6 tips for your next virtual meeting

1. Dress for success.

 You are what you wear, what you eat, what you read. What does your clothing say about your personal brand? Does it look like you are respecting the client and yourself by dressing in a professional manner for work? As a speaker, the general rule is to be the best-dressed person in the room, should that also be the case for a facilitator, I guess so.

2. Look into the camera

Force yourself to look into the camera. This makes the audience feel a sense of connection and that you are making eye contact.

3. Have your camera or webcam at eye level or just below.

Stack books, files, or even a short little step underneath your laptop or webcam so that it can be inline or just below eye level. This is the most flattering for you and then easier for you to make eye contact with the camera.

4. Lighting:

If you could imagine the hands of a clock at (ten to) and the other hand at two, that is where you should be placing your lamps or your lights for speaking.

5. Stand or sit depending on the energy you want to convey.

I like standing when training or speaking, it feels more like I’m speaking at an event, than if I’m sitting. If your frame doesn’t allow you to stand rather sit. If you are training or speaking for long periods wear comfortable shoes and have water handy to hydrate you and for your voice.

6. Have a decent microphone and switch off notifications on your laptop and cellphone.

Sound has even a greater impact on the success of your speaking than visuals or video. People want to listen to what you have to say. Make sure that your microphone carries your voice well, and that you eliminate background noise as much as you can.

When you turn off notifications on your laptop, your delegates won’t see when emails come in and you won’t have irritating sounds stealing from your talk or session. Be present in the room with those people, switch off from the rest of the world.