Don’t mess up your video conference! Tips to get it right!

Flubbed your last video conference? No matter, how smart people look in their tuxedos or pencil skirts, video conferences can make them break in to cold sweat. There are a lot of things that can go wrong. Recording equipment that conk out at the last minute, spotty internet connection, nervous speakers and above all a recording that sounds like train wreck.

Here are a few common mistakes people make at video conferences. Avoid them like the plague the next time you are conducting a video conference.

1.Not doing a dry run. The next time your expensive equipment refuse to work or your carefully constructed sentences run into each other don’t blame luck. Luck is where preparation meets opportunity! Do a, quick dress rehearsal, before you hit record.

2.Dress in clothes that won’t make the camera dance. Stripes, polka dots and bright colors can cause disturbing and weird patterns on camera. Dress in off-white or mid-range colors and avoid stripes.

3.Love winging it? You are lucky if you are one of those speakers who are articulate, witty and engaging. Unfortunately most of us don’t make it to that category. Have a prepared script and go over it often. You don’t want to spend the entire conference buried in notes.

4.Keep the audience involved and don’t go into boring monotones. Change visuals frequently, ask questions, listen really hard and ask focused questions.

5.Introduce yourself and the participants clearly. Make sure you pronounce all their names right. This is especially of great use when you want to transcribe your conferences later on.

6.Record in a background that is uncluttered and preferably white or plaid. This will help in white balancing the camera and also look more professional on-screen.

7.Start the conference on time. Being fashionably late is never going to work in the business world. Don’t leave the others yawing and make it a point to be on time.

8.Being preoccupied. A surprising number of video conference speakers sound self-obsessed and preoccupied and it makes them look like they are having conversations with themselves. Be less preoccupied and more participative.

9.Always, always record your video conferences. There is no point in regretting later on that you didn’t record your conference. Use professional quality devises to get decent output.

10.Transcribe video conferences and send a copy of the transcript to all the participants. It serves as a record of the video conference.