From Glitches to Greatness: Mastering the Art of the Video Call
by Maya Menon, Communication Coach
Video Call fatigue is real. But so is the potential to build trust, connection, and conversions - if you know how to ride the madness.
Let’s face it - online video calls are the new battleground of business.
Somewhere between choppy audio, frozen faces, surprise appearances by cats, kids, and clingy curtains, lies an opportunity to connect, pitch, and sell.
You just have to know where to look - and how to hold your ground while your screen flickers like a low-budget sci-fi movie.
Here’s what typically happens on video calls - and how to turn every weird, glitchy moment into strategic advantage:
The Waiting Room Whisper Network
“Let’s wait for the client to join…”
Cue the quiet flurry.
Someone does a hurried mic test.
Another is triple-checking if the right deck is open (it’s not).
Someone else whispers, “So… what’s this meeting about again?” while pretending to look calm and composed.
There’s a certain nervous choreography to this - part panic, part performance. But here’s the thing: this pre-client limbo is not dead air.
It’s a soft launch.
A moment to align, breathe, and centre yourself before game time.
Trust Builder: Use the waiting time to quietly own the room. Speak less, radiate more. When the client finally joins, you should already feel like the most grounded person on the call.
Mute Button Mayhem
Every call kicks off with the modern-day business chant:
“Maya, You’re on mute.”
“Still can’t hear you.”
“Try unmuting…”
"Am I audible?"
Like clockwork.
While this is mildly irritating, it’s also a shared moment. Everyone’s been there.
It’s familiar. And familiar = comfortable.
Trust Builder: A light-hearted start disarms resistance. It signals approachability. Start with a smile, not a script.
Gallery View of Doom
The tiles on a video call are rarely flattering. Someone’s overlit. Another is underlit. One person’s camera is angled straight up their nose. And there’s always one tile that feels like it belongs in a true crime docuseries.
Don’t blend in.
Show up well-lit, framed, and focused. You don’t need a studio setup - just intention.
Trust Builder: Visuals matter. Look like someone they want to trust - because trust builds before the product pitch even begins.
Background Noise = Unexpected Theater
Nothing like a mid-pitch moment interrupted by a pressure cooker whistle, a doorbell symphony, or someone’s toddler singing rhymes with terrifying commitment.
It’s awkward. It’s annoying. It’s life.
Instead of pretending it’s not happening, roll with it.
Acknowledge. Pivot. And carry on like it’s all part of the plan.
Trust Builder: Your ability to stay composed through the chaos builds more credibility than your slides ever will.
The Tech Tangle: Screen Share & Keyboard Clatter
You’ve got your sleek deck ready. You're about to screen-share. And somehow, you accidentally show your calendar, your desktop, and a tab titled "7 ways to sound confident on video calls."
It happens. But it doesn't have to derail the moment.
Minimize tabs. Practice transitions. And yes, check which screen you’re about to share - preferably before showing the client your weekend grocery list.
Trust Builder: Tech smoothness reads as professionalism. When your delivery is glitch-free, your message lands with authority.
The Silent Observers
Ignore them at your own risk. That’s often the real decision-maker, quietly watching, forming an opinion.
Address everyone. Mention names. Ask direct but open questions. Keep them in the loop, even if they never unmute.
Trust Builder: Influence often hides in the quietest square. Speak to the full room, not just the loudest ones.
That Awkward Ending Wave
And then comes the strange ceremonial close.
The “Thanks everyone!” + chaotic waving + abrupt log-offs + someone frozen mid-smile like they’ve just seen a ghost.
It’s charming. It’s awkward. It’s your cue.
Don’t fumble the finish. Use your closing moment wisely - recap the ask, confirm the follow-up, and exit with quiet confidence.
Then? Send a crisp, clear follow-up email that shows you’re not just professional - you’re proactive.
Trust Builder: Great calls are remembered. Great follow-ups are rewarded.
Final Thoughts: Make the Mess Work for You
Online video calls aren’t perfect. They’re messy, glitchy, and weirdly intimate. But that’s exactly where the opportunity lies.
You don’t need a perfect pitch. You need presence. You need clarity. You need the ability to stay sharp while the world goes fuzzy around you.
Because if you can hold your ground while someone’s dog is barking, the screen share is stuck, and half the team looks like they’re calling in from Narnia - you’ve already won half the battle.
The rest? That’s just good follow-through.
