BEFORE


4. BACKGROUND What appears in the background of your remote confer- encing window says a lot about you. Most spaces can look professional – even a repurposed storage room or closet. A cryptocurrency trader I advised had been working in his nondescript dark basement. By purchasing appropriate lighting, an elegant credenza, wall art, and a blooming or- chid, we transformed the space with the look of a sophisti- cated high-end office. • Keep background bookshelves organized with books in a vertical position; limit knickknacks and picture frames.


• Remove glass-framed photographs and certificates to reduce glare and reflection from lights.


• Add style with an abstract piece of art placed off-center. • Add a plant. • Wear contrasting colored clothing to stand out against the background.


• The “blur” feature in Zoom’s virtual backgrounds tab is a good option if you don’t have a professional background.


AFTER ©SHELLEY GOLDEN


2. LIGHTING Lighting is a critical element of trustworthiness. Good lighting illuminates your eyes and face evenly – making it less distracting and easier to engage. • Sit facing a window, if possible. • Purchase an LED video light to be able to change the temperature and hue from cool (white) to warm (yellow-orange).


• If you wear glasses (or facing a window isn’t an option) position two lights, one on each side, slightly higher than your head – angled downward at the 10 and 2 o’clock positions.


• If you don’t wear glasses, it’s OK to have the light source directly in front of you.


• The “Touch up my appearance” button in Zoom’s video settings helps reduce wrinkles and softens your skin.


• Super Tip: Place fuchsia and bright yellow sticky notes over portions of your lights to create a peachy, more natural skin tone. This works for all shades of skin.


3. SOUND


How crisp and clear you sound to others is as important as how you look. • An external microphone such as a clip-on lavalier or earbuds will improve the sound and reduce back- ground noise.


• Check your video conferencing platform for the “noise suppression” option.


• Use the “suppress background” feature to remove distracting background noises.


• Limit use of virtual backgrounds, as they make you ap- pear less trustworthy.


• If you need a virtual background, purchase a green screen to reduce visual distortions.


5. BEST CLOTHING FOR VIRTUAL CONFERENCING Have others focus on you and what you say rather than on what you’re wearing. • Wear solid colors. • Avoid wearing black and white – black makes it difficult to read your body language, and white makes you look washed out.


• Avoid wearing large patterns such as plaids, stripes, or busy patterns.


• Avoid tank tops and T-shirts. They are unprofessional. • Wear minimal accessories – avoiding glitzy, flashy, and noisy jewelry.


• Apply simple and minimal make-up. • Wear lipstick to emphasize your lips, but avoid shiny lip gloss and frosted eye shadow, as it comes off looking white in the camera, unless you have ex- tremely dark skin.


Accelerate success each time you jump on a sales


call. By intentionally taking control of how you show up online, you give yourself, your team, your customers, and everyone you communicate with the best possible opportunity for more successful online engagements – creating a win-win on both sides of the screen. 


Shelley Golden is a professional presence consultant and video conferencing makeover expert who helps professionals elevate their image in person and online. For more information, visit her Website or connect with her on LinkedIn.


SELLING POWER SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 | 19 © 2022 SELLING POWER. CALL 1-800-752-7355 FOR REPRINT PERMISSION.


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