The Real Benefits of Powerful Virtual Presence
Understandably, we have been focused on the challenges of virtual communication and video conferencing over the past six months. But what about the opportunities? More specifically, what benefits do we unlock with effective video conferencing skills?
First, it is essential to note that the below benefits can really only be accessed when the users have developed virtual presence skills. If we are still battling poor lighting, terrible framing and distracting backgrounds…it’s difficult to make a case in favor of video conferencing.
Instead, let’s assume we have a foundational level of virtual presence according to metrics I outline in When You Can’t Meet in Person as well as my virtual presence workshops.
Save Time and Money
The narrative of saving time on both ends of our typical commute is significant with remote work. This benefit becomes even more significant when we realize the role video conferencing plays in making this remote experience possible.
Taking this a step further, video conferencing reduces the need to travel to client meetings in person. This means additional time savings for employees and serious financial savings. When you factor in the stress of air travel and delays, we open up a higher quality of life for on-the-road professionals.
Extend Your Reach and Influence
In line with the opportunity of saving time due to the reduction in travel, you increase your chances of finding a convenient time to connect with that important client or colleague.
Consider the client who lives across the country or perhaps the globe. Because you no longer have to spend a day traveling to meet, you can arrange the video meeting without having to hop on a plane. Particularly if you are keeping your video calls efficient and no longer than they need to be, this option becomes even more palatable.
Grow Rapport Through Virtual Presence
While many associate the nature of video conferencing as an impersonal experience, this is mostly caused by the users’ lack of experience and skill when it comes to creating a powerful and personal virtual connection. In video settings, more so than in person, we can control what our audience sees. We have a distinct frame of reference – the lens – to which we can orient our gestures, our posture and our background.
In those cases where you are video conferencing in to someone’s home, what cues are you able to pick up on that might help you build an even deeper rapport than if you had met in a stale office or at a coffee shop?
In a recent workshop I led, a musical instrument was hung on the wall behind my client – this led to an engaging and dynamic conversation about their passion for music. It would have been near impossible to guess this had we not been on video.
There is a real potential waiting for those who invest in a video conferencing set up, you can bring a richness into your video meeting that would be difficult to recreate in person. A wall accent here, an intentionally placed picture there. The choice to bring a lot of personality and interest into your conversations - or - to keep things clean and simple is yours.
Invest in Training
What I am advancing here, is an argument in support of the benefits of video conferencing as a tool that can increase efficiency, financial sustainability and access for you and your company. It is well worth investing in your and/or your workforce’s virtual presence in order to really tap into these benefits.
While AI and machine learning will undoubtedly play important roles in improving the overall quality of our video image and other aspects, it will remain in your best professional interest to develop the skills to confidently show up on video. Sign up for a virtual workshop, download a copy of my eBook on the subject or simply reach out for more information!