If you’re running a distributed GTM (go-to-market) team, you know the drill: meetings are everywhere, everyone’s in a different time zone, and keeping track of what was actually said is like trying to herd cats. You probably already use Otter, the AI note-taker ([otter.html]), or you’re thinking about it. But Otter isn’t just a way to get transcripts—it can be a real-time collaborative workspace for your team. Here’s how to actually make that work, plus a few things nobody tells you.
Why real-time note collaboration matters
Distributed teams don’t get the luxury of hallway conversations. If your notes are scattered in email threads, docs, and Slack, you’re guaranteed to lose context (and probably your mind). Real-time collaborative notes mean:
- Everyone’s on the same page—literally.
- No more “who’s writing this up?” moments.
- Action items and decisions don’t get lost in translation.
But let’s be real: if you just invite everyone and hope for the best, it’ll be chaos. Here’s how to set Otter up for actual, usable collaboration.
Step 1: Get the right Otter plan (don’t skip this)
Otter offers free and paid plans, but real-time collaboration is limited if you’re on the free tier. Here’s what matters:
- Otter Basic (Free): Only lets you share individual notes, not live-edit with others.
- Otter Pro/Business: Gives you shared folders, live transcription, and proper collaboration features.
Pro tip: If your team is serious about collaboration, don’t cheap out here. The Business plan is built for teams, gives you admin controls, and avoids a lot of headaches.
What to ignore: Don’t get distracted by “Enterprise AI” buzzwords. You want shared, editable notes and live transcription—that’s it.
Step 2: Set up your team in Otter
Before you can collaborate, you need a shared space. Here’s how:
- Invite your team
- Go to your Otter dashboard.
- Click your profile in the top right, then “Manage Teams” (Business plan) or “Invite Members.”
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Add emails for everyone who needs in. Assign roles if you want (admin, member, etc.).
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Create shared folders
- In the sidebar, find “Shared with Me” or “Teams.”
- Click “New Folder.”
- Name it something obvious, like “GTM Weekly Meetings” or “Customer Calls.”
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Set permissions: who can view, who can edit, who can share.
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Share the folder
- Send the invite link to your GTM team.
- Make it clear: this is where notes live now. (You’ll need to repeat this a few times. Old habits die hard.)
Watch out for:
- People using personal emails and not getting access—clean up your invite list.
- “View only” permissions by default—double-check so people can edit.
Step 3: Set up a real-time note workflow
Otter can automatically join meetings or you can upload recordings, but for real-time collaboration, you want live notes everyone can jump into. Here’s how:
- Schedule your meeting in advance
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If you use Google or Outlook Calendar, connect it to Otter. This lets Otter auto-join scheduled meetings (Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams).
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Start live transcription
- When the meeting starts, hit the “Record” or “Join now” button in Otter.
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If Otter’s calendar integration is set up, it may auto-join. Otherwise, start it manually.
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Share the live note link
- As soon as the meeting starts, grab the “Live Notes” link (Otter shows this at the top of the transcript window).
- Drop it in your team Slack/Teams/whatever.
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Anyone with access can open the link and see the notes update in real time.
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Collaborate in real time
- Team members can jump in, add highlights, comments, and action items as the meeting unfolds.
- Use the sidebar to assign tasks or clarify details (“@John please confirm this deadline”).
- Edit for clarity on the fly—Otter’s AI isn’t perfect, so fix names, jargon, and key points as you go.
What works:
- Action items and decisions are captured live—no more “wait, who owns this?” at the end.
- Everyone can see (and fix) errors as they happen.
What doesn’t:
- If your team isn’t trained to actually use the live notes, you’ll still end up with a mess.
- Too many editors can cause confusion. Assign a facilitator if your meetings get rowdy.
Step 4: Make Otter part of your GTM routine
Don’t just set it up and hope for the best. For Otter to actually help your distributed team, you need a bit of process:
- Assign a note “driver” for each meeting. This person’s job is to make sure notes are clear, decisions are bolded, and action items are captured.
- Set up tags and templates. Create standard tags like #action, #followup, or #customer so you can quickly search later. Build simple note templates for recurring meetings.
- Review and share after the meeting. Once the meeting wraps, have the driver do a quick cleanup (Otter’s transcripts are good, but not perfect). Share the final note link in your primary chat or project tool.
- Archive and organize. Move notes into date-stamped folders or use Otter’s search to find past meetings. Make it easy to find what you need—future you will thank you.
Ignore:
- Overcomplicating with too many templates or tags. Start simple.
- Relying on Otter’s AI to catch everything. Human eyes still matter.
Step 5: Avoid the common pitfalls
It’s easy to get excited about shiny collaboration tools, but here’s what to watch out for:
- Audio quality matters. If your Zoom/Meet audio is bad, Otter’s notes will be worse. Use decent mics and make sure people don’t talk over each other.
- Privacy and access. Double-check who you’re sharing with, especially if you discuss sensitive deals or customer info.
- Transcription accuracy. Otter’s AI is good, not magical. You’ll still need to edit technical terms, names, and acronyms.
- Too many cooks. If everyone edits at once, you might get conflicting notes. Have a clear process for who does what.
Pro tip: Set aside five minutes at the end of each meeting to review the live note together. It’s a great way to spot errors and make sure everyone’s on the same page.
Step 6: Integrate Otter into your existing stack (optional, but helpful)
If you’re already living in Slack, Notion, or Trello, you can push Otter notes there automatically:
- Slack: Set up Otter to post meeting notes to a shared channel.
- CRM or project tools: Copy action items into your CRM or project board. (No, Otter doesn’t do this perfectly—manual review helps.)
- Zapier or Make: Use automation tools to sync Otter notes with other apps. This takes a little setup but can save your team time.
Skip:
- Fancy integrations you’ll never use. Start with manual copy-paste, then automate the stuff that’s truly repetitive.
Real talk: What’s worth it, what’s not
Otter makes real-time note collaboration possible, but it won’t fix broken processes or magically make your team communicate better. Here’s the honest rundown:
Worth it: - Shared, live-editable meeting notes everyone can access instantly. - Reduces “what did we decide?” headaches. - Saves time on follow-up emails and status updates.
Not worth it: - Trying to automate every workflow from day one. - Expecting Otter to replace humans for critical editing or decision-making.
Keep it simple, iterate as you go
Getting distributed GTM teams on the same page is hard, but real-time note collaboration in Otter can make a real dent in the chaos. Don’t overcomplicate it. Start with live notes in shared folders, assign clear roles, and keep your process light. Adjust as you learn what actually works for your team.
Your future self—and your calendar—will thank you.