Virtual Meeting Etiquette: How Much Eye Contact is Enough?
To establish a relationship with another person, experts say we should aim for making direct eye contact with them at least two-thirds of the time. And, of course, making direct eye contact on video calls can only be done by looking at the camera.
So, how much eye contact are you making on video calls?
Are you making enough to allow for a relationship to develop? Or are you creating barriers to that relationship through your sporadic or minimal attempts? Because in addition to helping you quickly build a relationship, direct eye contact also conveys confidence, friendliness, truthfulness, and approachability. In other words, qualities you can’t afford not to express in sales!
How Much Eye Contact Are You Making on Video Calls?
Most people vastly over-estimate the amount of eye contact they are making on video calls and meetings. One salesperson estimated they were making eye contact with their customer at least 80% of the time on a call. But when they took the following test, they were shocked to discover that they were making eye contact with them less than 30% of the time!
Now you can take that same test and quickly find out just how much eye contact you are making on video calls – and what you can do to improve.
What you need:
– A stopwatch or the stopwatch app on your phone or watch.
– A recent recording of yourself on a typical business video call, e.g., with a customer, a partner, or a larger audience.
Take The Test:
- Start the video and click “Start” on your stopwatch when your eyes in the recording meet your eyes as a viewer. Hit “Pause” as soon as the “recorded you” breaks connection with the “real you.” Once the “recorded you” makes direct eye contact with the “real you” again, hit “Start.” Continue, starting and pausing in this way until the end of the call.
- Divide the total amount of time on your stopwatch by the total length of the call to get the percentage of time you’re actually making direct eye contact with your audience.
- Find your percentage below to see what it means.
What Your Score Means:
80% or higher: Congrats! You’re in a very elite group! Imagine what you can do when you learn how to use that eye contact and your other virtual tools to deepen and further that connection with your audience! Now, make sure you’re making the most effective type of eye contact here.
67-79%: While this may be a sufficient level of eye contact for building relationships in person, you need to up your game if you want to develop meaningful relationships on video, after all, if you’re not looking at the camera, your audience doesn’t know if you’re reading notes, checking email, or just checking out! Find out how to apply strategic eye contact to experience less audience tune out and a higher level of engagement here.
50-66%: Warning: Your eye contact is below the acceptable level for in-person relationships, which means your virtual relationships are at risk. See “Get the Roadmap” below…
0-49%: Danger Will Robinson! Your audience doesn’t know if you can see them or hear them. They’re prey to distractions and competitive overtures. But take a deep breath. This is where most people start. You’ll learn all you need to know about making direct, personal eye contact in my new book, Look Me In the Eye. So hang on, because dramatic improvements in your personal interactions on video are right around the corner. See below…
Get The Roadmap
If it were easy to make direct, personal eye contact with your customer, everyone would be doing it already! But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible, especially now that I’ve taken all the guesswork out of how to master this non-negotiable skill (and many others) in my new book, Look Me In the Eye: Using Video to Build Relationships with Customers, Partners, and Teams.
Look Me In the Eye – Now on Amazon!
Imagine a virtual meeting that feels as if you’re sitting across from someone having a cup of coffee. Impossible? Not anymore!
In my new book that won the Gold Medal Top Sales book of 2021, Look Me In the Eye, you’ll discover how actors, reporters, and other on-screen pros form personal connections with people through the screen – and how you can apply their secrets to build stronger relationships in business that drive sales!
Get your copy today on Amazon!
