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WOW - what a change the last several months have been for everyone!
One major shift has been that - overnight - we were all thrust into the deep end with a new technology platform for meetings.
How many of us started using Zoom overnight? I know I did.
I had heard of it - but never used it. Then all of a sudden - EVERYTHING I do is on Zoom.
For 5 months now, I've been on Zoom 3 to 4 times a day.
In just the first weekend after the SIP order, I was presenting to 200 people on a platform I had never used before.
IT WAS CRAZY.
At first it was like treading water barely afloat, but now that we're a few months in- and have a few seasoned "Zoomers" out there- we can take a breath and start looking more closely at the protocols, the etiquette, and the dos and don'ts.
Some may not be steadfast rules - and some sources may have differing opinions - but I want to share my favorites from the lists of tips that have been circulating in a variety of business blogs, papers, and articles.
So here's my list... What do you think?
If there's anything we missed that YOU think should be on our list, leave a comment!
1. KEEP YOUR VIDEO ON.
• It is actually viewed as rude to be on with just your photo when everyone else is on video.
• "Why aren't they on?" "Who else is in the background?" "What are they hiding?
• We are distanced enough as it is!
• So when you're on your Zoom calls, try and make eye contact, smile, nod, and be an active listener.
2. MAKE EYE CONTACT.
• Try moving your "videos" of other participants up to the camera area, that way it appears you are looking at them when they are speaking!
3. DON'T INTERRUPT THE SPEAKER.
• Interruptions can really mess up a presenter's train of thought.
• Instead, if you MUST say something, use the CHAT.
• Usually it's best to direct comments only to the speaker (there's a drop-down menu in the chat box that lets you select "host only" or "all participants").
• Ask yourself, "Does EVERYONE on the call need to see my thoughts?"
• And if you have a difference of opinion - please - chat only with the speaker;
there's nothing more disheartening for a speaker than to have finished a presentation
they've worked on for weeks, only to later find out the participants have been chatting in disagreement. Et tu, Bruté?
4. STAY ON TOPIC.
• If the topic is set and the meeting has an agenda, you do not want to interrupt the meeting by speaking - or chatting - about another topic.
• Perhaps there is someone who hasn't responded to your email... don't throw them under the bus in a meeting with others by publicly asking why.
• Do not bring up new topics outside the set agenda. It is an honor to be invited to a group call - don't turn it in to your personal Q&A.
5. MUTE YOURSELF UNTIL IT'S TIME TO TALK.
• Everyone on the call doesn't need to hear your typing, your dogs barking, etc.
• When it IS time to unmute, make sure you don't have music or TV playing in the background, and try to be in a quiet spot away from your partner's vacuuming or the neighbor's weed eating.
6. LIMIT CHIT-CHAT.
• If the host has asked for your input, that's great! But having a side convo is super disrespectful and distracting, and usually the speaker can't stop the presentation to see who is saying what.
• Side chat is the equivalent of speaking in class - exactly what we used to get our names on the board for. And if we kept it up, there went our recess privileges!
• So if kids can't do this, why would it be okay now in a professional setting?
7. STAY "PRESENT" ON THE CALL.
• Don't eat (yucky for others on the call), drink, or multi-task.
• Give your attention to the meeting and to the speaker.
8. PRESENT A CLEAN SETTING.
• Everyone on the call can see what's behind you. If it's a mess, hide it, use a virtual background, or tidy up.
• A plain wall makes a great backdrop.
• If you're at a window, FACE the window, don't have it at your back. For one, you'll be a dark silhouette. For two, what's going on outside may be distracting. And for three, the natural sunlight from outside will make you look GREAT!.
• Close your "office" door - everyone doesn't need to see down your hallway (or your roommate in their bath robe).
• The less behind you the better. You might be tempted to try and impress everyone with a case full of cool books or your pet iguana collection, but really it's just distracting.
9. POSITION YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY.
• DO: Get to a spot where you can sit upright with a clean, clutter-free background.
• DON'T: Lay in bed! Firstly, that just doesn't feel professional. And also, everyone can see your pillows and your messy bed.
• DO: Position the camera at eye level or a little above. Use a box or some books to raise your computer if you're using a laptop.
• DON'T: Look down at the camera. That means everyone else is looking UP your nose! It's also the leading cause of multiple chin syndrome.
• DO: Pick a spot and sit still. Watching the dreaded "walk and talk" gives everyone vertigo.
10. BE PREPARED IF YOU'RE PRESENTING.
• Be respectful of your attendees time, and have your ducks in a row in advance.
• Have the tabs open and ready to go for any screen share presentation you have planned.
• Everyone knows that sometimes technology has it's own plan for things, and that even the best prepared still have "oops" moments- but always do your best to make that the exception, not the norm.
11. PUT EFFORT INTO YOUR APPEARANCE.
• Fix your hair. Apply some makeup or shave. Wear a clean, pressed, professional shirt or blouse, in a bright solid color (that is not the same color as your background!), and avoid busy patterns, bright white, or all black.
• Make your mom proud- iron your clothes.
12. ONLY INVITE MEETING-RELEVANT GUESTS.
• Bringing in friends who don't know what the meeting is about does a disservice to your friend and to the group.
• If the host has to backtrack to get your guest up to speed, or field a bunch of off-topic questions, it ends up wasting everyone's time.
Speaking of time....
13. BE ON TIME.
• Treat your Zoom session as you would treat ANY professional meeting.
• If you have a 5:45 start time to check-in for a video at 6... don't pop in at 6! Now the host has to fuss with letting you in from the waiting room rather than their presentation.
• All the boxes of video move around, and everyone knows you're late.
14. SET THE PROPER DISTANCE.
• Place your camera at eye level or a little above (to avoid multiple chin syndrome) and far enough away that your face isn't distorted.
• Test your audio and be sure you're close enough for the microphone to catch you clearly. You can also invest in a small clip-on mic for around $50 to ensure good sound quality.
15. CHECK YOUR INTERNET.
• A spotty internet connection makes it painful for others to hear or watch you.
16. HAVE GOOD LIGHTING.
• Make sure you're lit up evenly; not in the shadows or in blazing sun.
• Position yourself FACING your light source. You don't want to look like you're in the witness protection program- just a black silhouette against a too-bright background.
• A small clip-on ring light is an inexpensive addition that can make a big difference. It softens your face and fills in the shadows.
17. END THE MEETING LIKE A PRO.
• This one has a few different "camps"
• One school of thought is that the presenter should be the last to leave - so everyone has a chance to connect with others.
• Personally, I'm in the "speaker hangs up when the meeting is over" camp. All the "waving bye-bye" to everyone seems crazy to me.
18. SMILE.
• Aaaand... smile some more.
• We are already so distanced. Much in the same way we can't tell someone's "tone" in an email or text, on Zoom it's hard to read people's expressions.
• Since we aren't in person, we can't see body language, and we can't make real eye contact, this is the time to dial your personality up a few notches.
• Give the calls energy, don't be monotone. Any time you speak to the group you are presenting - you are "in front of the room". So give it all you've got!
Until we meet in person - and celebrate the end of social distancing - let's connect on Zoom.
Whether it's for makeup consults, weight loss coaching, or just to catch up, I'd love to see your face! And each month we have a Facebook Live Event where our team is together in a "Brady Bunch" grid to share and talk about our favorite products, what's in them, and what they've added to our lives.
Here's a LINK to our upcoming Product Preview
And here are some of our past preview events:
Want more input on Zoom etiquette? Here's an album full of screenshots from the "Professionals".
Hope to see you soon, Melisa
ALL of these are so important! 5 min early IS ONTIME so I think that is something to always remember so you aren't distracting the host. It is important to look tidy and not eat, but seriously your background and or moving around is SO distracting. If you have a bookshelf with a bunch of stuff on it, throw a sheet over it.
all of them are important!!! But I really think number 7 is very important!
So many good tips. Being on time is key for me so it doesn’t take away from the speaker.
My important Zoom tip is: Be on time!! If you are on time you are late. If you are early you are on time. Be punctual.
I've been watching so many zooms - and first impressions are key - and with a busy back ground - or walking around - I just don't think it looks as professional - especially if I paid to be on it. I was on a 2-day call recently - paid over $100 - and the two speakers used one mic - so - you never saw the other speaker on the screen. We are all learning - these are great tips.