Remember making up fancy invitations for parties and events? They were designed to say something about the event, and to have your name on them so you felt special. Invitations matter; they say something about the welcome you can anticipate. I feel disappointed when I receive a Zoom invitation that includes phone-in numbers for other countries and lacks a meaningful meeting name. The default invitation from Zoom is generic and US-centric. Modifying it to make it seem personal and relevant is the matter of seconds, not minutes. Compare the feel of these two invitations:
What I send
Topic: Jim and Linda
Time: Sep 7, 2020 03:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/xxxxx11111111111
Meeting ID: xxxxx11111111111
Passcode: Passcode5
What Zoom creates by default
Linda Kirkman she/they is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Linda Kirkman she/they’s Zoom Meeting
Time: Sep 7, 2020 03:00 PM Canberra, Melbourne, Sydney
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/jxxxxx111111111111
Meeting ID: xxxxx11111111111
Passcode: 164383
One tap mobile
+16699006833,,85341255092#,,,,,,0#,,164383# US (San Jose)
+19292056099,,85341255092#,,,,,,0#,,164383# US (New York)
Dial by your location
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Meeting ID: xxxx11111111111
Passcode: 164383
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdilSWz9Nz
My process
The meeting invitations I send are usually for clients of my sex therapy practice. Some people have not used Zoom before, and often there is anxiety about the session. If it is me and one other person I put their name first in the meeting title. If it was a group meeting I’d put the title of the event. I change the passcode to something meaningful and easy. I select the ‘computer audio’ option which means no telephone numbers are offered, and ‘other calendar’ which means I’m not defaulting to a particular calendar format. I copy the invitation, ignoring the first line.
I paste the invitation into an email, with personal comments relevant to the client. If we are in the same time zone I delete the cities next to the date. I remove the spaces. (It is possible I can amend some of these settings in my account page; must explore further.)
What is left is a concise message with the person featuring in the invitation, a passcode they can remember and the web link for the meeting clearly available. It is still a technological connection, not a fancy paper invitation with pictures and fun, yet it is personal and as simple as possible. In doing this I’m making the recipient feel welcome and as if the meeting is about them, not me.