In our increasingly digital world, virtual presentations and meetings have become the norm. Yet, many professionals struggle to effectively engage their audience through the lens of their laptop’s camera. How can you deliver a compelling message when your eye is drawn to the faces on the screen and your slides or notes, not that tiny green light at the top of your screen? In this post I offer some techniques and strategies that will help you become a master presenter on the virtual stage.
The Power of Eye Contact in Virtual Settings
In face-to-face interactions, it is natural to look at people's faces. This instinct carries over to virtual settings, where we find our eyes drawn to the gallery of attendees’ faces on our screens. The issue is, if we are looking at the gallery, we are not looking at our camera, which means our virtual audience has the impression we are not looking at them. This may cause them to lose interest in what we are saying and give into the myriad of distractions that are on their side of the virtual divide.
The solution to this problem is NOT to stare at your camera for your entire virtual presentation. For one thing, this is physically hard to do and probably not great for your eyes. For another thing, it can be a little freaky for your audience because you seem transfixed! It’s not natural to stare at one point for an entire presentation.
The solution is to change up where you look. Look at the gallery of faces, glance at your slides or notes and when you need to make a crucial point like when you make your ask, look directly at the camera. This variance in where you are looking can create a solid connection with your audience and keep them engaged.
Balancing Act: Camera, Gallery, Slides
One of the biggest challenges we face when communicating virtually is balancing our attention between the camera, the gallery, and any notes or visual aids we might be using. Here are some tips to help you strike the right balance:
Make your notes part of your slide deck: If you are using notes, make them part of your slide deck. This way you’ll be able to see them on the screen in front of you and refer to them discreetly.
Use the 'hide self-view' option: Many video conferencing platforms allow you to hide your own video feed. This can help you focus on your message, your audience and the camera, rather than getting distracted by your own image.
Share your slides in presentation mode: One nice aspect of most video meeting platforms is that when you put your slides into presentation mode, they are nicely displayed in front of you. You can easily glance at them, while keeping most of your attention on the gallery and the camera. As in all presenting, you don’t want to be reading your slides to the audience. That is never good form!
Practice and record: Practicing your presentation is just as important when making a virtual presentation as it is when you are presenting in person. Rehearsing your presentation on the virtual platform you’ll be using can be helpful to get the virtual lay of the land. It’s useful to have someone on the virtual call with you who can let you know where you are looking and if you are looking at the camera enough and at the right moments. It is also easy to record yourself and watch yourself back to see how you are coming across.
The Art of Natural Delivery
The goal in any presentation situation is to appear natural and engaged, not robotic or overly rehearsed. Here are some additional tips to help you achieve a natural delivery:
Use gestures, just make them up higher: Be sure to use hand gestures just as you would in a face-to-face presentation, but position them higher to be sure they appear in the window. One tip is to tilt your screen so there is very little space at the top of your head. This will create maximum space from your chin to the bottom of the screen where you can gesture. Gestures add energy and help you appear more natural.
Modulate your voice: Vary the tone and pitch of your voice to maintain interest. A monotone delivery can cause your audience to disengage, regardless of how intently you're looking at the camera.
Take breaks: It's a good thing not to look at the camera constantly. Just as you would break eye contact in an in-person conversation, you can break it in the virtual realm as well. These moments allow both you and your audience a brief mental rest.
Engage with your audience: Given how much more difficult it is to keep your audience’s attention when presenting virtually, consider using interactive elements like polls or Q&A sessions. This helps keep your audience involved and breaks up the potential monotony of a one-way presentation.
Final Thoughts
Mastering your ability to be an effective virtual communicator is an ongoing process. Each presentation or meeting is an opportunity to refine your technique. Remember, technology is just a tool – at the heart of effective communication is your message and your authentic connection with your audience. By implementing and practicing these techniques and strategies, you'll soon find yourself communicating with confidence and impact in any virtual setting.
Remember, your unique personality and expertise are your greatest assets. Finding ways to allow them to shine through the lens of your computer camera will make your virtual presentations more engaging, effective, and enjoyable – for both you and your audience.
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