Except for an occasional ZOOM meeting, my experience with ZOOM up until COVID-19 meant watching a TV show where the kids would start the song singing, “Come on and ZOOM, ZOOM, ZOOM a ZOOM!”
Now, that’s changed.
With many of us forced into the world of ZOOM conferencing, here’s my guide on 10 tips to present your best ZOOM self while on your video meetings and get togethers.
1) Keep the camera at face height or slightly higher AND steady on a surface or tripod.
It’s really important not to hold your phone or lap top. Instead, stack some books and keep your computer or phone at your face level or a bit higher. Unless you want others to focus on your neck, not the most flattering position! The most common mistakes are having the camera positioned too low, which means you have to look down into the camera. Viewers then see a double chin, even if you don’t have one. Also — holding and/or walking with your phone creates an uncomfortable moving view for your participant(s). If you use your phone, you can purchase a tripod from Amazon tor a mobile phone stand that will help avoid these mistakes. You also don’t want to be sitting to close to your lap top because it has a wide angle lens. If you are too close — the camera will distort your face. You can check out how you look before the meeting starts by logging into ZOOM and selecting “new meeting.” Make sure you look into the camera lens and not the box or boxes! And, it you have to move around, look away — take yourself off video.
2. Make sure there is good lighting on your face.
Lighting needs to be not above, behind or to the side – but directly shining onto your face. Here’s where I got my light.
Many people have a window or light behind them or to one side, causing their face to be fully or partially in shadow. Shaded faces do not appear as professional or easy to focus on. Position yourself to face a window, and/or put a light behind the camera you are facing (the one in your laptop, device, etc). Self-standing ring lights like this are an affordable option (this one comes with a tripod stand).
3) Present a polished image from the chest up. Wear a turtle neck or shirt with collars (men and women) or add accessories around the face — a scarf, larger earrings or statement necklace.
- Style your hair, put on makeup. At least wear a soft lip gloss and tint moisturizer to even your skin tone. It’s best to apply more make up then you are used to so you get your best look. Contact me for your clean and safe skin care and cosmetics and/or checkout great clean and healthy skin and cosmetic products here and shop with a purpose!
- Avoid wearing lots of black, skin tone color tops, or very busy patterns. Wear more color and choose those that flatter you – especially if you want to stand out in a group. Wear your colors! We all have colors that best flatter us. If yours is black or brown, make sure you wear earrings or a necklace with a pop of color.
- Watch your posture. Think power pose: shoulders back and chest up in a relaxed way. No slumping!
- Wear appropriate business clothes or clothes appropriate for your meeting (avoid large hoodies).
Wearing clean lip gloss or lipstick is a good add to your virtual meetings
4) Consider what’s behind you in the screen view?
Remove clutter, mess and odd or distracting visuals because they will not help you make the good impression you want. Here are a few steps you can take to make sure it’s a better backdrop.
- Clear away clutter from behind you, or shift your set up to a place where the background is a non cluttered area of the room. Make sure there is not any thing that looks like it’s growing from your head!
- Add a screen, or a simple non-distracting artwork on the wall behind you. You could even periodically change this up to show variety and more of your home life — if that’s fun for you.
- If you enjoy interior design, this is a fun opportunity to design your “set” and show up in style.
5) Be presentable before the meeting starts. If you are waiting for your participants to show up — make sure you are ready and not doing anything you wouldn’t want someone to see — so that when they join — you are ready and presentable!
6) Mute you mic if/when you are not talking. With a muted mic — if any unpredictable sounds occur from your place (dog barking, person yelling…) no one on the ZOOM call will hear this.
7) Consider wearing earphones so that others in your space don’t hear the entire call.
8) Keep from chewing gum and eating — unless you are attending an eating ZOOM party OR you turn off your camera)!
9) Watch the time on your meeting/get together so you have time to say good bye and/or set up your next call.
10) Smile! You don’t have to smile the entire time but a smile (authentic) from time to time is important.
While you are at home would you like more helpful information like this as well as community and accountability to live your highest and healthiest self? Message me for information about my @home REMOTE REBOOT program. This program is for anyone who wants their fitness, good eating and healthy habits back while we are at home. Or perhaps you want to start a new fitness and healthy lifestyle.
And, for more information regarding additional clean living health and wellness services for you; visit my site.
May you be nourishing. May you be moving. May you be meditating.
Xo, Best health — mind and body — to us all!