zoom Skype FaceTime regardless of the
virtual medium the new normal has
created the opportunity or terrifying
reality for you to speak on camera to
your audience but how can you calm your
nerves capture their attention and keep
them engaged in this video you will get
seven key speaker tips to help you
present like a pro at your next virtual
meeting
I'm Ria's McGee founder of the every
conversation counts platform and 17-year
broadcaster for videos on connecting
deeper asking powerful questions and
becoming a captivating storyteller on
every stage subscribe to this channel
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make every conversation couch now
recently the two words I've been hearing
zoom fatigue I think we're all missing
that in-person face-to-face interaction
as we adjust to the reality of operating
in the presence of each other's absence
when you are given the opportunity to
speak though and this could be in a more
formal meeting or a keynote presentation
whether it's in person or in the virtual
space the fundamentals of speaking stay
the same all effective communication
that dries connection is one-to-one if
you're presenting through video pic of
one viewer if you're a writer think of
one reader and a podcaster think of one
listener the next time you are asked to
present at a virtual meeting these seven
key speaker tips will help you captivate
your audience first things first
engage them early and that involves
planning beforehand what are the
priorities for your audience is it
scheduling is it future projects is this
job security find out what they want and
then structure content that is
meaningful to them when it comes to
meeting time make sure you arrive early
so you can connect with people as they
pop up into the meeting this extra 5 to
10 minutes could help you check in with
people are they overwhelm with zoom
meetings home responsibilities managing
their own range of emotions this is your
chance to show them that you care and at
the same time this exercise will help
put you at ease when things get going
out of the gate use a poll question
maybe use the chat function asking
people where they're coming from what do
they hope to get out of this meeting do
they know what day it is today but refer
to them by their name because their name
is the most important word in your
conversation and when it comes to the
virtual medium we need these triggers to
stay connected there's gonna be a lot
going on explain what you're doing if
you're looking down if you're reading
questions if you're sharing your screen
it is easy to look distracted in the
virtual medium so make sure you're
describing your actions and this will
help establish purpose and intent
number two level up your lighting and
sound good lighting and sound are key
ways to make a strong impression for
this setup I use a ring light and an
external lav microphone like you see
right here to help elevate the
production for this content without
those elements as you can see in here
this video would have a completely
different feel number three start with
story I get this question a lot when you
start your presentation should you ask a
question off the top should you share a
shocking statistic I suggest start with
story make them feel something real
right off the top you want to hook them
with an emotional roller-coaster ride
because the more real that you can be
the more real the experience will feel
for your audience now you might be
wondering well what story do you tell
well think about the questions the
people in your audience are asking
themselves right now they might be
asking well what am I gonna do now
what's the first thing I'm gonna do when
isolation is over how will I reinvent
you want to build your narrative around
their priorities not yours fourth point
bypass the bystander effect we've all
been there diffusion of responsibility
is a psychological phenomenon in which
people are less likely to take action
when in the presence of a large group of
strangers so picture this you're the
speaker you're in a zoom chat and you
deliver a powerful story followed by a
powerful question and then crickets
people are waiting for someone else to
jump in so if you're the speaker and you
have good relationships with some of
your attendees call on them by name to
help avoid some of that
or have a few backup questions to ask to
trigger some thoughts and ideas from
your group so you can help bypass that
bystander effect in a virtual setting
the goal is consistent engagement
throughout popular technique for
adaptive learning the think-pair-share
technique throw out the question give
the audience some time to think about it
then get your group to pair up in
breakout rooms and have them share their
thoughts after get them to report back
in your main room these engagement
triggers are vital with virtual
presentations try and hit them every 7
to 10 minutes because the more actively
involved the audience is the more they
will listen and take action after the
presentation is over number 6
consistency cultivates trust it is so
much harder to read people's cues and
understand their personality through the
screen consistency is really key for how
you come across when trying to build
that trust if you're the Joker cracking
one-liners in emails and then present
with a serious tone and deadpan delivery
people will wonder who the real person
is so do yourself a favor
whatever your vibe is humor edge warmth
keep it consistent and help build that
trust final point practice record repeat
being on camera could be a whole new
experience for you and at first it can
really feel overwhelming you might be
asking yourself well how do I look
is that what I really sound like did I
smile enough you know when I first got
into the television business almost 20
years ago I asked a seasoned host and
reporter how long did it take you to get
comfortable being in front of the camera
and he'd been in the business
maybe over 15 years he paused and he
said I'm still figuring this out and not
always stuck with me because throughout
my entire television career I would
actually watch the playback after every
show and every interview to review how I
present it and more importantly how I
could improve I look at pace posture
micro facial expressions fully
recognizing that you know what it all
gets better with practice so record
yourself on camera review it ask someone
you trust for feedback and then
the process repetition will help you
gain confidence in front of the camera
and help you improve for your future
virtual presentations hope these tips
were helpful
what does help do you shine when
speaking at your virtual presentations
definitely let me know in the comments
below for more tips on human connection
be sure to check out the free download
the 5 secrets to making every
conversation count you can get that
guide at the link in the description
below thanks for watching check out
these videos for more ideas on how you
can have better conversations and
overcome conflict to help save your
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you in the next video