On March 5th, I spoke at a banquet in north Georgia. On the sixth, I flew from Atlanta to Orlando to see my parents for a few days. I flew home March 9th…and haven’t left the state since. I’ve lost count on the number of events that have been canceled or postponed indefinitely. Initially, it looked like the speaking and speaker training business was going to be a bad career decision. Then the sun came up the next day… and the next. And people realized they still had to go on with life, running meetings, selling products, informing clients, teaching classes, and just connecting with other humans. Business is busier than ever, but the vast majority of our client interactions have transitioned online through Zoom (and Teams, Google Meet, Skype, etc.). 

Good communication is still about making it easy for your audience to consume and remember your material and giving them value for their time. 

When speaking in person, you can pick up on facial expressions, move to capture attention, invite side conversations and take ad hoc feedback easily. In person, your own expressions are easily seen, you are much more approachable, and the ability to break in conversationally is far easier. But you’re now reduced to a 2” x 3” (or smaller!) image. Your audience may not even bother to share a picture of themselves. It is more critical than ever to have a voice worth listening to and amp up those facial expressions. Find and seek out ways to solicit feedback and involve your audience.

If we’re going to communicate well remotely only through a small picture and sound, then our picture and sound need to be good. A decent webcam can be had for $25. A really nice one (HD) for $75. I bought a capture device for under $100 and use a camcorder or high-quality DSLR. The difference is notable. Except when you have no choice (while travelling, and even then I pack my webcam and a portable light), don’t use your onboard laptop webcam and microphone and don’t use a handheld device (mount your phone or tablet head high if you must use it).

A green screen can be obtained for under $20. I hang mine from the ceiling. When my normal backdrop won’t do or I’d like to theme my background, I switch to a green screen. Zoom (and other software) can pull your image out without a green screen, but it’s far more accurate when there is the stark contrast. Coupled with good lighting (below), you won’t look nearly as much like a cardboard cutout.

My backdrop using cheap lumber from my home improvement store.

Video and photography requires one thing: light. Don’t set up in front of a window or light. Put the light in front of you. Natural diffused light is best (don’t sit in the sun). But more is generally better. I bought two wall-mounted LED lights and a remote control outlets so I can turn them off and on from my chair. But a cheap lamp can work just as well. Play with your lighting. A dark, expressionless face or silhouette is not helping your communication. Light up the presenter! (and smile!)

This is probably the most expensive option in this article. But it also makes the biggest difference. I’ve got a USB mic ($120+) that is amazing, but my $35 headset is not far behind, and my cheap lapel mic is adequate. I’ve tried no fewer than seven mics, including a Zoom H2 recorder, Rode shotgun mic, and the camera’s onboard audio. Don’t discount your phone as an audio source. It has the best microphone you can afford, and you likely have a headset that works with it already. All of these options are SIGNIFICANTLY better than the onboard mic on your laptop or your webcam.

Communication matters. What are you saying?