Helpful Hints to Look & Sound Your Best

  • Mute/Unmute
    • Keep yourself muted unless speaking/engaging in conversation to reduce background noise.
    • Speak clearly, speak up and be direct so everyone can hear you.
    • When you want to contribute, but it’s not your turn, use the chat feature.
  • Environment
    • Try to be in a quiet space with as little distraction (kids, pets, etc.) as possible.
    • Avoid eating, rustling papers, or making other distracting noises.
  • Background
    • Declutter your background to minimize distractions or use a virtual background.
  • Camera Position
    • Position camera to point directly at your face.
    • Avoid looking down or looking up at the camera; both will create unflattering shadows.
    • Look into the camera when you are talking.
  • Lighting
    • Try to have a soft light / window in front of you to light up your face.
    • Avoid direct sunlight and bright lights; these create unflattering shadows.
  • Wardrobe
    • For your top, stick to solid colors and avoid busy patterns and stripes.
    • For your bottom, wear something comfortable that you wouldn’t be embarrassed to be seen in if the camera fell.
  • Prepare in Advance
    • Join early and test your audio / video before the meeting begins.
    • Review the agenda and be ready to contribute

Tips for Meeting Organizers

  • Plan Your Agenda
    • Include meeting objective, what will be accomplished, and assign meeting responsibilities for attendees to keep everyone engaged.
  • Prepare Materials in Advance
    • If you’re sharing content, make sure you have the files and/or links ready to go before the meeting begins.
  • During Meeting
    • Confirm attendance and share your materials.
    • Be respectful of time. If the meeting starts at 3 p.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. that’s the allotted time.
    • If you’re facilitating a large group, be ready to call on attendees to contribute to provide a speaking order and be patient, to give others time to respond.
  • Plan an Effective Wrap Up
    • End with a quick recap providing decisions made and action agreed on.