Recently one of my posts on LinkedIn drew exponentially more views than others. After some reflection, I came to the conclusion that the reason for the interest was that business professionals are looking to improve how they use and improve their web conferencing.
Many of us are now working in a hybrid work environment. Our new work environment is nuanced and it is affecting the way our coworkers, customers and friends are communicating.
How do we improve communication skills over video?
This blog series will document my journey as I seek to improve web conferencing capabilities. We will dive deeper into how simple tools allow us to improve our interpersonal skills, engage coworkers and customers, and have more fun at work. I hope that it helps you personally and is a benefit to any teams you lead.
For me, there are several considerations to improving web conferencing. First, getting the most value out of the investment. Second, not to have value blinders focused on cost without considering future functionality. Third, a setup needs portability.
I use an office, a home office, and a beach house that I frequent. Lighting, sound, and background are important at each one.
A simple call to action for you, the reader, if you choose, is to complete the survey found at the end of this post. The 5 minute survey asks questions geared to gather information about your practice of Web Conferencing. Seriously…do you have pet peeves?
The more people that complete the survey on Web Conferencing the better the report will be on January 14th 2021. So please share this blog post, use the @ symbol, and tag your friends.
My current setup:
- iPhone Xr
- Ring Light - https://amzn.to/38caJR3
- GoPro (3 years old)
- MacBook Air 2017
- Plantronics Voyager 5200 - https://amzn.to/2WCcJgh
- Background setup - https://amzn.to/2KgZbnJ
- Microphone(s) $50 to $450
- Camera $100 to $2,500 (Can use an iPhone with a free app)
- Camera lens $500
- Mixer $395 to $895
- Additional lights $200
- Teleprompter $400
As you read the next few posts and participate in our survey, know that I have diligently searched for value, for those of you who do not care too much about budget, well… I have a “reasonable” budget and expect to spend $1,000-$2,000 to make major upgrades to as many aspects of my video conferencing as possible. I then expect to spend that much over the next 12 months as I continue to upgrade and test different setups.
For those who lead teams, and are looking for ways to improve your diversity and inclusion, these posts may even serve as a good starting point and/or roadmap of products that provide a lot of bang for the buck. Giving your virtual teams the tools to successfully web conference is in your best interest.
Next post: Microphones and the Importance of Sound