5 Tips To Stand Out on Zoom: How to Look Your Best on Video Calls

[@Tirelesswarrior]

Thanks so much. Really brilliant and captivating. I like the blend of nerdish/professional tone.😃😃 Effective!

[@jamiehayes6714]

Great tips thanks Adrian. Here's three more tips. 1. Virtual brand wall If you are selling or coaching via Zoom, and represent a brand (your's of your employer's) I suggest you create a branded background (with subtle brand wall behind) or get a graphic designer to create a brand wall. We provide our licensees and franchisees with a virtual background that shows just part of a brand sign on the wall, with a little shadow, as if it were mounted off the wall. We even add a plant. Plus, to get the bokeh blur effect (wall 5 feet behind you) we actually provide a slight blur to the virtual background. For those doing sales by Zoom, I am convinced that conversion and yield is greater if you are visibly representing a brand, than just yourself. Test and measure. 2. Room acoustics I'm not sure if you mentioned room acoustics in this video. Room reverb (like echo) from hard surfaces (ceiling, walls, windows, desk and floor) create a "noisy restaurant effect" and makes it harder for guests to understand you. I think it actually reduces your authority. Finally, even though Zoom has an echo cancellation feature (mainly from your mic picking up feedback from your computer speakers), I feel it's best to minimise this by softening as many surfaces as possible, with mats and curtains. Most desks are hard surfaces but you can now get large neoprene gaming desk mats. Wearing wired earbuds is a very good way to minimise echo (feedback from your speakers to your mic). I like the Shure SE215 earbuds with clear cable. Now, these sound tips also apply to a guest you may be interviewing. They typically want to come across well, but so many guests are ignorant of how they sound. Their content might be great but the reverb makes people switch off your podcast episode. Interestingly, we have all seen guests sounding very good wearing cheap wired white earbuds where the mic is on the cable near and in front of their mouth. When I find the best I will send an Amazon link to them or even send them as a gift. Unfortunately all earbud reviews only focus on the listening sound quality (in the ears) and not the listener sound quality (from the in-cable mic) so their voice does not sound thin. If anyone knows a great model, please post it in reply. 3. Black t-shirt I really like that Adrian wears a black t-shirt so if his mic pops into the screen it will not be noticed. Of course the Shure MV7 is black and has a great acoustic pattern choice that allows it to be about 12 inches away and out of screen. Unfortunately my current mic (Heil PR40) is silver and needs to be close to my mouth. Adrian I am sure you cover all the above in other videos. Thanks for this one, which I'll be sharing with our teams. Greetings from Brisbane.

[@focusfilms4300]

Interesting #1. I absolutely advise my clients against using virtual backgrounds because unless you have excellent lighting (which most people don’t) they look very amateurish with shoulders and tops of heads disappearing occasionally.

[@mayatasa]

Thanks, that was great. As to your second last tip, I find that viewing only the speaker instead of the entire gallery and placing him/her, like you said, really close up to the webcam, not only removes distractions, but makes it look like Im staring into the camera 👍

[@Linda22Rose]

Very helpful. Love your videos. is there a downloadable green screen somewhere?

[@littleripper312]

This is great and it can take time to get things right. It's best to practice on non important calls before starting say important interviews. It can be so difficult if you're living in a cramped situation with lots of people and no where to properly setup. I'm trying to figure out a corner space in my bedroom, it won't look great but I find the blurred background or fake backgrounds while I'm sitting on my bed looks very bad. If I had an interview it would be terrible.

[@AdrianSalisbury]

I'm glad you found this useful and hope you figure out where's best for you to set up : )

[@MikeBlissett]

Excellent video and tips, Adrian. Many thanks.

[@AdrianSalisbury]

thank you

[@Csaba.TCsabi]

Thank you very much for this video❤

[@AdrianSalisbury]

You're welcome 😊

[@nicolavetter9071]

Hi Adrian, another great piece of information. I can’t wait for the KZbin Academy to start next week. Could you just let me know where to get the subscribe and click buttons?

[@classicjetskis]

Will definitely be upping my zoom game 👌👌

[@3t3rnalstudent]

This is very helpful.

[@borisSol]

thank you Adrian very helpful

[@AdrianSalisbury]

Glad it was helpful!

[@nicolebrown230]

Where are the other Youtuve links you mentioned in the video?

[@adamchatterley]

Obviously you know how much I love your training Adrian . . but where do you sit on continuity camera on the iPhone. I’ve recently been doing a lot of travelling and using my iPhone in place of my Panasonic G7. It’s obviously not quite as good, but for ease of set up, lack of cables and power etc . . it’s pretty blooming’ good!

[@AdrianSalisbury]

I agree mate. While I've been away and talking to Owen back in the office, I've just used the phone camera mounted on my laptop. That said, I would use my camera if it were client-facing as there's a considerable improvement and I just know it's going to hold out and not do anything strange.

[@billdyer4243]

What about virtual office backgrounds with company logo

[@AdrianSalisbury]

There are several ways to do this, either in Zoom which I've covered in another video, or in higher quality using Ecamm Live (www.ecamm.com/adrian)

[@jazjerrytabuena]

What camera did you use?

[@Kommentarkanal-pc5nl]

Sony, he is telling in the Video. Just Watch 😊

[@bestowedwisdom]

I second this question: which camera? Specifically.

[@bestowedwisdom]

nvm, found the download link. There's a link in the description to download a list of equipment. (For anyone else who may have missed it!) Thanks for your videos Adrian!

[@iadorenewyork1]

Excellent advice. One comment: Having a TV screen or whatever it is right in back of you is distracting - not good.

[@AdrianSalisbury]

It's removed now :)

[@iadorenewyork1]

@@AdrianSalisbury -- I should say I really liked your presentation overall! I need help in my Zooming. I especially like the tip about the pile of books to lift up the laptop.

[@Joy-o8o]

The second picture shows a more tired face in my opinion... I prefer the BEFORE version.

[@bridgetoconnor4868]

Can you tell us which light and which camera you like best?

[@glennk.7348]

Best free lighting is to face a window with no direct sunlight and sheer curtains.

[@MrS-kv1ko]

Tooooooo much bla bla for that little Info