Before the Covid-19 pandemic, what you were wearing for a business meeting was an important part of the image you were trying to project. You thought about what the goal of the meeting was and who would be there before getting dressed for it. You then decided to wear something very casual, business casual (whatever that really is?) or even formal.

But now, what you have for a Zoom background or any video conference call may have alot to say about you and the impact you are trying to make at the meeting.

In my interview with Howard Tiersky from Impactful Online Meetings, he said that your choice of a Zoom background is critical to a meetings success. If you are using a real background, what does it say about where you live? Is it neat or disorganized? What is actually in the background can say alot about you and that can be a good thing to have people to get to know you better. But Howard says that sometimes a blank wall is best! (My background shows some abstract art work and my road bike on a trainer- now I am thinking what does that say about me?)

He cautions against using virtual backgrounds since he says they can be distracting (are you on a beach or Star Wars scene). Many times the backgrounds are not clear and show alot of distortion around your face. But again, Howard believes that you need to think about what this background says about your image and how it affects what you are trying to accomplish at your meeting.

Here are other suggestions Impactful Online Meetings have for successful virtual meetings:

  1. Move to a quiet place with good lighting. I suggest getting at least a 12 inch ring light to showcase your face.
  2. Dress as if the meeting was in person and don’t wear any noisy or distracting accessories.
  3. Test your audio and visual ahead of time. I suggest investing in camera that has options to move the image and zoom.
  4. Turn off all notifications on your phone and computer.
  5. Close all other apps on your computer in case there is screen sharing. This will also lessen the temptation to multitask.
  6. Start the meeting on time.
  7. Model the energy you want the participants to have. Keep them involved with feedback through chat or polls.
  8. Use icebreakers and check ins at the start of the meeting if appropriate.