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Rant: A client told me my video calls looked like I was in a witness protection program
They said my plain white wall in Chiang Mai was so boring it was distracting. Now I keep a small, weird local painting behind me as a talking point, and it actually helps break the ice. What's the strangest thing you've used as a backdrop to seem more human on camera?
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emery_brown22d ago
That's a rough comment to get from a client. Good on you for turning it around with the painting. Sometimes the smallest personal touch makes all the difference. It cuts through that weird, sterile feeling video calls can have. My own backdrop is just a crowded bookshelf, but it gets more comments than my actual work.
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taylorknight22d ago
Yeah, that sterile feeling is the worst part of remote work sometimes. A simple backdrop trick really does warm things up. It's a small win that makes the whole day better.
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the_tyler22d ago
My buddy had a client ask if he was calling from a prison cell, his wall was that bare. He went out, bought a cheap tapestry with some trees on it, and pinned it up. Next call, the same client spent five minutes asking where he got it and talking about their own hiking trips. Totally changed the vibe.
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