I have attended - and still attend - many teleseminars, listened to tapes generated during teleseminars and read the transcripts from others. In this article I highlight how to reap the rewards of attending a teleseminar, along with tips on teleseminar etiquette.

We are surely in the middle of an information explosion - and, between you and me, I love it. We are bombarded with content, some helpful and some a waste of time. One of the approaches to sharing information is the use of interactive teleseminars. These are live seminars conducted over the telephone using TeleConferencing bridges and handled just like a telephone conference call.

The advantages are that there are no long commutes to a central meeting location. Participants may connect over the telephone from all over the world, plus they provide an incredibly cost effective and time efficient way for callers to enjoy all of the benefits of traditional, in-person seminars with the added value of convenience.

Teleseminars I have attended vary in cost from free to around $60. In all attended, however, I have paid for the long distance charges. Most last from an hour to an hour and a half, and with the competitive long distance phone charges today this adds up to very little (less than parking downtown for a couple of hours).

Usually, one signs up and pays on-line - if there is a fee - then receives the phone number to call (the Bridge line number) and an access code. Most I have attended have been led by professionals who know the value of sending an e-mail reminder the day before. Several send handouts before and after, so the knowledge sharing is tremendous.

Here are some tips for you to observe when you attend a live teleseminar (note: these apply especially if you are part of a smaller group. There are many I have been on recently that have huge groups on the line):

• Don't use speakerphones, cell phones, or computer/Internet telephony.
• Schedule uninterrupted time, and do not multi-task while on the call in order to benefit fully.
• Disable call-waiting.
• Use your mute button (or *6 on your phone) except when making a comment or asking a question. This will cut out the background noise.
• Call in on time, or just a couple of minutes ahead. And, if you need to leave before the end of the teleseminar, let the leader know. Simply hanging up is equivalent to walking out of the class.
• When commenting and/or asking a question, announce your name and where you are from, "Hi! I'm Chris from Cleveland, and I wondered " Always be brief and to the point
• Avoid cross-talk between class members which interrupts the flow of the class.
• Pay attention, take lots of notes and have fun. This is a great way to learn!