With COVID19 impacting so many workplaces across the globe, more and more professionals are working remotely using video conferencing technologies and conducting online meetings to stay connected with colleagues and customers.
This is great for business continuity and maintaining connections, but have you considered how it might be impacting both your company brand and your personal brand?
Businesses spend years developing relationships and building trust with their valued clients; there is an expectation that employees will conduct themselves in a certain way during in-person meetings, ensuring the organisation’s brand values, promises and credibility are maintained.
But how do you ensure these standards are upheld during online interactions when employees, who are not used to being on camera, are conducting meetings from their own home?
Here are the most common mistakes people make when video conferencing - simple mistakes that can damage your brand, dilute the trust you have built and destroy your credibility in just one video interaction.
1. Not looking at the camera lens
When you watch a presenter on TV it feels like they are speaking directly to you; that’s because they have mastered the art of looking directly into the lens. However, most people who are not used to working with a camera will either look at the person talking wherever they appear on the screen or they will look at the image of themselves. Either of these can make you come across as awkward and disconnected, or even appear shifty and untrustworthy!
Instead, imagine the lens is the person you’re meeting with and speak naturally and conversationally as if they were right there. If it helps you can put an arrow or a smiley face near the camera lens to remind you where to look. It is okay to glance at the other people on your screen when you’re listening, but when you’re speaking you will be far more engaging when you look directly into the lens. This can feel completely unnatural and counter intuitive but if you want really want to have a strong presence and connect with people on the call, it is worth practising to master this technique.
Also, be aware that, depending on the conferencing platform you are using, you could be on camera the entire time. Just because you can’t necessarily see other people, doesn’t mean they can’t see you so behave appropriately and pay attention when others are speaking rather than checking your emails or sorting your washing.
2. Not considering your background
Your background can have a significant impact on the way people perceive and interact with you. If you are working from home or somewhere that isn’t your normal office, it’s important to think about what people are seeing behind you when you are on camera. Are you in your kitchen, living room, hallway, bedroom or even a cupboard? Can they see dirty dishes in the sink, kid’s toys scattered around, underwear drying on an airing rack, a 90s pin up calendar on the wall, other distracting clutter or even family members wandering around behind you?
Most people recognise that if you’re working from home you may not have the perfect set up for video meetings and in fact it is sometimes nice to get a sense of who someone is as a person outside of work, especially if you are meeting with your team. But is your background communicating what you want clients and potential clients to see, or is it damaging your credibility in their eyes?
Apart from what it is saying about your personal brand, if your environment is too busy and chaotic it can be completely distracting for people watching so it’s important to make sure that what is showing behind you is relatively simple and uncluttered so that you are the focus of their attention. Also ensure that you are not sitting with a window behind you as you’ll appear as a silhouette. If possible, sit facing a window where you’ll get natural light, or consider setting a lamp in front of you. Lighting can have a huge impact on how you look so if you’re vain (like I am!), it’s worth taking the time to experiment until you get the right set up for you!
3. Not framing yourself correctly
Once your background is sorted out, look at how you are framed on the screen. Believe it or not, you can reduce your status and authority simply by having too much space above your head. Other mistakes people make with framing are having the camera lens too high above them (looking upwards selfie style is not the best for video conferencing), set too low so people are looking at your neck and chest, or angled upwards so people are seeing up your nose!
Most people worry about how they look on camera but getting the frame right will help you look your best and ensure you come across as confident and credible. Sit upright in your chair with your device placed securely on a desk or table, rather than slouching on a sofa with a laptop on your lap. Ensure your eyes are level with the camera lens and that they are positioned on the screen about a third from the top. If you’re using a phone, you can use the grid to help you. Also, if using a phone or tablet, remember to keep the framing landscape rather than portrait depending on which conferencing platform you’re using, and make sure you use a tripod to ensure the image you are projecting is stable. If you are holding the camera and wobbling around it is not only annoying for the person watching but it is another factor that can reduce your authority and professionalism.
I hope these tips help you as you navigate the world of online video meetings and ensure that your company culture and values are maintained, as well as ensuring that you personally come across with confidence, credibility and gravitas.
Oh, before I finish up, here’s one more tip…
Start with a smile, even before the camera is rolling. It will lift your energy which is important to help convey your personality through the camera lens, and ensure you come across as warm, friendly and authentic (unless you genuinely never smile and that’s a subject for another time!)
PS I recently filmed these tips on How to Be Confident, Professional and Engaging on Video which you can view here.
Mel Sherwood is a pitch and presentation specialist and the author of 'The Authority Guide to Pitching Your Business - how to make an impact and be remembered... in under a minute!’ She combines 25 years’ experience in business with a background as an actor, presenter and singer to help business professionals to communicate with confidence, credibility and charisma.
To find out more go to www.melsherwood.com or follow Mel on Twitter @MelSherwood_