# Hosting a call? Send your guests the check first

You can't fix your guests' setup for them, but you can send them here before the call. It takes about two minutes and works in any browser.

## Why it's worth asking

Poor sound makes your guests come across worse than they are. In a 2018 study, people listened to the same talks with good and poor sound. With poor sound, they found the speakers less likeable and less intelligent, and rated their work as less important. [Read about the study](https://checkyoursetup.pages.dev/guides/what-the-science-says/).

In a job interview, that's a judgement about the candidate that has nothing to do with them. On a podcast, your listeners hear it for the whole episode.

In therapy or a telehealth appointment, the cost is time. Sessions can be very short, and every minute spent on "can you hear me?" comes out of the care itself.

The usual causes are easy to fix once someone knows about them: a wireless headset used as a microphone, laptop speakers echoing into the mic, or a bright window behind them. Guests rarely notice, because they can't hear or see themselves the way you do.

## Something to paste into your invite

### Any call

> Before our call, could you take two minutes to check your camera and microphone at checkyoursetup.com?

### A job interview

> Before our interview, could you take two minutes to check your camera and microphone at checkyoursetup.com? It helps the call go smoothly.

### A podcast guest

> Before we record, could you run the two-minute check at checkyoursetup.com? It catches common sound problems, like a wireless headset microphone or echo from your speakers. Wired earphones are ideal if you have them.

### A therapy or telehealth appointment

> Before your video appointment, please take two minutes to check your camera and microphone at checkyoursetup.com. It helps us make the most of our time together.

### A client or patient appointment

> Before your appointment, please take two minutes to check your camera and microphone at checkyoursetup.com. At the end it gives you a checklist you can print.

### A family call

> Before our call, could you try checkyoursetup.com? It takes two minutes and helps us see and hear you better.

## What your guests will do

They pick the microphone, speakers and camera they use for calls, record a short clip and play it back, and run a 20-second echo test. Then they compare themselves with a few common video problems. At the end they get a checklist of fixes for the app they use, which they can print. Their video and sound are never sent anywhere.

[Run the check yourself](https://checkyoursetup.pages.dev/)