How to Take Effective Online Business Meeting Notes

If your company operates remotely, then online business meetings through Google Hangouts, Zoom, or any other digital application can be useful in keeping track of project goals and team members. 

An important part of these business meetings is keeping track of what’s being discussed during them. This not only helps with keeping a schedule, but also saves time when it comes to topics that have already been discussed. 

In this post, the Find Your Audience team will provide some effective techniques your company can deploy when it comes to taking effective online business meeting notes.

Define meeting expectations

Before a meeting even begins, make sure that the participants are in the loop in terms of topics of discussion. This can be done by creating a list of what the online meeting will entail, as well the order of such topics. Creating an outline and briefing attendees beforehand allows for preparation and no surprises, which can lead to more productive meeting outcomes. 

Hire a designated note-taker 

A way to be more organized is to either hire or appoint a designated note-taker who can write down the meeting minutes. This not only allows you to focus on the main conversation at hand, but also lets other stakeholders participate in the discussion without being distracted by having to constantly write notes.. Make sure that the hired or assigned individual can take excellent notes as well. This means making sure everything is clear and within the context of the meeting. The individual should have an excellent typing speed, be accurate, and be able to provide the context required to understand the notes after the meeting is over. 

Record the conversation

If the meeting will run long, then consider recording it as well. Depending on your location and the location of the meeting’s participants, stakeholders should be informed that the meeting will be recorded. Doing this not only helps with recalling what was discussed, but also ensures that there is accountability in what gets said and promised during important business conversations. 

Provide content and context

This can be done weeks or months in advance of an online business meeting. By providing participants with the materials they need in order to better understand what will be discussed, they would be more prepared in contributing to the conversation. Content can pertain to case studies, statistics, or even online classes that must be taken before the start of a meeting. 

Review the meeting notes 

Near the end of a meeting, you can go over a summary of the meeting itself to make sure that everyone is on the same page. Alternatively, immediately after a meeting gets adjourned, you can encourage participants to go over their notes while the conversion is still fresh on their minds. If anyone has questions or would like more clarification, then encourage them to bring it up as soon as possible. All of this can help with mitigating any communication issues that may occur down the line. 

Whether your online business meetings are face-to-face or through phone calls, it is also an advantage to have effective notes to keep everyone on the right track. In addition, taking good notes ensures accountability and the ability for participants to retain important information. 

As outlined in this post, there are several ways to go about taking effective online business meeting notes. However, this is only the tip of the iceberg. Having an online meeting also entails having the right equipment, tools, and setup ready before participants can take part in one. For more information on how to ensure that digital conversations go more smoothly, make sure to speak with an expert at Find Your Audience. 

A skilled member of the Find Your Audience team may be contacted through either 647-479-0688 or hi@findyouraudience.online.

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