Successful video conferencing

Videoconferencing has become part of work routines and will increasingly become a tool used in all areas of the workplace, marketing and communication included. If you don't take care of your image, colleagues and clients will pay more attention to form than content. Here are some tips for being in video calls, the main one being to practice beforehand. Before your meeting, put your phone in selfie mode. If you're not as good as you want to be, follow these recommendations:

1. Check the sound - Use headphones or stand close to the microphone. Headphones minimize background noise.
2. Choose the best light - Use a desk lamp. Place it as far away as you feel necessary, but this will be a light that overlaps with the computer screen and will give a comfortable and more natural feeling. Things to avoid are windows behind, overhead lights and lamps that cast shadows.
3. Frame yourself appropriately - Sit at a distance from the screen where people can see your head, shoulders and the middle of your torso.
4. Choose the right fund - Sit in front of a monotonous, single-colored wall with nothing to distract you. If you have to sit in front of something, make sure it's away from a bookshelf or a painting, so that people don't keep trying to see the books you're reading or the art you like.
5. Sit correctly - Sit in a chair that forces you to focus on your posture. Keep both feet on the floor, as crossing your legs can cause you to sway. If you sit on a sofa you're more likely to slide and if you're in an office chair you'll recline.
6. Dress appropriately - Pyjamas and sportswear are out of the question, but you don't need anything too fashionable either. Leave out bright, garish colors, as they are too distracting. Wear business casual.
7. Keep your eyes on the camera - It can be tempting to look away to see how you're doing. Don't. It's distracting. If you need to, place an object behind the camera to focus on. That way, you also focus on your audience. This works even when people are watching your face and your presentation.
8. Avoid the flat of the nose - Place the laptop or monitor on top of books or a table so that the camera is at face level. If the laptop is too low, you'll have to look down from above. And everyone doesn't need to look down their nostrils...