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I Zoom. Do you Zoom?
Last week I presented a workshop with two other publishing professionals at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association’s conference. I’ve led workshops before so it doesn’t sound like a big deal until I casually mention it was a virtual workshop. Indeed, the entire writers conference was virtual. I’m sure some people were skeptical, but let me tell you – it was a great experience. It was also a new experience.
Aside from Facetiming with family members or the occasional Skype call, I rarely participated in video calls. Knowing I would be presenting virtually was a bit intimidating but it turned out to be easy. More importantly, it was fun. We had more than 55 people “attend” our virtual workshop, which is a great turnout.
To prepare, I did some research and assembled a few tips for making my conference call experience positive. I’m happy to share them with you.
- Check out your surroundings. Take a few minutes to declutter your background, remove items you don’t want to show, or set up on an area without visual distractions.
- Prepare for your video call by downloading the app or creating an account with the video conference service if required.
- Log in early to make sure you have a good connection.
- Mute your microphone if you’re in a group call. Background noise can be very distracting.
- If you aren’t familiar with video call technology or commands, practice with a friend first.
Video calls are becoming a common way for coworkers, organizations, and groups to stay in touch. These tips can help you relax and enjoy connecting. Oh, one final tip – if you’re wearing pajama pants, don’t stand up during your video call!
