People are lazy.
They make snap judgements.
They usually decide within a few MICRO seconds whether to:
Trust you
Listen to you
Care about you
We’ve been taught how important first impressions are in person..
Firm handshake
Eye contact
Smile
But somehow on camera…
We show up unprepared.
If you fail to make an impression on camera…
Worst case:
They won’t believe you or trust you.
Best case:
They will forget about you.
Here are 5 mistakes you might be making on-camera that are damaging your first impression.
Mistake 1:
You start talking immediately.
Whether you’re making a presentation, an intro call or doing an interview, starting slow serves you well
Take a micro second to:
Breathe
Observe
Smile
You’ll become more aware of the audience
The audience will get a chance to look at you (and remember you)
Mistake 2: Your background is poorly dressed
We make an effort to put on a business-casual top.
But we forget to make our background look pro.
Think of how many blank walls your audience has seen lately
And now make an effort to “dress up” your background:
Add a plant
Add some books
Step away from the wall
Pro-tip:
Don’t blur your background or use a fake one
Studies show: using a blurred or fake background gives a signal that you’re hiding something
Mistake 3: poor eye contact
Eye contact is important in person to build trust
So why do we forget the same science applies on-camera?
X Don’t look at another screen the whole time
(tick) Have your audience on the same screen as your webcam
Mistake 4: bad camera angle
If your camera is too high,
You look small
You send the signal: I’m not that important
If your camera is too low
You look intimidating
Your signal: I’m dominating
Keep your webcam at eye-level
This establishes “equality” between you and your audience
Mistake 5: poor hand gestures
Your audience only sees your top half.
Which means: your hands are now twice as important.
People trust you more when they can see your hands
Use them intentionally in the first few seconds to build trust
Pro-tip:
Before your meeting, check your video frame
Make an effort to raise your hands so they are visible in the frame
If you make these small adjustments,
You are increasing your chances of winning at your next meeting, presentation or call
It takes longer to correct a bad first impression than it takes to make a good one in the first place
