When you're video conferencing with people who work and live in faraway locations, you don't have a chance to impress them with your charming personality over lunch or pull them aside to make some candid comments to help them see your passion for the project. Your on-camera interactions are the only way the people on the other end of the video conference have to judge you â€" and your company.
That's why looking great on video conferencing is so significant. While people perhaps should not judge each other on looks alone, looks actually matter when you're communicating over distance using modern technology.
Here are seven great tips for always looking your best when you interact through video conference:
1. Use a high-quality system. Good equipment conveys light, sound & detail better than bad or outdated equipment, so upgrade your system as often as necessary to keep on top of technology. Today's video conferencing solutions generally have high definition cameras, high-quality mics and professional switching technology to make each one of your interaction smooth, colourful and bright.
2. Don't skimp on light. There's a reason TV stations and local theatres hire people to help them control lighting. Bright lights reduce the look of wrinkles and eliminate unbecoming shadows, but too much light can make you look shiny and nervous. Heaps of soft, white light usually works best, and there isn't a lot wrong with strategically placing lights behind PCs or hiding them round the room if necessary to make everybody look their best.
3. Make eye contact as frequently as possible. It's easy for people to feel disconnected or disengaged when listening to a long presentation by video conference, so make frequent eye contact with the camera. This is good etiquette, also , just as eye contact is important when meeting with people face to face.
4. Avoid wearing distracting patterns. With older equipment, tight patterns can make a distracting strobe effect that could be more interesting to the people on the other end of the conference than what you are saying. Even if you're utilizing the latest equipment nonetheless , viewers won't be in a position to appreciate the pattern on your tie or your fascinating piece of jewellery, so stick to solids and simple, elegant adornments.
5. Sit up straight if you can. We all look more professional when we sit up straight and keep our shoulders back, but good posture can sometimes be tricky to maintain during a long meeting. Selecting a supportive chair and being mindful of when you are being watched and when you aren't will help you look your finest when somebody's actually looking.
6. Be aware of camera angles. An expertly installed video conferencing system will have well-positioned cameras, but sitting or standing too close to a camera can distort your features, giving you a humourous and distracting appearance. Looking down into a camera can also make your face appear broader, making you look fat.
7. Do some testing. If a meeting is particularly important or if you're new to video conferencing, don't be afraid to do some test presentations â€" and record them to help notice and correct errors. Even the best equipment can be employed incorrectly or to less-than-optimum effect, so take time to test how you interact with your company's equipment to make sure you're using it as effectively as possible.
Everyone would like to look good, naturally, but in business looking good can mean the difference between making the sale and making a fool of yourself.
That's why looking great on video conferencing is so significant. While people perhaps should not judge each other on looks alone, looks actually matter when you're communicating over distance using modern technology.
Here are seven great tips for always looking your best when you interact through video conference:
1. Use a high-quality system. Good equipment conveys light, sound & detail better than bad or outdated equipment, so upgrade your system as often as necessary to keep on top of technology. Today's video conferencing solutions generally have high definition cameras, high-quality mics and professional switching technology to make each one of your interaction smooth, colourful and bright.
2. Don't skimp on light. There's a reason TV stations and local theatres hire people to help them control lighting. Bright lights reduce the look of wrinkles and eliminate unbecoming shadows, but too much light can make you look shiny and nervous. Heaps of soft, white light usually works best, and there isn't a lot wrong with strategically placing lights behind PCs or hiding them round the room if necessary to make everybody look their best.
3. Make eye contact as frequently as possible. It's easy for people to feel disconnected or disengaged when listening to a long presentation by video conference, so make frequent eye contact with the camera. This is good etiquette, also , just as eye contact is important when meeting with people face to face.
4. Avoid wearing distracting patterns. With older equipment, tight patterns can make a distracting strobe effect that could be more interesting to the people on the other end of the conference than what you are saying. Even if you're utilizing the latest equipment nonetheless , viewers won't be in a position to appreciate the pattern on your tie or your fascinating piece of jewellery, so stick to solids and simple, elegant adornments.
5. Sit up straight if you can. We all look more professional when we sit up straight and keep our shoulders back, but good posture can sometimes be tricky to maintain during a long meeting. Selecting a supportive chair and being mindful of when you are being watched and when you aren't will help you look your finest when somebody's actually looking.
6. Be aware of camera angles. An expertly installed video conferencing system will have well-positioned cameras, but sitting or standing too close to a camera can distort your features, giving you a humourous and distracting appearance. Looking down into a camera can also make your face appear broader, making you look fat.
7. Do some testing. If a meeting is particularly important or if you're new to video conferencing, don't be afraid to do some test presentations â€" and record them to help notice and correct errors. Even the best equipment can be employed incorrectly or to less-than-optimum effect, so take time to test how you interact with your company's equipment to make sure you're using it as effectively as possible.
Everyone would like to look good, naturally, but in business looking good can mean the difference between making the sale and making a fool of yourself.
About the Author:
Paul Fraser, owner of a home automation company, writes about everything related to video conferencing solutions and other business communication issues in an attempt to help business people around the world make better connections. Better connections mean more sales and improved customer relationships.