Great tips for virtual meetings

Many of us have grown extremely familiar with Zoom over the past few weeks with the vast majority working from home. If not you are almost certain to have used some kind of video conferencing app, even if its just to catch up with friends and family.

Although most of us are getting by, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your remote communications and come across as the professional you are;

Check your sound quality
First things first, figure out how the mute settings work on the programme you are using. At the beginning of lockdown it was pretty amusing as almost every meeting started with at least one attendee being told in mime ‘You’re on mute! We can’t hear you’, now though it’ll come across as amateur if you haven’t taken the time to figure it out.
Next up test record your audio and see how the sound is. Some inbuilt mics are better than others. You may be better using your earphone mic or even a reasonably priced stand alone one, depending on how much online comms you’ll be doing
Background noise. We all understand that occasionally you cat/ dog/ kid wants to get in on the call, but if there’s too much background noise its just distracting. Doing what you can to minimise this is considerate to your listeners and means you will actually be heard.
Echo factor. Many of us these days have hard floors. If you are surrounded by hard surfaces - painted walls, wooden blinds, glass desks, hardwood floors, the chances are the sound will bounce around. Again, listen to how you sound and if its too echoey you may want to consider adding a rug or curtains to the room you are using to absorb some of that excess boom.


Vocal technique
Clarity. The sound picked up by devices remotely is often not not as crisp as in real life - or indeed the phone. Even if you have an A1 set up, you can’t accommodate for poor internet connection or the sound devices on the other end. This means we need to up the clarity, putting in more consonants and space between the words.
Pace. There is often a slight delay in us speaking and what is produced - it isn’t necessarily consistent either. Having a good moderate pace will help with this along with upping the clarity level too.
Pause. Another way of combating delay and aiding your audience’s ability to take in what you are saying. Using pauses will make the whole experience more pleasant for others, will aid a cohesive dialogue and really add to your level of gravitas and perceived confidence. It will also allow you to gauge how well your message is landing.
Don’t shout. Yes, you may be at the other end of the country - or even in a different one entirely, but shouting will definitely not help you to be heard. A relaxed jaw and good breathing will do the trick.

The big picture
Remember communication is visual as well as audible. It is important that you take into account your body language and facial expressions. Again, record yourself speaking about a topic your are likely to be discussing online and see how you come across. You want to have good posture, be relaxed and open, without too much bobbing around.
Lighting should be complimentary - I’m not talking photo shoot ready but being aware of the angle of your lighting can be very useful. We want it to be natural with as few shadows as possible. Always have more light in front than behind too or we won’t be able to see you.
Appearance. If you want to have some sway over how people see you, check out how that cool new hoodie is coming across online and make sure that it matches up with the way you want to be seen. That 5 day old stubble might look like something out of GQ to you, but it may just look disheveled out the other side.

Lastly, smile! Not only will it brighten up other’s day but it will make you sound more relaxed and come across as confident and in control. What are you waiting for… time to wow your audience!