Calliflower for Neophytes

Here are a few things I’ve learned from my recent experiences using Calliflower to create private, non-business Conference Calls.  For me, producing a publishable podcast is a project that is still in production but for achieving the first crucial step of making the recording, Calliflower is an excellent service!  If you’re interested in creating podcasts (aka webcasts or netcasts) on a shoestring budget, using Calliflower is a great way to start, but here are a few cautions that might save you some confusion your first time out:

1. Start off by only inviting yourself to the Calliflower Call you plan to schedule.
2. Always check the notification email you receive from Calliflower VERY CAREFULLY, paying particular attention to the TIME ZONE for the time you plan to begin your Conference Call.
3. 12 hours is the limit for any Calliflower Conference Call.
4. Be careful when importing CONTACTS to your Calliflower Address Book.
5. To protect the privacty of the particpants in your Calliflower Call, it’s a good idea to contact them using more traditional channels (email, telephone, IM) BEFORE scheduling the Call.
6. There are some free calling options available for your participants, but they’re disabled by default.
7. Free calling options can enabled by editing the call and checking the “Free Calling” checkbox in the “Advanced Options” section.

Happy ‘casting to you!