Virtual platforms pose a challenge for leaders accustomed to presenting in person. Reading the room online requires more focus, and a digital environment makes it harder to comprehend nonverbal cues like tone, pitch and body language. Add to that remote work’s myriad distractions and inconsistent internet connectivity interfering with video and audio quality, and it can feel impossible to gauge your performance and reception in real-time.
Leaders must tap into a different skill set to effectively deliver their messages and be engaging in a remote environment. Virtual venues require you to transition from reading nonverbal cues in the moment to getting curious about your participants before, during and after presentations to ensure your message lands. Here are six ways to deliver well-received presentations when you and your audience are bound by the limitations of virtual communication:
Use the Tech’s Features: While certain video platforms can limit a presenter’s ability to engage with audience members’ faces in real-time, built-in features like polls, chats, whiteboards, thumbs-ups or raised hands can help you get and keep people’s attention. Incorporate these engagement tools early in the presentation to get people in the mood to participate.
Open With A Story That Speak to your Audience: Gather some information about your participants beforehand and build in a personal story that will resonate with them. Keep it short and specific. Stories, anecdotes and metaphors are proven to increase engagement — as long as they’re delivered with authenticity and vulnerability and clearly reinforce your desired message.
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Solicit Participation in Advance: Research shows that facilitating meetings in an active way, including calling on participants to share, is key to increasing engagement and effectiveness. Give your audience an early heads-up that you’ll be asking for two or three volunteers to contribute during the meeting — this will help people stay attentive and poised to participate, and it will minimize their likelihood of multitasking or checking out.
Be Clear, Be Brief And Be Quiet: Keep lengthy monologues to a minimum. When you ask a question, wait confidently for someone to answer, rather than interpreting silence as a lack engagement. It can take longer for participants to digest and respond to information over video, so use the extra seconds as an opportunity to listen deeply before asking a follow-up question or calling on a volunteer.
Don’t Discount Non-verbal Cues Entirely: A 2007 study found that people can read information and emotions better if their body language and facial expressions are also on display. Before you present, encourage participants to have their cameras on, and identify one person to whom you’ll aim your delivery throughout your presentation. Watch that person’s face and body language for signals of how the talk is being received.
Follow up for Feedback: After your presentation, solicit feedback from one or two trusted participants to see if you delivered your message successfully. If the meeting was recorded, watch the video, paying special attention to how participants responded to your attempts to engage them. Identify two or three techniques you can incorporate next time to improve your connection with the audience.
