Only a few years ago, video conferences were seen as a luxury for major corporations only. And any attempt to offer this technology to consumers seemed flawed.

Jump forward, add in the market forces driven by a global pandemic, and the market has quickly adapted, providing strong and reliable platforms such as Zoom, Teams, and Blue Jeans.

So, with the sudden advent of online meetings, here are some tips to improve your online meetings and keep you sane.

• If you are hosting the meeting, make sure everyone can get on the call. Be sure to issue the link for the meeting well in advance, preferably with the invitation.  Test the sign on link to ensure that its working and resolve any glitches.
• Pick a quiet place for the call. Be aware of background noise that can distract others on the call and choose the quietest spot possible. Also ask participants to mute their microphone when they are not speaking to avoid unnecessary noises and distractions.
• Dropping out of business calls can be frustrating for you and others in your meetings. Invest in a quality internet service. If possible hardwire your laptop so that you are connected direct to your router in your home / office rather than relying on wifi.
• Video conferencing services rely on a full-strength broadband signal to process images and speech simultaneously. Without a good internet signal, you will find that your picture constantly freezes, causing frustration for your customers and colleagues.
• Think about the background on your video call. And consider how you might reposition your desk and office furniture to make the most of available lighting and background.

Extra kit for conference calls

• Think carefully about additional equipment, including a portable green screen, or a pop-up poster for use in the background of your conference calls, with the content strategically placed so that your branding is in view.
• Think also about your dress code for video calls – does it portray you in the most professional light? Remember that your dress code in person might be different than the one required on a video call.
• Consider your body language and posture. It’s easy to forget that a camera is watching you for the entire meeting.
• Conference call technology can also mean that there can often be a small lag between you transmitting your contribution and it being received. These small gaps are negligible, but they are perceptible and can make a difference to the overall impression that you create.
• The gaps mean that some of the non-verbal cues that you achieve in a face-to-face meeting cannot be achieved on a conference call, so it’s important to let the other person finish, to rule out the risk of you interrupting them.
• Think about whether to invest in a headset / microphone, especially if the feedback is that you cannot be heard on a call.

Also, consider a remote conference call camera which can be set up on a small desktop tripod. Laptop cameras that are built into laptops inevitably mean that you are looking down to see who is on the call and often that is not the most flattering position.

Need further help? Drop me a message.