Zoom Call Mastery
Combat Zoom fatigue with these tips
We’ve all been in a lot of virtual meeting rooms, and Zoom fatigue is very real. But I was recently in an online gathering that could only be described as delightful.
The atmosphere was warm and inviting. The content was valuable. The conversations were deeply engaging.
It was everything an online meeting should be – and so few are.
Inspired, I thought about what ingredients combine to bake up a lovely Zoom experience. If you have more to add, please reply and share your tips with me. Maybe together we can build these functional interactions into beautiful bright spots in our day.
Thoughtful Reminders: My event host sent thoughtful reminders via email and text with a clear outline of the agenda. There was no room for confusion or last-minute searching for links.
Setting the Mood: As we entered the waiting room, attendees were greeted by a lovely (on brand) reminder to pause and breathe. Once admitted there was music playing, with lyrics and a tempo that matched the energy of the call.
Support Team: To keep her attention focused on her guests, our host had two people to support her. One was charged with all the technical aspects of the call. The other followed the chat and dropped in links and reminders as appropriate.
Thoughtful Conversation Prompts: Three years post-COVID, let’s stop opening every call by asking where everyone is in the world. There’s room for creativity in our ice breaker questions. Our host wasted no time helping members connect and introduced each round of breakout groups with a thoughtful prompt. The questions became deeper and more intriguing as the event progressed.
Here's a tip: Keep conversation prompts somewhat ambiguous and focused on the present, not the past. Something like, “Why is it important for you to be here today?” encourages meaningful connections without opening the door to long-winded stories that allow one person to dominate.
Allow for a Pause: Don’t be afraid of a few seconds of silence. Use this time to gently ask some of the quieter members if they’d like to contribute. A phrase like “I’d love to create space for everyone to have a voice” creates a welcoming atmosphere and can provide permission for introverts to enter the conversation.
Actionable Teaching Session: My host delivered a short, valuable teaching session. She broke down her topic into five clear, actionable points.
Element of Surprise: A prize wheel elevates the charm in any event. Our host used one to surprise us with small, thoughtful gifts chosen at random.
Graceful Offer: We all know many Zoom gatherings include a paid offer. But it doesn’t have to feel like a sales pitch. Our host strategically invited two members of her community to share their own, authentic experiences as she briefly and graciously introduced her offer.
Inspire Action: Tyler Harrington, Head of Community at Groove, sometimes ends with what she calls a “chat waterfall.” She poses a closing question and asks everyone to type their answer, but not to hit enter until she says “Go”. In a moment, the chat cascades with takeaways, learnings, and thoughts. Encouraging active participation before signing off primes members to implement something they learned.
Close with a Smile: I love the idea of leaving people smiling at the close. Another community pro, Yurii Lazaruk, ends each of his Friday gatherings with a “zoomfie” – a screenshot of all the participants in their goofy poses. In the Heartbeat community, everyone smiles before signing off and makes heart shapes with their hands.
You’ll notice none of these things requires a lot of time or effort to implement. Just the smallest thoughtful touches can turn your community events into deeply meaningful experiences.
Let me know if you apply any of these tactics to your next event and how it goes for you.
Keep smiling,
PS. If you’d like to elevate your community’s engagement and energy, take a look at my resources for some options and ideas.
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