It is undeniable that the world, especially the working world, has shifted to being online! This article will help you and your business strive to look professional in the workplace, even from home.
Looking presentable The first thing that people see is your face. It is key that you look presentable, so clean up, shave if you need to, get a haircut, blow-dry your hair and shove a little makeup on. You want your first impression, of your client, to be positive and long-lasting. Ensure you wear colors that are plain and solid, for example, navy blue, this represents trustworthiness, which is key in gaining the right attention from your client.
Lighting from the front Most people don't realize, but in actual fact, having a natural or artificial light directing at your screen, this shadows most of your face and looks extremely unprofessional. The cheapest way to avoid this happening/is by simply sitting in front of a window or a place that emits natural daylight. The only issue with relying on natural daylight is that you may have a zoom conference in the evening, in this case, it is impossible to rely on natural daylight. The best way to fix this problem is by using a ring led light, these are really cheap on Amazon. Stand the light behind your computer, directing at your face, it's that simple!
A professional background Keep it simple and clean. The last thing you want is to have a messy background, especially when working from home. This will distract you, and your client from the main focus of the meeting. To avoid this, ensure your background is kept plain, for example, a plain white background, or featuring a picture frame. But the most effective, easy way to avoid this, is by having downloads of virtual backgrounds to upload to zoom, and therefore you are definitely in the right place! This will guarantee you looking professional to your clients.
Seek for a suitable angle Ensure you place the camera, that you are using, at eye level. Looking down, will look unflattering and take away from all your hard work in looking presentable. It will also look like you are not making eye contact with your client, resulting in you looking uninterested. You want to develop the best connection possible with your client, and eye contact is key in doing so.
Checking the sound Make sure you are heard. To guarantee being heard clearly and effectively, you must not sit too far from your microphone or even too close. This will affect the sound quality, resulting in you not being able to get the most you can out of your presentation. You should also be aware of unnecessary, surroundings noise. For example air conditioning, clocks and if you have kids running around the house, make you are in a soundproof room, or a room where you can't hear them.
"For me, I like to look presentable, when i'm outside. I'm not going to come to the office with nasty hair and pajamas just because I stayed up all night - that's just who I am"
Yoon Ahn