Lights Camera Action

Should you make more or less of an effort with how you look in Zoom meetings than you would face to face?

We all Zoom on a regular basis (thanks COVID).

If you, like me, started off with good intentions, to look as professional and smart in Zoom meetings just as I do in physical meetings. But now the novelty has worn off, and looking good has become less of a priority...

It's easy to think "I'll stay in the joggers, and just do a quick top change, no makeup, scrape back the hair, everyone else is being casual so it doesn't matter" ?- maybe it's time to rethink.

A Happy Balance

It is difficult to get a happy balance. Our public and private personas are clashing or getting merged.

So many of us now work at home; with kids, dogs, mess, the postman, but maintaining a level of professionalism is paramount!

I find as I'm sure you do too, being in virtual meetings where someone is fiddling with hair, adjusting their clothes or being distracted can be quite annoying, but more than that it is tiring.

Tiring to look at others constantly, but mainly tiring seeing myself looking back at me, way more than I've ever been used to. ?When in physical meetings I would try not to sit opposite a mirror as it's too distracting, this is what is happening, virtually, all the time.

Turning your camera off isn't really an option, everyone thinks you're only pretending to be there, or are having a really long loo break!

I have, as you have probably found, that it far harder to dress for 'camera networking' than live networking ?- I am used to dressing my body as a whole, and finding balance with that look is second nature. Now, having to find a balance between just my head and shoulders is a completely different ball game! Clothes that look good normally, look a bit odd when it's just head and shoulders, have any of you found that?

I thought maybe a few pointers around the subject of 'being on zoom' would be helpful.

Let's start at the top!

HAIR

I have noticed that many people just scrape it back into a ponytail, which is convenient if you normally wear it like that but the risk is that you actually look nothing like your normal self.

Wear your hair in your normal way, people who are getting to know you need to still recognise you at a later date. Stay as true to you as you can!

Face

Ladies, Make up - even if you don't normally wear any, try some and ladies, definitely lipstick. Zoom is like telly and so the makeup needs to be exaggerated the brightest lipstick looks nowhere near as bright on film as it does in real life, subtle doesn't hit the spot.

Gentlemen, Shave - a day or two's growth may look trendy in life but not so much on screen where it can look as if you forgot to wash!

On Zoom 'touch up my video' is a great little secret

• On the bottom left hand of your screen, there is the stop video icon
• To it's right is an arrow, press this,
• Drop down menu,
• Choose video settings,
• My video and choose
• 'Touch up', this is also where you can touch-up your video
• 'Mirror' you so that others see you the right way around

The colours you wear and the background you choose are going to have a big effect on how you look!

• Choose colours that you know suit you
• Choose colours in your clothes that compliment or at least, don't clash with your background.

Clothes

• Avoid white - ?unless you have really pearly teeth as they will come over more yellow!
• Wear smarter than your normal casual, but you don't have to go formal. Casual clothes will look even more casual on the screen- a good smart casual is the key.
• A good neckline can help with the balance of your head and your shoulders. you don't want any neckline to be too fussy!
• Any pattern shouldn't be too busy
• Suit your clothes to your colouring, what are your favourites, what do you know you look good in.
• Jewellery - less, not noisy bangles and jangles don't help other's audio!

Office

• Put your laptop higher, at least so that the camera is at eye level but above it can help make all those double chins and shadows disappear magically - experiment!
• Stage the scene behind you, ?if it's cluttered it can be tiring to look at but don't go for a just plain wall, as that's boring to look at.
• Plan what's going to be shown behind you...
• Make it personal, to reflect you and your business - pick things to do with your business and personality.
• Backdrop - ?this can be just your office, lately lots of people are choosing to use zooms own virtual backdrops, which allow you to be in Barbados one day, the office the next and then Sydney Opera House at the weekend - great but... done badly they can look horrendous, you can like you are in a ?sci fi film - ?you need to use plain wall and sit relatively still to be able to carry them off - again practice and ask for feedback.

Lighting

The make and break of a good video picture!

• Use natural light if you can as well as artificial.
• Your central light ?will probably ?need to be on, but don't position it just overhead, make sure it's in front of you by about a meter
• Use a halo light, this can just be a round make-up mirror with a light! or you can by them quite cheaply on Amazon.
• Use portable lights from around the house and experiment.

Remember, this is your Personal Brand, make it as memorable as you can - In a good way ??

Worried that your personal brand isn't all it should be, why not try my quiz to find out if you are all set to dazzle your clients or fade into the background?

You can try it here https://dazzle.scoreapp.com/

Love

Sally x