Back to Basics for Virtual Presentations

While technology gives us the ability to present anytime and anywhere, it doesn’t guarantee the quality or effectiveness of the communication.  As I’ve worked with people during the pandemic, one thing has become clear - speakers need to spend more time preparing for virtual presentations than they would for similar in-person situations. 

Here are five fundamentals to keep in mind as you get ready for your next virtual presentation.

1.      Set the Stage.  People are constantly adapting to different topics and audiences as they go from meeting to meeting throughout the day.  Take time at the start to bring them up to speed on the purpose of the presentation, what you’re going to cover and what you want from them – the action step (feedback, a decision).  This helps them understand the context of your presentation, so they can participate effectively.

2.      Keep It Simple.  For some reason, virtual presentations bring an additional sense of urgency for speakers to cram in as much information as possible into a short timeframe.  Resist that urge. Simplify. Focus on what your audience needs to know to buy in to your action step.  And finish early!

3.      Share the Stage.  Think of when and how you’re going to involve the audience. Tell someone ahead of time that you want them to be part of the presentation - they can comment on or talk about a specific topic you’re going to address.  Ask questions at specific times to create a dialog and get a sense of people’s understanding, attitudes, and reactions. 

4.      Make It Real.  Along with the urge to communicate too much information, presenters often forget to connect what they are presenting to issues that are important to the audience.  Talk to the ‘So What’ of the sales forecast, engineering roadmap or financial performance you’re covering.  What does it mean for the audience?

5.      Show Up Strong.  Show a confident, genuine presence.  Take a few deep breaths before you start.  Look at the camera when you make an important point or respond to a question.  Pause from time to time, so the audience can absorb what you’ve said, and you can think about your next point.

Let’s get back to basics!  Follow these steps and you’ll be more productive and get more out of every presentation.

For information on how we can help you and your organization make an impact, contact us.

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Attention! A Key to Selling Your Ideas in Covid Times

Greetings everyone.  Hope you are safe and healthy.

In the last Talking Points newsletter we reviewed three issues that affect people in times of change: Uncertainty; Loss of Control; and Disrupted Relationships.  For people listening to your presentations, these stresses impact their ability to pay attention, take in information and make decisions. 

What this means is that you have to work even harder to capture the audience’s attention and make your information easy to understand.  Otherwise, your message doesn’t get through.

I recently worked with a client on a successful one-hour webinar about retirement planning in the Covid era.   Here’s what we did to get our message across.

Planning

• We focused on the audience’s needs. We took a step back and discussed what the audience wanted to get out of the session. We talked about their state of mind and identified three questions about retirement they wanted answers to.

• We set a clear purpose for the presentation. One that aligned with the audience’s needs. In this case it was: “Educate and empower clients to make the right decisions for their retirement.”

• We embraced the Less is More approach. Even though the webinar was scheduled for an hour, we decided to present only 35 minutes of content. This was a challenge for such an emotional and complex topic, but it helped us focus on the most essential information to communicate.

Content

• We made it real. Rather than just rolling through a series of charts, graphs and tables, each presenter shared stories, examples, and scenarios that the audience could relate to.

• We gave people a break. We built brief ‘pauses’ into the presentation, where we took 1-2 questions and gave the audience time to absorb one chunk of information before moving on to the next. Brain research recommends using mini-breaks like this every 20 minutes.

• We simplified. We used color, animation, and other emphasis to focus attention on points we wanted to make on our visual aids.

Delivery

• We practiced our presence. For this virtual presentation, speakers worked on their on-camera presence: posture; energy; centering their image; lighting; and sound. By the time they delivered the webinar, they were confident with their setup and technology.

• We paused. This is critical for online presentations. Pausing helps presenters be crisp with their points and gives the audience a chance to absorb what’s been said.

• We planned for WHAT IF…? Since this was virtual, with presenters speaking from home offices, we agreed on specific steps to deal with problems, so the show could go on.

The presenters received very positive feedback on the webinar, along with requests for follow up conversations and “more webinars like this one”.

So, you may be thinking, ‘This sounds like a lot of work for a one hour presentation’. The reality is, in today’s environment, you have to add value every time you communicate. And focusing on Attention and Clarity helps you do that.

If you want to learn more about how our presentation training and coaching can help you grow your business, get in touch. I’d love to learn about your goals and talk about how we can help.

Dave Underhill

Leading Out Loud: Communication and Change

Zoom: One of many options to stay connected.

Greetings everyone. I hope you all are keeping safe and healthy. I wanted to share some thoughts about how leaders and organizations can respond positively in times of large-scale change. It’s relevant to all organizations, as people find new ways to work together. 

As you plan your communication, consider three issues that are top of mind for people during change.

1. Uncertainty
Our brains like to know what’s going to happen next. It helps us plan and achieve our goals.  A large dose of uncertainty can trigger the fight, flight or freeze emotional reactions which impact our ability to take in information and make decisions.  Today, people are in completely new situations, so the path forward is very uncertain. Communication approaches that help increase certainty include:

• Be consistent. Set a regular schedule of communication, so people know what to expect.

• Be clear and direct.  It’s OK to share bad or incomplete information.  “Here’s what we know at this point… we’ll get back to you by…”.

• Follow the Less is More approach. Avoid the urge to share everything. People can only absorb so much, so focus on what’s most important at this point in time.

2. Loss of Control
Our stress levels jump when we experience a loss of control in how we get our work done.  Giving people options about how they plan their work, even when the organization is under pressure, has a positive impact on motivation and productivity.   To increase that sense of control, you can:

• Be clear on expectations around work-from-home and other, new company policies.  This helps people see what they can control, and it increases certainty.

• Break long-term projects down into short-term chunks and tasks.  This helps people focus on what they can do now, so they experience success and progress.

• Engage people in creating solutions to work challenges.  Recognize their hacking and workaround efforts, so they feel like they still make an impact.

3. Relationships
In today’s environment, our relationships have been disrupted.  I had someone say recently, “I feel like I’m out here on an island, working to survive.” When we stay connected to people, our stress goes down and we’re happier.  To sustain those relationships, you can: 

• Help people see how they fit into the big picture.  Communicate shared goals and use team meetings and 1:1 conversations to keep people engaged.

• Be flexible as you find the right balance between Empathy and Focus for different situations.  In some cases, it’s more important to listen as people talk about what’s happening in their personal lives.  In others, after a check-in to start the meeting, you focus on work issues. 

• Find formal and informal ways to celebrate success. Talk with colleagues and customers about meaningful ways to acknowledge progress. Everyone appreciates a ‘Thank You.’

And as leaders, ask questions and listen.  Find out what people are experiencing and what they need.  Encourage creative ideas.  Tailor your communication to help people prepare and adapt, emotionally and mentally, to what we’re going through.

Best Wishes,
Dave Underhill
daveu@underhilltraining.com

Know Your 'Why': "It's For The Babies!"

Last month I attended a fundraiser for the Northwest Mothers’ Milk Bank, which provides donated breast milk to medically fragile babies, such as those born prematurely.  

The emcee, executive director and other speakers did three things that I believe are keys to compelling presentations.

They Were Passionate

Presenters spoke from the heart about why they supported the organization.  A mother whose baby survived a life-threatening situation said she wanted others to have the same support she did.  Medical professionals shared how they saw the Milk Bank as a vital part of the care that newborns received.  And, of course, the emcee knew the right time to remind us - “Why are we here?  It’s for the babies!” to encourage people to donate. 

My takeaway: Be clear and compelling about ‘Why’ your information is important to the audience.

They Used a Variety of Appeals

They found different ways to demonstrate the value of the services the Milk Bank provides.  One set of parents, holding their now healthy toddler, told stories of their struggles and how the donated milk literally saved their child’s life.  Doctors reviewed data that showed how donor milk contributes to dramatic improvements in infant survival and health.  And the executive director shared her vision, with pictures, of how the money raised will help them open a new and expanded facility to serve even more babies!

My takeaway: While emotion plays a big part in how we make decisions, incorporate other kinds of ‘proof points’ into your presentation.

They Recognized The Contributions of Others

All organizations have stakeholders – people who have a stake in its success.  For the Milk Bank, these stakeholders include families, medical professionals, staff, volunteers, hospitals, donors, board members and many others. During the event they recognized a long-time volunteer by reading notes from employees about her dedication and caring service.  They also recognized different categories of donors by giving them construction hats to show how they were contributing to the new facility. 

My takeaway: Even though you may be the Star on The Stage during the presentation, you build support for your ideas by recognizing people who contribute to your success.

The bottom line: When you know the Why of your presentation, you become more passionate about your ideas and can show the audience how they can make an impact by taking action.  It’s a win for everyone.

Best wishes, 

Dave Underhill