Happy New Year!

I hope your New Year has gotten off to a good start. Even with the pandemic, we need to find parts of our daily life and routine to be thankful for and keep a positive mindset in this ever-changing world.

Part of our changing world the past year has been the workspace changing from in-person to remote. Many employers are ditching daily 9 to 5 for a more flexible work-from-home schedule to keep and retain employees. Companies realize that they need to maintain workers and pivot to change the environment if they want to stay in business during social distancing. 

While we would most likely prefer to meet face-to-face, that won’t be an option for some time now. Until then, we must know how to make an excellent first impression on Zoom when we are in our business meetings online.

And speaking of Zoom, it has become one of my most frequently asked questions.

So how can I make a great first impression on Zoom? It’s easier than you think.

So let’s dive in and find out how you can make an excellent first impression on your next video call!

How to Start Your Zoom Call

I think you are on mute…I can’t hear you…can you hear me now?

Is everyone able to see my screen?  

Tip #1 Don’t start by asking if people can hear you. Instead, wait a few seconds and introduce yourself. If you get cut off and coming back on, then ask. However, don’t start each introduction this way – this behavior makes you look like you don’t know what you are doing.

Tip #2 Look your best! Ladies, wear makeup and a little darker lipstick than usual. Men, you can consider wearing foundation (just a little) or powder to reduce the shine on your skin if needed. Also, wear professional clothing and make sure your clothes are wrinkle-free when you sit down in your chair to attend your meeting.

Tip #3: Create good lighting and audio. Have a ring light in front of you – these are easy to purchase on Amazon. Test the video and audio on Zoom before you’re in the meeting, and ask a friend or colleague for feedback. You can even practice on Zoom by opening a new meeting and playing around with the controls. When practicing, you can record yourself on your own; you don’t have to schedule a meeting with someone! Then, you can play back the meeting to see how you look and sound during the video.

Tip #4: Clean and declutter your space, including a non-distracting background. Books are said to be a favorite background of Zoomers. You can also decorate your background with tools from your trade, such as retro cameras, headphones, or other items that would make a professional background.

Tip #5: Look directly into the camera. Eye contact is essential when you’re on video. The more you maintain eye contact, the easier it will get to conduct meetings online.

Tip #6: Be enthusiastic! Enthusiasm can get lost on camera, so be sure to use a little extra than you would in person.

Tip #7: Last but certainly not least, speaking of the camera, it’s not a mirror. Make sure to keep a mirror and makeup basics in your drawer. Create your personal Zoom settings so that your video doesn’t appear immediately. You have a couple of minutes to make sure you look your Zoom best!

Your professional and personal skill sets are essential to achieving your goals! All of us need assistance from others more than once in our life to support us so we can be our best. If you are not quite sure where to start, I’d love to connect with you to help you achieve your personal and professional goals. Reach out to find out how we can work together via my contact page today!

I’d love to know if these are helpful tips for you… Share your favorite in a comment below! Also, let me know what questions you have about Virtual Etiquette – I’ll be sure to answer them in a future blog post.

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