Step 1: Log In

Before we can even think about starting our first conference, we need to obtain a username and password to access the system. Whether you signed up for a free trial or a paid subscription, you should have received an e-mail with a link to create an account. Click the link, fill in all of your details, and you're good to go!

Simply go to http://myaccount.maestroconference.com and enter in your username and password. If you'd like, this would be the perfect time to check out the support site and read up on any questions you might have. Simply click the Support button on the menu bar.

Step 2: Create Conference

Click the Conferences button on the menu bar. Click the "Create Conference" button on the right to begin conference creation.

Enter the conference name and the email that you want to be contacted at (for the call report). Enter in the date, time, and estimated number of callers, then click "Create this Conference."

Step 3: Add Callers

Now comes the important part: It's time to add callers and generate PINs. There are two ways to do this. In the Callers & PINs section, you can add callers' info manually, but the easiest way is to simply e-mail everyone the Self-Registration link. This will save you the effort of manually filling out names and email addresses, and registrants will receive an automatic email from us with their call-in info.

Step 4: Conduct!

At the time of the call, simply dial into your call, punch in your PIN, and click the Conduct button - that will launch the Conductor Interface. As callers dial in, they will appear in the center column. Summary information is on the left, with the staff chat box under it. Detailed information for selected caller(s) is on the right.

Step 5: Mic's and Hands

Presenters will enter the conference with a mic, so the entire room can hear them speak (unless you have the Green Room turned on - make sure you see this video for more on that: http://maestroconference.com/content/tutorial-beginning-call-green-...). Assistants and Participants will enter unmuted but without a mic (local), so they won't be heard until they are broken up into groups. These mic settings are displayed in the Entry Settings, which pops up automatically when you conduct the conference.

NOTE: Callers can mute and unmute themselves by pressing "6" on their telephone keypad.

Callers can "raise their hands" by pressing the numbers 1-5 keys on their telephone keypads. These can be used for a multitude of purposes, from taking straw polls ("rate our service between 1 and 5") to asking yes/no questions.

Step 6: Breakout Groups

Breakout groups are one of our best features! They allow the call to be broken up into small groups, where your participants can interact on a more personal level. Let's say, for instance, that you want to divide the room into groups of two for a partner activity. Click the Create button under "Breakouts" in the Summary Panel, and check the "Participants" box. Choose to divide the room into groups of two, and click Commit.

For more information about breakout groups, please see the Technical Manual, athttp://myaccount.maestroconference.com/support/technical_manual.

You can also find video tutorials on creating breakout groups - and highly customized breakouts - in our video tutorial section:http://maestroconference.com/support/video-tutorials.

Step 7: Ending the Conference