My most recent column, (Who Was That Masked Man?) in case youâve already forgotten, was about the ubiquitous wearing of masks, be they featuring promotional advertising or not. I donât usually sidebar in the first paragraph of my column (that is, it usually takes much longer for me to lose my train of thought), but I will update you with info on my COVID19 stricken friend: as of a couple of days ago, they did take him off the ventilator and he was doingâŚokay. Letâs not oversell this: he still has a long way to go. Itâs been close to two months. Wear your damn mask, okay?
That brings me to this column, which I began formulating immediately after the last one. In notes to myself, I scribbled âIf this is still a thingâŚâ. Of course itâs still a thing! Itâs gonna be a thing for quite some time. That is, unless you desperately need a haircut or a burrito in certain states. Donât get me started.
NeverthelessâŚduring this time itâs safe to say that youâve most likely participated in a Zoom conference (or some other brand of your preference), entering into this brave new world of conferencing. If you havenât, I have to seriously call into question your level of business activity. Me, I use it primarily to have Mastermind-level conversations with my two-and-a-half year old granddaughter.
I suspect that video conferencing is here to stayâŚat least for the foreseeable future. More and more companies have seen the light and are allowing their employees to work from home. More and more employees have come to appreciate the comforts of working from home, and have updated their wardrobes to include a better quality of pajama.
The conveniences notwithstanding, there are some pitfalls along the way that need to be taken into consideration when youâre communicating via this method. Here are some tips to help you continue the transition to âlazy slob who never leaves homeâ.
Iâll open with this one, as I personally witnessed it yesterday: Yes, weâre supposed to act naturally when participating in a video conference. Forget thereâs a camera and just participate. SureâŚyou might have to make an occasional adjustment to the equipment. By that, I mean your computer. My advice: think before you stand up. Iâll let you draw your own conclusions. OkayâŚnow some other useful ideas:
Get the Brady Bunch references out to the way early.
Are you having these conferences often? According to recent reports, Twitter will be allowing employees to work from home indefinitely. Theyâre not the only company. If these meetings are becoming part of your regular routine, you might want to consider your surroundings. Howâs the lighting? Is there a pizza stain on your shirt (and was this a breakfast meeting?)? Be comfortable in your surroundings, but remember to be a professional.
Donât talk to the camera. Talk through the camera. Youâre speaking with humans, not with the computer. You need to make eye contact with the people on the other side of the screen.
I live near a major highway. Now that the warmer weather is finally here (Snow? In May???), the windows are open and I hear every truck going by. Guess what: so does everyone with whom Iâm speaking. For the sake of the other participants in the meeting, shut your windows.
Doors too, if need be. My dog is a jerk, who has the habit of barking at the most inopportune times. Such as: always. If Iâm on a call, I shut the door. Yes, with him on the other side. Let the Trophy Wife deal with him.
Weâve all seen those videos of kids barging in while Mom/Dad are on a video chat. Theyâre hystericalâŚuntil they happen to you.
You know what else needs to be shut? Email notification âbingsâ and Facebook Messenger sounds. Along with any others. No one else needs to hear those.
To that end, shut off social media altogether (while I might mean in general, Iâm presently referring to when youâre on a video conference). Trust me: I know when youâre not paying attention to me because I can see you reacting to something else on your screen. Yes Iâm funny. Not that funny.
While youâre at it, shut the ringer on your phone, too.
If youâre going to be giving an actual presentation during a video conference, make sure youâre prepared ahead of time. Are your microphone and camera both working properly? You might want to consider a practice run. Sure, Grandma might be bored to tears listening to you go on about the Wenus, but shouldnât you be calling her more often anyway?
About your presentation: keep it short. If youâre running too long, you can see the MEGO look (My Eyes Glaze Over) from the other participants. Be concise. Remember, everyone else wants to go reheat their coffee too.
If your presentation will involve screen sharing, make sure all other windows are shut. YeahâŚthat could get embarrassing.
Long before the days of video conferencing and social distancing, I was (and still am) a âremote workerâ. I was a remote worker before we heard the term âremote workerâ. During a sales (phone) call with a client who I considered to be a friend, he said that heâd been working from home, on and off, for a couple of years. His advice: get ready for the day as though you have some place to be. This was just at the dawn of âcorporate casualâ, so he recommended wearing a dress shirt (no tie necessary). Shave, even if youâre not leaving the house. If you look the part, youâll feel the part. Be a professional.
Just remember: pants are your friend.
Mike Schenker, MAS, is âall thatâ at Mike Schenker, Consulting, where he assists businesses entering the promotional products industry, mentors professionals, and offers association management. He is a promotional industry veteran and member of the Specialty Advertising Association of Greater New York (SAAGNY) Hall of Fame. He can be reached at mike@mikeschenker.com.