With COVID the world is changing and many meetings are now on Zoom. It is becoming important how you present yourself in Zoom meetings, how can you come across better?
The Basics
Get a good camera and microphone if you don’t have one already. It might be worth investing in a good quality camera and microphone which is better than your laptop. You can try different ones and see the difference.
Check the background and make sure it is good. Make sure lighting is good – make sure there is good natural light coming from a window in front of you.
Put your camera at eye level – it makes a big difference. If you are using a laptop then prop it higher up. It’s one of the cardinal rules in camerawork: keep the camera eye-level or higher.
Look to the camera although it feels strange, it makes a difference because it feels like eye contact for others. You can alternate
between looking at people and the camera. If you are looking at people and not the camera it will look like you are looking to the side.
As for distance, try to position yourself so the camera is seeing you from the chest or waist up, instead of your face taking up the whole frame. Seeing more of you is more natural for the viewer, more akin to a face-to-face meeting in real life.
Record yourself and review it to see how it can be improved – it is often hard to know how you come across without watching yourself.
How to be charismatic in Zoom meetings
Charisma is a sparkle in people that money can’t buy. It’s an invisible energy with visible effects.”
– Marianne Williamson
- Prepare for the meeting. Why is this meeting happening? Whats the goal? What do you need to know?
- Be excited – what are you excited about? Think about that before the meeting.
- Be twice as animated as you would be in person. A webcam saps charisma, so you need to be bigger and more expressive in your performance.
- Focus on the other person – what do you want them to feel?
- Stand up — this immediately improves your energy levels and conveys more dynamism
- Dress up – just as you would a normal conversation – don’t be lazy and wear pyjamas.
- Use their names
- Smile, use hand gestures.
- Use humour
- Have fun!
- Speak eloquently – read the article about how to speak well here.
