Snow in Golden, CO

Have you ever been pulled out of a dead sleep by a ringing phone?  Ah yes, the sudden realization that the phone is ringing — somewhere and the near panic as you try and reach the phone before it stops ringing.

It’s always a shock being wrenched out of a dead sleep by a ringing phone.   But it’s particularly fun when it’s an electronic message at 5:10 a.m. from your child’s school letting you know that there’s a snow day.  There hasn’t been a snow day in Golden, Colorado in almost 4 years.  Golden is located in Jefferson County, which is largely located in the foothills and mountains surrounding Denver, the school officials usually only delay schools.  But not today.

The storm that’s currently hovering over the Denver Metro area has already dumped almost 9 inches of snow in Golden as of 6:05 am with another 6 – 10 inches more expected today.

So instead of shoveling snow off the walk, scraping ice off the car window or slogging through the snow this morning to drive my child to school and then on to the office, I’ll be snug inside my house with a child who is thrilled to have a snow day.

Ah yes, but I don’t get a snow day though I would love one.  For me, the demands of business at Copper Conferencing must still be tended.  Fortunately, I work for a company that recognizes that sometimes employees can’t be in the office, understands that it is still possible to conduct business at home and provides employees with the tools necessary to continue working — regardless of location.

Yes, Copper is the provider of web and audio conferencing services that enable me to work where ever I am in the country.  As long as I am in business,  I will always have audio conferencing and web conferencing as two of my business tools.  These two incredibly affordable business tools make conducting business so much easier that not having them is almost unfathomable.  I’ve done without audio and web conferencing in the recent past and the difference in my productivity was notable.

So, if you’re in the path of this storm or another that may disrupt your ability to get to your office or if you’re a manager whose team members may be stuck outside of the office due to adverse weather or illness, you need to seriously consider getting audio and web conferencing if you don’t already have it.

Today, I’ll be watching the snow fall and webcasting my heart out.

If you’d like to know more about Copper Conferencing’s web and audio conferencing services, contact a Conference Coach today.

Register Now!

The perspective and behaviors of a Corporate Jester can be understood and adopted by anyone regardless of their organization, role or position

In this 60-minute live webinar, you will :

• Have the opportunity to identity a personal example of a blind spot
• Understand the steps to become a Corporate Jester
• Take away a personalized action plan to apply in your organization

David Riveness, author of the insightful and entertaining book, The Secret Life of the Corporate Jester: A Fresh Perspective on Organizational Leadership, Culture and Behavior, reveals how to adopt and apply jester perspectives within an organization. Those who apply what they discover from this webinar can wield significant influence and bring about remarkable positive changes within their organizations.

Who Should Attend: Anyone

Register Now!

Upcoming Webinars:

Business Survival in an Urgent World: Matching Task to Talent
Presented by Lisa Niederman and Lisbeth Mackenzie
Tuesday, April 28 at 2 pm ET.
Register Now! http://www.copperconferencing.com/go/f8dfe

Doing More with Less: 6 Steps to Finding Big Business in Small Niches
Presented by Susan Friedmann
Thursday, May 7, 2009 at 2 pm ET.
Register Now! http://www.copperconferencing.com/go/4471e

Sign up to receive Business Webinar Alert email notifications for upcoming webinars. http://www.copperconferencing.com/go/3ee8c

Can Webinars, Webcasts and Web Conferences Be Used as a Lead Generation Tool?
Yes, most certainly. It’s important to understand the difference is between a webinar and a webcast.

• A webinar is a web conference that can either be live or recorded and that allows for either a one-way audio connection or a more interactive two-way audio connection usually via the phone or VOIP.
• A webcast is a web conference that can either be live or recorded and that allows only a one-way push of information with an audio connection usually over the internet.

Both of these online meeting options are good for communicating information. However, a webinar is generally better for lead generation particularly when the conversation relies on interactivity with the audience. I’ve used webinars for lead generation for many years with great success. If done correctly, each new webinar brings back previous attendees as well as new attendees.

What is the Best Type of Webinar for Lead Generation?
The best type of webinar is one that is thoughtfully put together, with the audience and goals in mind, delivers a message that is easy to digest and understand, and is delivered in an engaging and memorable format. Good lead generation webinars will have the following qualities:

• Relevance – a good webinar will be relevant to the audience
• Interest – the presentation must hold the audience’s attention
• Focus – the webinar should remain focused on one or two main points
• Concision – concise information delivery equates to clarity for attendees
• Actionable information – give the attendees a reason to ask questions and
  engage

Is Every Webinar Attendee a Lead?
Yes and no. Every webinar attendee is a lead. But not every lead will become a viable prospect for a sale. When webinars are used in conjunction with other lead efforts, building lead profiles that provide relevant information to your sales team to discern which leads are better prospects is very effective.

Casting the Net for Registrants
When you cast your net for registrants, should it be wide or focused? Should you ask qualifying questions? Should you offer a free white paper download or other hook as part of attending? A great deal of who is a viable lead depends on how well you’ve done the marketing to get the leads to the webinar in the first place. Spending time on pre-webinar marketing makes for better web conference attendee interaction and ultimately better lead classification when the leads are passed on to sales.

Selecting the Right Web Conferencing Tool
Now that you’ve decided to do webinars, which tool is right for you? Do you need video? Will you be satisfied with webcasting and pushing information to the audience? Or would you prefer the option of interactivity between the presenter and the attendees? Regardless of the conferencing provider you choose, the following are important to keep in mind when selecting a webinar or webcasting web conferencing service:

• Ease of use – is the interface easy to understand
• Customer Service and training – is help available if needed
• Price – will the investment justify the return
• Functionality – what functions do I really need – recording, video, polling, question and answer, security and so on
• Commitment – will there be a contract to sign, additional fees, or minimum use requirements

Although many web and audio conferencing services providers have options that meet the items above, many will not have easily accessible customer service people and some will require a contract or have minimum use requirements that result in additional fees if not met on a monthly basis.

So, for many it will come down to the internet meeting option that “feels” the best. Feeling good about the audio and web conferencing services provider you ultimately choose is important.

Before You Buy, Definitely Try
Before you embark on creating webinars for lead gen, make sure you try the web conferencing service. Most web conferencing vendors provide free trials. Some require you to enter your credit card to get the free trial and then will begin charging your card automatically if you don’t cancel the agreement. This puts the onus on you to remember when the free trial is supposed to end. Some free trials don’t give you the full webinar capabilities so it’s difficult to assess the tool. Copper Conferencing offers a free web conferencing trialwithout requiring a credit card or a contract to try web conferencing. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for a free web conferencing trial with Copper Conferencing and begin using webinars for lead generation today.

• Take a quick look in the mirror before you start your web conference. If you need to, run a comb through your hair or freshen up your make up.
• Clear the space behind you of any clutter or items you don’t want viewers to see. If you work in an environment where people often walk behind you, consider using a presentation board to block the movement.
• Relax. You’ll look more natural if you take a deep breath and relax.
• Smile. Everyone enjoys seeing a smile.

For more information about how to use web conferencing, visit our Online Learning Center.

]]> http://blog.copperconferencing.com/conferencing-tips/conferencing-tip-camera-ready-for-webinars-and-online-meetings/feed/ 0 http://blog.copperconferencing.com/general/spring-in-to-action-%e2%80%93-get-control-of-your-schedule-with-a-super-hero-and-a-fairy/ http://blog.copperconferencing.com/general/spring-in-to-action-%e2%80%93-get-control-of-your-schedule-with-a-super-hero-and-a-fairy/#comments Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:11:43 +0000 Conference Coach Alycia http://blog.copperconferencing.com/?p=266 It’s March! Time to spring in to action and get control of your schedule.

When was the last time you left your office for the day and felt really satisfied that you were able to accomplish everything you wanted to that day? If you said today, then I congratulate you!! If you thought, “I can’t remember ever having a day like that” then more than ever you need the power of web and audio conferencing.

Powerful Scheduling Tools
Think of web conferencing as a pocket super hero and audio conferencing as a scheduling fairy. A super hero and a fairy?!? Yes, actually. And while this may seem eccentric, having help to accomplish your goals is imperative.

With an audio conferencing account, you can hold a phone meeting for up to 125 people at the wave of a wand (aka your index finger). Quite literally, you can send an email with the conference call dial-in information and start the call within minutes. Or, if you need to plan something for tomorrow or several weeks in advance, you just send a phone meeting invite (email) with the conference call information. It’s that easy.

With a web conferencing account, you can meet with people anywhere in the world and show them exactly what you need to – right from your desk. Talk about superhero qualities! And web conferencing provides several options.

• Web meeting or webinar is an interactive internet meeting for just a few people or many people.
• Webcasting is an online meeting where you push the content out to your audience. All the audio and web is done over the internet.
• Web conference or webinar is generally a large-scale web event with several hundred people. These can be either interactive or lecture style.

Both audio conferencing and web conferencing give anyone the flexibility to schedule meetings closer together.

Boost Productivity and Cut Costs
Being backed by a super hero and fairy make it easy to accomplish a lot. Planning meetings more efficiently means more time to accomplish other goals. And increasing efficiency often translates into better time management – thereby boosting productivity.

CFO’s love cost efficiencies. CFO’s love meeting or beating budget numbers. CFO’s love employees who save the company money. Enter web conferencing – cost savings super hero. By using webinars and online meetings to conduct business, travel costs can be minimized. Not every meeting can be done via an internet meeting, and for those really important meetings, spending the time and money to travel is the right thing to do. However, for meetings that can be done using web conferencing, it’s a smart decision and a cost saving decision as well.

Ready to have a super hero and a fairy on your team? Find out more about web and audio conferencing by visiting www.copperconferencing.com. Try it first and then buy it.

]]> http://blog.copperconferencing.com/general/spring-in-to-action-%e2%80%93-get-control-of-your-schedule-with-a-super-hero-and-a-fairy/feed/ 0 http://blog.copperconferencing.com/conferencing-tips/244/ http://blog.copperconferencing.com/conferencing-tips/244/#comments Mon, 16 Feb 2009 14:00:53 +0000 Conference Coach Amanda http://blog.copperconferencing.com/?p=244 Take a test drive

Web Conferencing is a great tool to conduct sales calls, internal training or product demonstrations. Setting up an internet meeting is a great way to remotely show a presentation, whether you work in sales or human resources.

As a best practice, you should always test drive your web presentation before a meeting.

1. Upload the slides
2. Send an invitation to a couple of colleagues.
3. Shuffle through the slides
4. Ask for feedback from the test participants.

If you get pre-meeting anxiety, start test-driving today! Taking a test drive will work out any kinks in your presentation and ease your nerves. It gives you a chance to practice and receive feedback, which will produce a more confident and clear presentation.

For a 30-day free web conferencing trial, sign up at www.webpresentnow.com.

]]> http://blog.copperconferencing.com/conferencing-tips/244/feed/ 0 http://blog.copperconferencing.com/news/copper-conferencing-announces-new-additions-to-leadership-team/ http://blog.copperconferencing.com/news/copper-conferencing-announces-new-additions-to-leadership-team/#comments Tue, 12 Aug 2008 12:42:15 +0000 Conference Coach Alycia http://blog.copperconferencing.com/?p=131 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BROOMFIELD, CO, August 12, 2008 – Copper Conferencing, a leading provider of teleconferencing services, announced today the addition of three new executives to its management team. Joining the Copper Conferencing team are James Flynn as Director of Sales, Christina Wafford as CFO, and Alycia Maier-Turner as Director of Marketing.

James Flynn is a conferencing industry veteran and brings extensive resale experience to Copper. As a founder of Network Plus, Flynn created their channel sales business. Flynn has also served as Director of Western Regional Sales for Spectel, which was later purchased by Avaya. “Conferencing is the way to the future for small businesses. Properly employed, web and audio conferencing can save companies thousands of dollars annually. I look forward to helping our customers discover the benefits of using Copper Conferencing,” said Jim Flynn.

Alycia Maier-Turner, Copper Conferencing’s Director of Marketing, joined the company in May 2008. With over 15 years of experience in marketing, brand and project management, Maier-Turner’s leadership and industry experience spans telecommunications, education and software. Maier-Turner has previously served as Marketing Director for Accruit, LLC, a 1031 Like-Kind Exchange services provider, and led worldwide demand generation for Raindance Communications, now a part of InterCall. “It’s an honor to be in the company of the talented people at Copper Conferencing. The company is well positioned to help small and medium-sized businesses with saving time and money while being environmentally conscientious,” Maier-Turner said.

Christina Wafford joined Copper Conferencing in August 2008 as CFO. Prior to joining Copper Conferencing, Wafford worked as the CFO for Accruit and was responsible for $6 billion a year in client funds, as well as, all finance, accounting and administrative functions. Wafford’s experience spans international and domestic, public and private company acquisitions and integration planning. She has spent many years in the conferencing industry and at start-up companies. “Copper Conferencing is a solid company poised for phenomenal growth. I’m excited to have joined Copper at this stage of its development,” Wafford stated. “As fuel and travel costs continue to eat away at the bottom line, financially savvy businesses will look for a way to decrease those expenditures without losing productivity. Companies that use Copper Conferencing services will see not only increased productivity but also bottom line benefits.”

“The addition of these key management positions will help guide Copper Conferencing into the next phase of its development and growth,” stated Brad Dupee, Chairman and CEO of Copper Conferencing. “The combined years of experience of James Flynn, Christina Wafford and Alycia Maier-Turner will serve Copper well as we pursue our aggressive growth plans to the SMB market segment. I am very pleased to have these exceptional individuals as members of the Copper Conferencing management team.”

About Copper Conferencing
Based in Broomfield, Colorado, Copper Conferencing provides unprecedented access to eco-friendly audio conferencing and web conferencing services. Copper’s Conference Coaches™ provide expert guidance of enhanced conferencing services to small and medium-sized businesses. From on-demand reservationless audio conference calls, to highly-interactive web conferences and special event calls, Copper helps businesses improve the speed and effectiveness of remote business decision making. These services are backed by fully managed, carrier-class platforms to power communication for thousands of customers. Copper’s leadership team brings over 50 years of industry experience and has created a successful channel-centric sales approach which includes wholesale partners and authorized agents and internet sales programs. The company is privately-held. For more information about CoppervConferencing, visit the company’s website at www.copperconferencing.com

Press contact:
PR Manager
Copper Conferencing
303-952-4308
pr@copperconferencing.com

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]]> http://blog.copperconferencing.com/news/copper-conferencing-announces-new-additions-to-leadership-team/feed/ 0 http://blog.copperconferencing.com/news/copper-conferencing-acquires-the-conference-depot-copper-continues-to-lead-the-conferencing-industry-with-expert-conference-coaches%e2%84%a2-broad-conferencing-service-options-and-a-robust-channel/ http://blog.copperconferencing.com/news/copper-conferencing-acquires-the-conference-depot-copper-continues-to-lead-the-conferencing-industry-with-expert-conference-coaches%e2%84%a2-broad-conferencing-service-options-and-a-robust-channel/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2008 13:18:48 +0000 Conference Coach Alycia http://blog.copperconferencing.com/?p=146 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BROOMFIELD, CO, February 5, 2008 – Copper Conferencing, a leading provider of audio conferencing, web conferencing, and video conferencing services; offered primarily through professional independent partners, announced today that it has acquired The Conference Depot, Inc. It purchased the Carlsbad, California firm for $11M, capitalized in part through an equity investment by NewWest Capital Partners of Denver, Colorado and debt financing through Bush O’Donnell Capital Partners, LLC of St. Louis, Missouri. Other deal terms were not disclosed.

With this most recent acquisition, Copper Conferencing enhances its robust conferencing services for small and medium-sized (SMB) businesses. The acquisition will give customers for both companies access to an even greater menu of audio, web, and video conferencing services used for remote group communications.

“Our acquisition of a top conferencing provider like The Conference Depot is a significant step towards the realization of our company goal to provide unparalleled customer service and comprehensive group communications offerings to the underserved SMB market segment,” said Brad Dupee, President and CEO of Copper Conferencing “With this acquisition we’ll be able to better serve the experienced conferencing professional with the latest automated conferencing systems as well as the beginner or novice who wants assistance though our Conference Coach™ to make their calls absolutely flawless.”

With the acquisition of The Conference Depot, Copper Conferencing is now able to give customers unprecedented access to industry-leading audio and web conferencing tools. Lead by an executive team of industry veterans with over 50 years of industry experience, Copper Conferencing’s skilled Conference Coaches™, offer a suite of easy-to-use group communications tools, including on-demand reservationless audio conferences, event calls, and interactive web conferencing with the ability to instantly share any documents with remote parties. With the continuing consolidation in the conferencing industry, analysts believe that Copper Conferencing is equipped to meet the demands of customers and partners who are looking to unlock the significant efficiency and productivity gains of these cost effective group communication and conferencing solutions.

”We have seen a 28% compound annual growth rate in hosted audio conferencing minutes over the last six years, and while there have always been options for users to manage conferencing services themselves, more often they turn to specialists like Copper Conferencing,” stated Marc Beattie, an analyst with Wainhouse Research. “Through scale and focus, specialists provide a more cost effective solution at a higher service level allowing users to focus on their critical business tasks, and not the technology.”

About Copper Conferencing
Based in Broomfield, Colo., Copper Conferencing’s Conference Coaches™ provide expert guidance of enhanced conference calling services to small and medium-sized businesses. From on-demand reservationless audio conference calls, to highly-interactive web conferences and special event calls, Copper helps businesses improve the speed and effectiveness of remote decision making. These services are backed by fully managed, carrier-class platforms to power communication for thousands of customers. Copper’s leadership team brings over 50 years of industry experience and has created a successful channel-centric sales approach which includes wholesale partners and authorized agents and internet sales programs. The company is privately-held. For more information about Copper, visit the company’s website at www.copperconferencing.com.

For more information contact:
Stefanie Jones Public Relations, Inc.
303-388-8460
sjones@sjonespr.com

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