Conference calls are one of the primary means of communication for many businesses and other types of organizations. Every day, teams call in to discuss goals, project status updates and important decisions that need to be made.

But not all conference calls are equal in their efficiency or productivity. The best teams know the best practices needed to keep their conversations on track and focused. One of the most important of these best practices is note-taking. The best and most productive conference calls are made even more so by having someone on the call take notes, also referred to as minutes in more formal calls.

If you would like to help your team enjoy a better conference call experience, then here are some tips on how to start taking notes that are sure to impress anyone who reads them.

Why notes are important for conference calls

The value of notes for conference calls cannot be understated, which is why you should make sure somebody takes notes for any of your calls. The most important reason for taking notes is that it improves retention.

In today’s fast-paced environment, people are constantly bombarded with information. Because of this, people can often lose about 40% of the new information that they have learned in the past 24 hours. If a person listening to new information takes notes, though, then they can retain much more of that information, either by simply recalling it themselves or after reviewing their notes.

Assign an official notetaker

Though everyone should be encouraged to take their own notes, official note-taking should be the responsibility of one person. This is the first step to making sure there is a written record for your call. Make sure to assign note-taking to an individual. This person will be responsible for the official notes that will then be shared as minutes or as a simple email with the other callers.

Why just one person for official notes? Consider it this way: Just as it’s better when only one person talks at a time, it’s also better to have one version of official notes. This can help ensure accuracy and it can allow others to participate more fully in the conversation.

Make sure the person who you choose to take notes is able to do so and won’t have to be a featured speaker during the meeting. It can be hard to speak or present and take notes at the same time. In addition, the notetaker should not be the call facilitator or host.

Know what needs to be included in notes

There can be a lot going on during a meeting and conversations can often become difficult to track. Even meetings that generally stay on track can include a lot of dialogue that doesn’t need to be included in notes.

So, after you have assigned a notetaker, make sure they know what should be included in their notes and what can be left out.

Here is what to include in official meeting notes, according to MeisterTask:

• Facts: Include straightforward facts that can give readers of the notes some information about who is talking, what their role is, the name of the project they are referring to, etc.
• Issues: If anybody on the call brings up a problem or issue, then include that briefly in the notes.
• Action plans: If there is some sort of actionable plan decided upon during the meeting, then that needs be reflected in the notes. Be as detailed as necessary so that anyone reading the notes knows what is expected and from whom.
• Questions and answers: Whenever a question is asked, it is best to include that – and the answer – in the notes. This will be helpful to anyone who may have forgotten the answer or may have had the same question but was not able to call in.

Format notes the right way

Note-taking can sometimes be unorganized in the moment. Notes that are going to be shared with others need to be formatted before being sent.

Organize your notes into sections that are easy to follow, preferably in chronological order and by topic. Once organized this way, the bulk of your notes can still include the most pertinent information as discussed in the tip above.

Another useful strategy is to include a quick meeting summary at the top of your notes. This is useful for people who may not have time to read through all your notes but need to know the most important information discussed during the call.

Record the call for increased accuracy

The best way to ensure that there is an accurate account of any conference call is to record it. Make sure that whatever method or service you are using for your call includes a way to record the call.

Recording a call has multiple benefits. First, it allows people who were not able to join as the call was happening to listen to the call later when they are able. It also provides another way for everyone to go back and listen to the most important parts of the call.

Finally, a recording of the call allows the notetaker to review and ensure the accuracy of their notes.

Be sure that you know the best format to save your audio recording in so that it can be easily shared with others. This often is either an MP3 or .WAV file format.

Enjoy a better free conference call

Now that you have a number of tips that will help you or another person on the conference call take better notes, you will want to choose a conference call service that actually delivers.

For many businesses and organizations, a free conferencing solution is desirable. The problem is, though, not all free conference call services offer the level of quality that you and your team deserve.

That’s where Conference Town comes in. Join more than 140,000 happy customers who are already using Conference Town and discover why it is simply the best free conference call service available.

Sign up for a free account or give Conference Town a try now by starting an instant conference call.