During the lockdown, it is important that we stay in contact to keep business moving. Whilst we have modern technology to aid us in this, it is important now more than ever that we stay professional especially when speaking with customers and potential clients. Whilst Zoom conferencing has made this process a whole lot easier, here are a few hints and tips to make a great video conference call.
Positioning your camera
If you are conferencing on a laptop, raise your laptop so that the camera is much more aligned with your face. This will help ensure you have clear eye contact with your camera and therefore your attendees. It will also help your posture as you will not be hunched over your laptop. Being hunched over is not only painful, but it diminishes your presence on camera. Before you start your conference make sure that your camera is positioned so that there isn’t too much space above your head, also ensure that the camera is catching your upper body too so you are not just a floating head.
Lighting
When setting up your screen try and position your camera so that you are facing the light. Natural light is best so try and do this by a window. This will enhance your look tenfold, but do make sure that the sun is not directly on you as this will not only cause a shadow across your face but it will make it difficult for you to see the screen and hamper your video call. On the flip side of this you do not want light directly behind you, doing so will cause you to shadow completely and your attendees will not be able to see your face. Lighting can have a huge effect on your video calls so make sure you are set up correctly.
Check your surroundings
When taking video calls from home, it is important to be mindful of your background. If you are working from your dining room table, would there be kids’ toys in the background etc? Ensure you create a professional environment for yourself by clearing a space with a neutral background.
Check audio
One of the most distracting and annoying things on a video call is when you cannot hear the presenter properly. This can be down to background noise, your microphone or problems with your internet connection. Before you host an important call, why not quickly video conference a colleague to ensure you can hear them and they can hear you. That way if there are any problems you can resolve them before your call.
When you are preparing yourself to host your video call it is important that you are 100% focussed on the task at hand. This will ensure that you are professional and not distracted. Before you start your call make sure that:
· Your phone is out of your view and on silent – the last thing you want is an incoming call when you are presenting
· All notifications are switched off – imagine doing a demo on a screenshare and a private joke pops up as a Slack notification?
· Clear your desktop – whilst you are talking you may need to switch between a Powerpoint presentation and your demo. During this switch over it is possible the attendee will see your desktop or browser. Closing all unnecessary window and having a clean and clear desktop will add an extra level of professionalism to your call.
· Suitably dressed for the occasion – you may never have met your attendees and this may be the first time they see your face. First impressions still count whether it is in person or via video. Dressing appropriately will help get you in the right frame of mind and project a professional image.
Below are two of the scenarios you may find yourself in:
Scenario 1 – Presenting a powerpoint to multiple people in a conference call.
Once you have introduced yourself, the attendees may not see your face again and their sole attention will be switched to your powerpoint. Bear in mind that during the switch over it is possible the attendees will see what is on your desktop or other open applications. For this reason always close all unnecessary applications and have a clear desktop. Keep your powerpoint presentation, high level, minimal text and use supporting imagery. As your presentation will likely be the only thing the attendees see, make sure you any imagery is interesting and supports the points you are making.
Scenario 2 – Hosting a discussion with multiple people in multiple locations
Always send out an agenda before your call and re-iterate that agenda at the beginning of the call. This will ensure a level of organisation and you can achieve the goals set by the call.
Oftentimes in conference calls, you will end up with some attendees not participating. This can be due to a lack of understanding of the subject matter or they are struggling to find an opportunity to speak. As the conference call host, your role is not only to keep the conversation on-topic but to ensure that everyone is in it too. So be mindful to control the flow of the conversation, and also ensure that everyone on is engaged and participating. Direct questions to those who are not actively involved in the conversation as this could add a fresh perspective on what has already been discussed. Always end the conference by asking if anyone has any questions. One of the main objectives of any meeting is that people leave knowing what is going to happen next and video conferences are no different.