Don’t settle for frozen screens, nose hairs and general lameness.
By Roy Harryman
Principal, Roy Harryman Marketing Communications
My paternal grandfather always had something going on with his teeth (at least during the time I knew him). My uncle described it like this: “When Eugene is talking, it always sounds like there’s a dice game going on the back room.”
In the new world of Zoom and other online meeting programs, there’s usually some kind of equivalent “dice game” going on that disrupts the meeting.
Our first tendency may be to say, “So what. I’m working at home in my pajamas. I’m literally phoning it in and that’s all I can do.”
Interviewing Megan Neher of Megan Neher Public Relations
However – and how convenient is this! – Zoom rhymes with room. As in board room. Zoom is the new board room. You would not settle for a sloppy in-person meeting. Don’t do the same with virtual business meetings.
It is a reflection on your company’s brand (particularly if your meeting is with customers or prospects), but it’s also a reflection on your personal brand. You want to be your best and do your best – no matter whether the meeting is “virtual” or in person.
So, how do you step things up? I mean, you just turn on the webcam and let it rip, right? Well …
#1 First things first: Check your connection
Although this sounds old school, it’s still true: A wired connection is better than a wireless connection. Some of us may not know where that connection is, but it’s there somewhere. Live video streaming moves huge amounts of data. The wired connection is simply faster (with very few exceptions), so plug in. “But,” you say, “I don’t have a cable!” Or, “My cable isn’t long enough to reach the internet jack!” OK. (1) Get a cable. (2) You can easily find cables that are 50-100 feet long. You don’t have to leave it plugged in all the time, but definitely make the connection during your meeting.
A wired connection is nearly always more effective than wireless for live streaming.
#2 How’s your hardware?
Your hardware, meaning your computer or phone (or iPad, etc.) matters. First, if you can’t connect it with a cable, it’s almost certain to be slower than a device with a wired connection. If connecting via cable is impossible for some reason, then get as close to the wireless router as you can. However, the cable can’t fix everything. If you are wired to a crummy or ancient computer, you can still get bad results. What matters is your device’s processing power. Your machine needs to be able to push large amounts of data (your video stream) rapidly. Imagine someone pedaling a bike quickly and you get the idea. Is your computer a junker? It may be time to trade in for a new model so you can make the most of our streaming world.
#3 Stop the shriek
Ambient noises of various levels of annoyance are part of most Zoom meetings. I’m reminded of the OG Star Trek episodes where some alien enemy would launch a high-pitched shriek, throwing the deck of the U.S.S. Enterprise into chaos. Is that your meeting? Most webcams – whether external or internal – have a built-in microphone. However, it sounds terrible. The good news: You don’t have to use it. Instead, get a different microphone. A general principle is: The closer you are to your microphone, the more of you we hear. Conversely, the further away you are, the less of you we hear. And that means we’ll hear traffic, airplanes, screaming kids, vacuums and digital computer noise. Oh and an occasional sonic boom. There’s no need to become a gear geek here. My recommendation: A headset. Not the flippity floppity one that came with your phone. No, I’m talking about one like the customer service reps use in the call centers. They (1) block out the ambient noise you hear and (2) they block out the ambient noise you project to others. Here’s one I use. I do not recommend a podcast microphone because they are highly sensitive and will have the tendency to project ambient noise into the meeting (unless you are in a studio environment).
#4 What’s behind you?
The original issue with virtual meeting backdrops was that someone’s office was trashed or there was something else distracting in the background. Now people are having fun putting all manner of things behind them through Zoom’s green screen capability. I don’t like these, for the most part, but they’re not cardinal sins. For practical reasons, I recommend putting a solid, permanent background behind you in your “Zoom space,” wherever that is. I went to Hobby Lobby, bought black fabric and tacked it to the wall behind me. A couple of bookcases peer in from the sides. This is one thing I don’t have to worry about ever again.
#5 Are you an HD or SD Zoomer?
If your laptop has a webcam, it is usually SD and not HD quality. The resolution is set at 720 or below instead of 1080 or above. Most of the time, an external camera is required to overcome this liability. An SD camera is not the end of the world. But it’s the equivalent of watching grainy TV shows made before the advent of HD. Why project that when you can stream visual clarity instead? Get an HD 1080 camera. Here’s one that’s a good option. But there are many choices.
#6 Get Lit
Lighting matters. A lot. Especially if someone is staring at you (and vice versa) for hours each week. You don’t want to be blown out by light or appearing to sit in a dark closet. You can alter this without any expensive lighting. Experiment by moving lamps around your work area, turning off overhead lights and turning them back on if they make it better. Keep working at it until you find a solution that works. Then leave the lights in their place so you don’t have to do anything for the next meeting. This is not required, but I purchased these lights that plug into the USB ports on my computer. They sit in place, turned off, until I’m in a virtual meeting.
#7 And last but not least … nose hairs
You know, I like you, but I don’t want to see your nose hairs. This wonderful visual is accomplished when you sit too close the camera or have the camera pointed … you guessed it … up your nose. Just don’t do it.
Well there you have it. Seven tips to a better you. Or at least better virtual meetings. I’m not an audio-visual expert, but I have learned a few lessons through many successes and failures over the years. Now, it’s time to get to your Zoom meeting.
Roy Harryman is the principal of Roy Harryman Marketing Communications and owns a 50-foot cable to connect to the Internet. Has he tripped on it?