Zoom Etiquette

Zoom is the new boardroom … our new stage. Even though we may be at home or in our
cubicles, how we show up and land with our audience is very important. To ensure you
always show up like a pro, here are 10 Zoom guidelines to follow.

1. Eye level. The camera needs to be at eye level or a little higher. Never lower. Notice how
almost everyone on Zoom is looking down at their audience? This is the number one
mistake Zoomers make. Get a laptop stand or a stack of books and get eye level.

2. Lighting. Darkness spells doom. We must have our faces well lit. A $20 LED light will do
the trick.

3. Sound. Use a wired or Bluetooth mic for the best sound quality.

4. Camera. If you do a lot of Zooms with clients or prospects – people you want to
influence – invest in a webcam. Even a $100 webcam is twice as good as your laptop. Your
audience does not want to see you fuzzy. Phones and tablets usually have webcam-quality
cameras.

5. Become familiar with the settings under audio and video on Zoom.
Zoom now has a great background noise-reduction feature. Make sure it is enabled. Make
sure the mic and camera you’re using are selected. It is not automatic.
6. Learn how to screen share seamlessly. If you’re going to play a video during your
presentation, make sure you check “share sound” when you open the “share screen”
option or your video sound will not be heard. Here is a picture of the box to check.
Practice it before you go live so you’re not practicing it while everyone is waiting.

7. Do not read and respond to the chat while you’re presenting. This turns a presentation
into a backyard BBQ. Turn it off so you’re not tempted. Use a pre-created Q&A document
and post it in the chat to handle all the questions.
8. If you’re going to use a virtual background, use a green screen. Otherwise your head
will look like an alien’s. If you are corporate, consider everyone having the same branded
virtual background. Creativity is distracting and often off-brand. If you’re using a real
background, avoid ones with action-like streets, TVs, etc. And check your background for
anything that might be off-brand or distracting.

9. Manage disruptions. Lock your door. Put a sign on it that you’re “LIVE.” Silence your
phone AND all notifications on your computer and any other devices. You don’t want your
mom calling in the middle of your presentation or your email dinging nonstop.

10. Be prepared. Be on time. Be in the right mood. Be focused. Be groomed. (Check teeth
for spinach!) Be dressed appropriately for the brand and audience. Be on fire!