Three Quick Ways to Elevate Your Virtual Presentation

By Christina McKenna

While the rules of decorum surrounding work-from-home video calls were always a bit blurry, a few weeks into the COVID-19 quarantine and all bets are off. 

Kids and pets now regularly guest star on conference calls. “Business casual” has yielded to “grooming optional” and we’re learning a lot about our colleagues’ hygiene and housekeeping habits. 

Truth be told, if we’re talking to peers or virtually hanging out with friends, how we look on-camera doesn’t much matter. 

 But that’s not the case when more is at stake, like when a leader is delivering serious news to the company, speaking to VIP stakeholders or being interviewed by news media.  be told, if we’re talking to peers or digitally hanging out with friends, how we look on-camera doesn’t much matter. 

But that’s not the case when more is at stake, like when a leader is delivering serious news to the company, speaking to VIP stakeholders or being interviewed by news media. 

In these instances, we owe it to our organization to make effort to elevate our look and sound our very best. So here are three things anyone can do in less than five minutes to instantly boost their Zoom Appeal and look and sound better on the call. 

1. Adjust the Unflattering Camera Angle: As a former TV reporter, I assure you, no one looks good when shot from a low camera angle, highlighting double chins and puffy undereye circles and showcasing the ceiling vent overhead! Not only unattractive, this angle is unnatural (we don’t often look up at someone speaking to us.) 

The good news is there’s a simple fix. Elevate your entire computer 8-14 inches so that it’s eye level (don’t settle for a few inches; eye-level is key) and you’ll instantly look more attractive and look and feel more natural. A stack of books will do the trick, but a plastic file box or storage bin provides greater more stable. 

2. Seek Out Attractive Lighting. No one says your video call has to be in your home office.  If you’ve got time, use the camera on your phone to scout your home for the lighting in which you look most attractive and set up your video shots there. Here’s a tip: Straight-on natural light (sunlight) is almost always the most flattering. If you have a window nearby, pull back the drapes or lift the blinds and arrange the computer so that you’re facing the window, allowing that sunshine to bask you in a natural glow and make your eyes sparkle. (Never have sunshine behind you, or else it will overwhelm the shot and leave you in silhouette.)

3.  Maintain Eye Contact with the Camera: Eye contact is always important but especially when we’re speaking virtually and have so few tools with which to make a connection. So, be absolutely sure you don’t glance around the room or peek at your phone or other devices whether it’s your turn to talk or not.  If you find it hard to keep your eyes trained on the camera, tack a sticky note on your computer with an arrow pointing to the green light to remind yourself to make eye contact throughout the call. 

And if it really matters, consider investing in a clip-on microphone, a camera light and maybe even coaching. After all, with fewer chances to speak to our audiences face to face these days, we want to be sure we’re at our very best when we do.  

For more great ideas and tips for rock solid communication, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @bluestoneexec or visit our website, bluestone exec.com.