Video conference presentation: how to stand out in a video conference

This concise guide outlines the strategies to ensure you make an impact during a video conference.

Working remotely is becoming increasingly normal. It’s not even limited to conferences and collaboration, all aspects of a business are not happening remotely. While it might be the need of the hour in this dire but temporary global situation, the benefits of working from anywhere for individuals and businesses are tough to ignore. Did you know that 70% of employees around the world work remotely at least once a week? Well, that’s what a survey conducted by Logitech showed. With the popularization of the home office , organizations today need to have an alternative to face-to-face meetings. That’s where a video conference comes in.

Whether you want to communicate with customers, suppliers or even members of your own team, this is a feature that has become essential for your day-to-day business. Whether you are a teleworker or not, one thing is for sure: you will hardly escape a video conference. So, the sooner you learn to deal with different videoconferencing tools (such as Zoom or Google Hangouts , for example), the easier your life will be at work. They have very user-friendly interfaces, I’m sure you’ll adapt quickly.

But knowing how to work with platforms like these isn’t enough to rock a video conference. And that’s why we decided to write this article. In the next few paragraphs, we share tips and best practices for you to make your video conference beautiful.

Advantages of holding a video conference

Well, first of all I would like to start this with something that everyone likes to hear: benefits. I know that many people are still afraid to hold a video conference, or simply prefer to do face-to-face conferences. But, as we show you, video conferencing is a feature that can bring many benefits to you and your agency.

1. Cost reduction

Have you ever stopped to think that using a video conference for meetings with your clients, and even with potential future clients, can be a great alternative to reduce the costs of your agency’s commercial area? Exactly! A good videoc onference can be your way to maintain a good relationship with your current customers and to close new deals, without having to travel.

2. Scalability

Video calls can also be a good option if you want to expand your business and serve even customers who are far from your region. And there’s even more: when we think about the Digital Marketing agencies market, it makes a lot of sense to use online technology resources for meetings, right? After all, you sell it to your customers most of the time. So let’s set an example for him!

3. Time optimization

Think about the amount of time you spend traveling to customers and suppliers. If you add up all the hours spent commuting at the end of the month, I’m sure the figure will be a little daunting, depending on your agency’s profile. Now, imagine how much your productivity could improve if you used that time to do other things? I don’t need to say anything else, right.

4. Improves the business image

Videoconferencing is a resource that makes it possible to bring your customers, partners and suppliers closer together. But in addition to improving your relationship and communication with them, it can also help to improve your image in the market. Companies that are adept at new technologies and that incorporate these changes into their routine are seen as modern and dynamic.

In fact, these benefits are so significant that brands like Twitter and Shopify have decided to let their employees work from home for ‘as long as they want’. While the business you own or work for may not be ready to make the same commitment, the best video conferencing software offers enough features to be applicable to almost all business functions.

As a result of this, chances are that making appearances on video conferences is becoming an increasingly important demand of your job. If that is the case, like all other office meetings, it is important to appear and conduct yourself professionally when you step in front of the camera.

Invest in a good pair of microphone earphones

The importance of earphones is not so much for the sound coming out of your computer as it is for your own voice. The microphone placed in your laptop or phone or tablet is designed to pick up sounds from its vicinity. That means, it will pick up your voice, it will pick up the voice from the fan, it may even pick up the sounds coming from the next room! On the other hand, mics on earphones are designed to pick up sounds from a much smaller radius. Using these, you can rest assured that the voice quality is always consistent.

Choose a neutral background

Unless you are presenting something, it is wise to choose a neutral background that puts the focus on you. Many video conferencing software also offer the ability to add virtual backgrounds. While some of these are handy, many might not be appropriate in certain situations, so choose wisely.

If you don’t have space to dedicate to the video conference and can’t find an acceptable background, many apps also offer a feature that can blur the background.  Keep in mind that access to such features may be limited to cases where you get to choose the platform or software being used for the video conference. 

Find a well-lit location

If others cannot see you, it beats the whole purpose of a video conference. For this reason, it is important to choose a location that has plenty of light, preferably natural light. Even if you are using artificial lighting, make sure the light is placed in front of you and behind the screen. Light coming from behind you will make your face appear dark.

It is also important to pay attention to proper lighting if you are presenting something. Make sure your presentation is clearly visible. While doing this, don’t forget to think about the participants that may be joining the video conference using mobile devices with smaller screens than laptops and desktops.

Spend time becoming familiar with the platform

Most video conferencing platforms are available for a free trial. In fact, many don’t even charge for personal use. Utilise this to your advantage by getting familiar with the video conferencing tool before the actual call. This will not only enable you to avoid technical problems during the call, but will also enable you to efficiently make use of the various features of the video conferencing tool to appear professional and in case you are presenting something, do that with efficiency.

Conclusion

Video conferencing is a part and parcel of working in the modern corporate environment. Are there any challenges you face when presenting yourself at a video conference? Tell us about them in the comment section below.