Coordinating Online Meetings with Ease

If you have tried to coordinate meetings between more than two people, you undoubtedly know the pain. Many emails, phone calls and even text messages to ensure an optimal time for all. Here are some web based applications that can greatly simplify this process and provide you with the tools to hold an effective meeting.

Meeting Setup

The first step is to get everyone together at the same time. These tools help ease that process:

• TimeBridge – Everyone on your invite list selects several times of availability. When there is a match, the systems locks in that time and contacts all participants.
• Tungle.com – Tungle is free, mobile-friendly & syncs with Google, Outlook and Mac calendars.
• Jifflenow.com – Share your availability and your attendees can select time slots that work for them.

Conference Call

If a phone call is all you need, these free services will get the job done:

• FreeConference.com – On-demand or pre-arranged free conference calls.
• FreeConferenceCall.com – A name and email gets you your own 24/7 free conference call line.
• Foonz.com – This one also allows you to call a group and send group voice messages.
• TheBaseMentVentures.com – Up to 250 people can be on the call and you can record the phone call.

Collaboration Tools

When a phone call is not enough, you can use these tools for collaboration over the web:

• GoToMeeting.com – Share your screen and allow other people to share their screens. You can take control of another computer and you can record the session.
• Adobe Connect – In addition to web conferencing, this solution allows you to take advantage of eLearning.
• WebEx.com – Most known for their enterprise web conferencing solutions, they now have plans starting with the individual.
• Vyew.com – A free Desktop sharing solution. The also sell an Enterprise Appliance for those concerned with security.
• Yugma.com – They have free and paid accounts for their desktop sharing service. Yugma also integrates with Skype.
• Zoho Meeting – One to one meetings are free, anything more is paid. The downside here is that you need to download a meeting plug in.
• DimDim.com – They have an Open Source edition for desktop sharing! Very nice.
• DabbleBoard.com – This is a collaborative whiteboard tool.
• Google Apps – Collaborate with documents and spreadsheets with a simple Google style interface.
• Zoho – You can collaborate in a similar matter as with Google Apps, except that Zoho has more features.
• Mindmeister.com – Collaborative mind mapping that integrates with Skype.
• FlowChart.com – Create flowcharts collaboratively in real-time.
• Taroby.org – Shared web-based email, SMS, fax and snail mail.
• ProofHQ.com – Online proofing ( brochures, ads, stationary, photos, etc.. ) and approval.
• Qtask.com – Project management with a focus on accountability.
• Thinkature.com – Real-time collaborative work spaces with voice chat and images.
• Conceptshare.com – Share media and invite others to add and reply to comments, approve artwork and markup on visuals.
• eDivvy.com – Collaborative gift giving made simple.

Now, just make sure you need to hold that meeting!