Tuesday 20 November 2012

7 Fantastic Tips For Looking Your Very Best When Video Conferencing

By Paul Fraser


When you're video conferencing with people who live and work in faraway locations, you don't have a chance to impress them with your charming personality over lunch or pull them aside to make some candid comments to help them see your passion for the project. Your on-camera interactions are the only possible way the people on the other end of the video conference have to judge you â€" and your company.

That's why looking great on video conferencing is so significant. While people perhaps should not judge one another on looks alone, looks certainly matter when you are communicating over distance using state-of-the-art technology.

Here are 7 top tips for always looking your very best when you interact through video conference:

1. Use a top quality system. Good equipment conveys light, sound & detail better than bad or outdated equipment, so upgrade your system as often as necessary to keep on top of technology. Today's video conferencing solutions often have high-definition cameras, top quality mics and professional switching technology to make each one of your interaction smooth, bright and colourful.

2. Don't skimp on light. There's a reason TV stations and local theatres hire people to help them control lighting. Bright lights reduce the look of wrinkles and eliminate unbecoming shadows, but too much light can make you look glossy and nervous. Heaps of soft, white light typically works best, and there isn't a lot wrong with strategically placing lights behind laptops or concealing them round the room when necessary to make everyone look their best.

3. Make eye contact as often as possible. It's easy for people to feel disconnected or disengaged when listening to a long presentation by video conference, so make frequent eye contact with the camera. This is good etiquette, also , just as eye contact is important when meeting with people face to face.

4. Avoid wearing distracting patterns. With older equipment, tight patterns can create a distracting strobe effect that might be more interesting to the people on the other end of the meeting than what you say. Whether or not you're utilising the latest equipment nonetheless , viewers won't be able to appreciate the pattern on your tie or your fascinating piece of jewelry, so stick to solids and simple, elegant adornments.

5. Sit up straight if you can. We all look more professional when we sit up straight and keep our shoulders back, but good posture can at times be tricky to maintain in a long meeting. Choosing a supportive chair and being aware of when you're being watched and when you aren't will help you look your finest when somebody's actually looking.

6. Be aware of camera angles. An expertly installed video conferencing system will have well-placed cameras, but standing or sitting too close to a camera can distort your features, giving you a humourous and distracting appearance. Looking down into a camera can also make your face appear broader, making you look fat.

7. Do some testing. If a meeting is particularly important or if you're new to video conferencing, don't be afraid to do some test presentations â€" and record them to help notice and correct errors. Even the best equipment can be used incorrectly or to less-than-optimum effect, so take some time to test how you engage with your corporation's equipment to make sure you are using it as effectively as possible.

Everybody would like to look good, of course, but in business looking good can mean the difference between making the sale & making a fool of yourself.




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