Picture this…
A two-day annual conference, including the finals of four speech contests. No auditorium. No chairs. No sounds of delegates networking. But an audience of some 800 nonetheless. Behind the scenes, two Zoom meetings. The audience in the first. Speakers, contestants, judges, session chairs and other officials in the second. And then there were breakout rooms for workshops, for judges so they could remain anonymous, and for contestant briefings. Even though it was a UK event, speakers were streamed in from around the world, no expense spared! When the event went live, the Zoom meeting with multiple rooms, speakers, judges, etc was broadcast into the audience Zoom meeting. And all without a hitch!
Online is here to stay. The future may be ‘hybrid’, but expectations of how we speak and present online will continue to rise; expectations of speakers to be engaging, relevant and memorable. We need to make time to shine online with the three communication essentials of Confidence, Connection and a message that drives Change.
Confidence
Confident energy is vital online to help your audience feel comfortable and stay tuned in. Here’s how.
Set the scene
What can your audience see and hear and is it what you want them to see and hear? What’s around you that the camera or mic will pick up? Are there people or sounds that may interrupt? Is the space you’ve chosen sending out the message you intend?
Online, you’re on the small screen and the camera sees every detail, expression and gesture. Do you look your best? Is the light in the right place so you’re neither plunged into shadow, dazzled by sunshine nor eyes obliterated by reflections on glasses?
Keep calm
Relying on technology can sometimes feel like working with children and animals. In spite of doing all the appropriate tech checks, things can still go wrong. And people accept that this can happen. What’s important is that you handle it calmly and efficiently, explaining what’s happening. Even better, have a participant to take care of the tech side.
Show your confidence
- A genuine smile
- An open and stable posture that is relaxed and assured
- Dial down movement. On the small screen, big gestures that work in a large venue can overwhelm or fall off screen
- Steady eye contact and the correct positioning of your camera lens at just above eye level will show you as open and sincere… with no double chins!
Connection
If you want your listeners to remember your talk or presentation, you need to connect emotionally with them:
“They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel” (Carl W Buehner)
Answer their ‘What’s In It For Me?’
As the meeting host or presenter, it’s your responsibility to give people something they’ll value by answering their all-important ‘What’s In It For Me’ question – as quickly as possible – so that they have a reason to carry on listening. To achieve this, find out who’s coming, what makes them tick and why they’re attending.
‘You’ is the magic word
You-focused language creates a strong feeling of inclusivity and, simultaneously, a personal connection with each and every listener. In the English language, ‘you’ power comes from being both singular – a one-to-one conversation – and plural, including everyone.
Less PowerPoint, more story
Storytelling comes into its own online. We are hard wired to connect through stories. Share a relevant personal story, openly and honestly, so your listeners can relate to you, and your talk is engaging and memorable.
In stark contrast, sharing your screen and wading through bullet points is neither engaging nor memorable and fast-track to losing your listeners. Prioritise relevant storytelling at every opportunity.
Change
In the words of John F Kennedy (US President, 1961-63), “The only reason to give a speech is to change the world.” Speaking is our opportunity to remain visible, explore and share change and start building our future.
Your new and relevant message
To stand out online, what you have to say needs to be new and on point. Start at the end of your presentation or meeting with how you want people to think, feel or act afterwards. Identify your message and only incorporate content that supports it. Check your favourite search engine to make sure your message fits the bill.
Make life easy for your audience
Zoom fatigue is now part of our lives and our attention spans are short at the best of times. In our enthusiasm for a subject, it’s easy to say too much and overwhelm our listeners. Less is most definitely more online.
Break up your presentation into small ‘chunks’ of around five minutes each and top and tail each chunk with what you’ll cover and a keyword to sum it up. Signpost what you have to say so your audience has the ‘road map’ for your talk and it’s clear and easy to follow.
Conclusion
Effective communication is more important than ever. At the moment, we need to talk and present convincingly online. In future we will almost certainly need to shine online AND in physical locations, with our real audience in the same room.
