Video Calls are a part of life now

As a society, we are well on our way to being one that is quite savvy with our video calls. However, rarely a week goes by that we don’t hear of another jaw dropping incident where someone either forgot they were on camera or could care less that they were on camera.

And then there are the newbies to video calls. You know who they are, so there will be no shaming here. But I couldn’t resist this SNL skit that had me laughing out loud when it came out last fall.

And that is why we thought it would be good to review 5 Video Tips for Video Calls that we should all take to heart. We even have 3 Bonus tips for those of you that are actually facilitating an online networking event yourself 😉.

Tip #1: Know the audience before your video calls

When you come prepared to an online networking event or conference call, it will make you shine more than you already do 😍. When you take the time to learn who your audience is (or will be) it shows you care. And at the end of the day, we are all trying to maintain and form new connections and relationships.

Tip #2: Always be camera ready

If you are always camera ready, then….well….you are always camera ready. Even though a lot of us are working from home, it doesn’t mean we need to slack off on our professional appearance. Get ready each morning as if you are going to get in your car and be seen in public at the office. You never know when that last minute video call (or opportunity) will happen last minute.

Tip #3: Have good lighting

I can’t express highly enough the importance of good lighting. And the great thing is, you can use natural light (ie: facing a window) if you don’t have a ring light.

If you want to get something simple for your desk, this is the light set up I have at my desk (which is very different than the lighting I use in my studio). This light is inexpensive, easy to use and available on Amazon.

Tip #4: Look at the camera lens when speaking

I admit, this one is going to be awkward at first. But when you look into the camera lens when speaking on video calls, it makes the person(s) on the other end feel like you are speaking to them.

Notice in the image below how when I’m looking at the camera lens, it looks like I’m looking at you vs when I’m looking down at the screen.

Tip #5: Always have water nearby

While this seems like an obvious thing to do, it bears sharing anyway. There is nothing worse than having a coughing fit and no water in sight. I carry a water bottle with me all the time anyway, but I definitely make sure to have one when I’m about to get on a video call.

Bonus video call tips if you are a facilitator

I wanted to make sure to share some tips if you are actually going to be the person hosting a networking event online. As we all become more comfortable with video calls and networking online, you may start thinking about facilitating your own event. So here are 3 more tips for you if you are hosting your own event.

Bonus Tip #1: Have an agenda

Having an agenda is a great way to make sure the program you laid out for the event stays on track. It is inevitable that something will come up that has the potential to hijack your event and get everyone off course. By having an agenda, you know you will keep on track.

Bonus Tip #2: Do tech test runs

While this tip is a big tongue twister (and had to record it like 3 different times when recording this episode) it is VERY important. You don’t want to have your laptop or camera or microphone not work as the host of an event. While you don’t have to do this every time you launch Zoom, you do want to do it whenever you introduce some new hardware or software.

Bonus Tip #3: Don’t share sensitive information

If you plan to do any screen sharing, then prepare your screen before you share. You want to make sure that you don’t have any sensitive information open that the viewers will be able to see. You also don’t want to be searching through your hard drive files or searching the web. Have all the items yo will be covering already pulled up and ready to share.

Do you have your FREE 2021 Chill Editorial Calendar?

Be sure to snag your FREE calendar today to get your planning done for 2021. Once you get it, then head over to Episode 76 for more help.

You can also get additional help with our Quick Start Planning training that is laser focused on our Editorial Calendars. This training is only $59 and has 2 modules pulled from our Society that take a deep dive into planning your digital marketing and using our Editorial Calendar.

Speaking of the Society

If you are looking for a place to get ongoing support for your digital marketing, then The Chill Business Society is for you. Each month we cover a different topic in digital marketing and make sure you have all the tools you need to be successful.

The doors are open until 11:59pm Mountain Time on 1/31/21. This is the last time we will be offering membership into the Society for only $39/mo or $429/yr (annual plan gets one month free). When we open the doors again later this year, the price will be going up.

How about our FREE group?

We have also launched this year our brand new FREE Facebook Group: Chill Collaborative for DIY Marketing. This space is specially designed to compliment this podcast to help you with the content we cover. We’d love to see you in the group!

Until next time….

Dianna