My Zoom experience: 8 ways to create opportunities through Zoom

I always had difficulty with phone calls.?

You can’t see the other person and need to make a special effort to understand their reaction. Are they smiling? Are they confused? Many Times there are background noises, which as someone with hearing problems has always made the call more difficult and sometimes left me exhausted.

I never was one of those people who could manage long phone calls. But there was no alternative, I had to communicate with the world. So as long as there was no other communication option, I had to make the best of it.?

When WhatsApp arrived, I got addicted, of course. I can’t understand how we used to communicate before. In our generation, most people just send an SMS instead of a call. No one calls (except maybe the bank).

That’s why I think my attachment to Zoom was easy.?

When I began using Zoom, I experienced the platform, made a lot of mistakes and embarrassed myself, while learning how to use this new tool.?

While researching and exploring the platform, I learned its abilities and advantages. For example, I remember reading an article about the benefits of facial expressions in video calls, and how they can help interpersonal communication.

Since COVID-19 began, I helped many people adjust to Zoom and the new virtual options. As a true nerd, I read the updates regularly. As a critic, I complain about features and disadvantages. As a professional, I see how skillful handling of Zoom can take the virtual meeting to another level and add a real value.?

Here are some of the opportunities I created through Zoom:

1. Organizing various webinars and workshops?

For example, at the beginning of COVID-19, I gathered community managers to help them switch from offline events to online ones. As a business, it’s easy to regularly organize webinars or participate in them to reach out to new audiences.

2. Helping engaging employees and team members

I’ve been helping colleagues and clients to think of interesting ways to connect with remote teams. Creating an open 1:1 meeting with the management, informal coffee sessions, happy hours, workshops, and more. Letting the employers be an integral part of creating the content can help you create further engagement. Asking them which topics interest them or offering them to moderate sessions can foster that.??

3. Creating frequent meetings for professionals

Frequent online meetings for groups of professionals in large organizations, such as monthly meetings for branch managers, have many advantages. The geographic boundaries are no longer a disadvantage but a way to connect, share best practices, and raise professional knowledge. These types of meetings also contribute to their sense of belonging. They feel more connected to their role and the whole organization, and it helps preserve them.?

4. Maximizing Zoom platform for the virtual meeting’s purpose?

Zoom updates the platform regularly and I’ve been following the changes and adjusting the platform to my needs. Using polls, breakout rooms, and other useful features, has helped me effectively deliver meetings and find my clients the solutions they need.

5. Including digital tools to foster engagement with my audience?

I have been identifying the deep pain of individuals and organizations of “Zoom silence”, lack of engagement, and the willingness to network with others during live online meetings and events. That’s why I started to explore web tools that we can use during meetings through Zoom (or other platforms). I found Mentimeter to create interactive slides, Miro for mutual brainstorming during work meetings, Classroomscreen for classes, and others.?

6. Helping businesses transferring their activity online through virtual platforms

My partner is an engineer during the day and a jujitsu instructor by night. Until the coronavirus breakout, he used to go to the club twice a week for training classes. Now, I’m glad I could help him and others transfer their business activities online. With Zoom, he can keep in contact with his trainers, help them stay active during the pandemic limitations, and even reach out to new trainers.?

7. Organizing personal 1:1 meetings?

During lockdowns, my friends are those who keep me sane. Catching up and keeping in touch with people I care about gives me the motivation and the energy to continue during tough times. I do prefer meeting them face to face, but the virtual video option is great when that option is not available.?

8. Creating social events

At the end of March 2020, at the pick of the first lockdown in Tel Aviv, my partner had a birthday. The initial plan was to organize a big rooftop party and enjoy the spring in the city but COVID-19 had other plans.

That’s why I organized a surprise Zoom party. It was easier than ever. I designed an invitation, added a Zoom link, included instructions such as dressing up and preparing birthday blessings, and sent it to friends. A DJ friend built a DJ station at his house for the event. It was a great success, and friends from all over the world could join. The best thing about the party was that it gave friends a time off from thinking about what’s going on in this world and with the pandemic.?

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I believe that we’ll see more and more online platforms and web tools that will help us connect with our customers, colleagues, and friends. They will enhance our virtual experience and allow us better remote communication. Meanwhile, I personally feel lucky to live in a world when simple phone calls have advanced to video communication platforms.

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Tzufit Herling is a consultant, journalist and a community specialist.

In the past decade she has been involved with content creation, entrepreneurship, and community building around the globe. She founded Connecteur to leverage her interdisciplinary background to connect people and businesses to ideas, solutions, and other individuals — to generate social impact.

As a life-long learner, Tzufit is constantly spreading ideas and has written for Forbes Israel, Forbes Japan and others. She is the co-founder of MENAco, a professional network for women in the hi-tech field from the MENA region.