
  • Decision making time decreases
  • Demonstrate website or software
  • Hand over mouse control

Disadvantages

  • Increase reliance on faster internet speed
  • Both parties must be knowledgeable using chosen tools

Tools

  • Join.me with Skype video call
  • Skype video call and Skype screen share
  • Google Hangout screen share

Video conversation + computer collaboration

Advantages

  • Facial expressions and body language deliver more effective communication
  • Rapport is built faster using video
  • Collaborate on documents, forms, and presentations in real time
  • Visuals with voice accelerate comprehension
  • Decision making time decreases
  • Demonstrate website or software
  • Hand over mouse control

Disadvantages

  • Increase reliance on faster internet speed
  • All participants must be knowledgeable using chosen tools

Tools

  • Skype screen share or Google Hangouts + Google Docs
  • Skype screen share or Google Hangouts + Mindmeister
  • Skype screen share or Google Hangouts + Edistorm

Watch this video playlist to get a brief introduction on how to use these tools.

In Summary

Any given __ day you will be asked to communicate with another and/or collaborate to mutual help each other reach one another’s goals.  In any situation there are considerations to using the right tool depending on the objective of the conversation.  If you have and understand how to use the right tools then you will be ahead of the competition.  If you and your clients have and understanding how to use the right tools for the appropriate situation than they will be ahead of the competition.

When you teach your clients how to collaborate faster their results accelerate, you become more valuable, and relationships become stronger.

dougdevitre

Organizations bring in Doug Devitre from St. Louis, Missouri USA when they want to dramatically increase operational performance, create breakthrough value propositions, and serve customers beyond geographical constraints on a minimal budget. For more than a decade he has been setting trends with how organizations engage customers with social media, video marketing, and custom-built software applications. Doug’s book Screen to Screen Selling published by McGraw Hill pioneered the way sales professionals sold homes without being physically present before the COVID-19 pandemic. He is one of a select few who have earned the Certified Speaking Professional Designation from the National Speakers Association and has experience as a REALTOR.

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