The first thing you should do is check your phone equipment to make sure it is working properly and that you sound good. Nothing worse than being to loud on a call or your transmission being so strong it bowls other callers over. Be sure you understand how your phone works and what all the buttons are for. You don't want to be learning this during a conference call and have beeping and blooping interrupting everyone.
 
Professional callers always show courtesy to the other callers and respect the rights of other listeners to hear the call clearly. Make sure your full attention is directed at the call. You should be listening to every word so you can participate without sounding like a fool and interrupting someone else with your misguided comments. Fidgeting around your desk can take your attention from the call and be an annoyance to other participants. It can also mean you miss out on some valuable information that is irretrievable.
 
A well run conference call will help you understand your personal communication skills much better. If on the other hand you are talking with the mail clerk about a parcel delivery and you are unmuted than you will be regarded by other listeners as an ignoramus and unprofessional. Not worthy of being on any calls, perhaps ever again. The use of a speaker phone for a conference call means everyone will be able to hear everything on your end.  Refrain from typing while on a conference call and instead have a pad of paper and pen available to take notes. Make sure all distractions are looked after before the call such as turning off your cell phone and intercoms as well as desk top radios OFF, not turned down.
 
Quite simply use your common sense on the conference call. Anything that would annoy you will probably annoy others so avoid them. Participating as a professional on a conference call will project to others in your company that you are impressive and sharp. Only our voices and behavior are exposed on calls such as this, so we should accentuate our wise ideas and be aware of any annoying habits or distractions. By understanding our equipment, our immediate surroundings during a call and using our common sense and some professional business acumen we can make an impressive showing on a conference call and have an impact on our careers.

Henry Andrew is a contributing author at www.goodasyourword.com and writes about business, personal experiences and provides research on numerous other topics.