How to Rock a ZOOM Call

7-months into this pandemic and virtual talks, and I still talk with people struggling to connect with others over ZOOM. 

You have heard it repeatedly that practices makes perfect; well, this also applies to ZOOM calls. If you genuinely want to razzle and dazzle your virtual audience, you have to focus on communicating better over this platform.  

How to Rock a ZOOM call:

1) Relax. Easier said than done, right?! Even though it can be challenging with all the world's chaos today, you have to get your mind right. Consider starting a ZOOM call ritual that you find relaxing. You could meditate or do a crossword puzzle, whatever it is, choose an activity that helps you relax. 

2) Perfection isn’t realistic. ZOOM calls are never perfect. Some of your audience members will forget how to use the unmute button, some will have a poor internet connection that day, and some will be frustrated that they’re on their 7th ZOOM call for the day. You have to recognize that whatever you do, the call will NEVER be perfect, so stop trying to make it flawless. 

3) Prepare. When presenting on a ZOOM call, it’s easier than ever to use notes. You can put the bullet points that you want to cover right next to your camera lens. If you do this, make sure to only quickly glance at the notes and then shift your eyes back to the camera lens, so that you maintain good ZOOM eye contact. Also, even if you use notes, it’s never a bad idea to practice your talk. Before your meeting, go through a mock trial and talk to your computer without anyone there. 

In the end, it's important to remember that even if you do mess up a ZOOM call, it's not the end of the world. As long as you've prepared yourself well enough, you'll be able to pick yourself back up if you trip up anywhere in your talk. 

After your ZOOM call, it's essential to take notes and figure out how you can do better next time. Write down your observations on what you did well in addition to areas of improvement.

As you continue to make improvements, you’ll get to the point of rocking a ZOOM call!