Virtual Meeting / Presenting – Tip #7 Random Advice for Putting Your Best Foot Forward
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Virtual Meeting / Presenting – Tip #7
Random Advice for Putting Your Best Foot Forward
By Joe Friedman, Zehren♦Friedman Associates, Ltd.
Welcome to our new world. As someone who has worked from home for the past 27 years, today is…Wednesday, just like any other one, unless I’m in a classroom.
Most of our business (pre-Covid-19) has been delivered in-person, 75% of which are two-day classes, the other 25% are one-day. Several years ago, we started experimenting with the various web-based platforms and created a concept we call the Virtual Classroom, and yes, it’s the next best thing to being there in-person. We do role plays, there are large and small group discussions, we white board; participants are talking, others are sending instant messages. I’m talking, typing and listening. (It also takes two people to deliver the class – I have a producer / co-facilitator helping me.)
We’ve had years to figure this out, and we’ve had a LOT of practice doing it. So now, you find yourself working at home, involved in virtual meetings and you think technology will “make it easy.” It won’t!
Each Virtual Presenting tip will come in a bite-sized chunk, so it can be implemented more easily. Plus, as this spills out of my brain, I’ll one day organize all of these tips into a book on the subject. (That was just a thought bubble, right?)
And one shamelessly salesy moment before I launch in…all of our classes (sales, presentation skills, negotiation skills and influence) can be delivered virtually!
You can contact Joe Friedman (love to speak of myself in the third person) by phone or email –
312-841-3364, jfriedman@zehrenfriedman.com. Zehren♦Friedman Associates website is www.zehrenfriedman.com.
Tip #7 – Putting Your Best Foot Forward
In several of the blogs so far, I’ve talked about the message, the images and how to control the flow of information. What about you, the presenter? How do you ensure that you are as successful as possible when presenting or meeting virtually? Is it managing the technology? Managing your presentation / meeting site? Making sure you’re “camera ready?” Leveraging the software you use or the meeting platform you’re stuck with? Yes, yes, yes and yes!
Follow are some random thoughts. Some just popped into my head, others came from comments about the blog series. (Keep questions and topics coming, by the way!)
Manage the technology:
Adjust your seat (raise it or lower) and your laptop / webcam to make sure the camera is shooting right into your eyes. While I love seeing a presenter’s hairline or nasal hair, these don’t lead to the best look on camera. As sooooo many people are meeting / presenting virtually, and I’m sure you’ve all heard of unwanted “intruders” into meetings, cover your camera when not in use.
(I compressed the image – it’s actually a circle)
If there’s a window in your room, face it – direct light on you is the best. Professionally lit video has lighting to the left and right of presenter. My office has a window on my right, which puts half of my face in light, the other half in shadow. I bought a light (about $70) that compensates for my lighting needs 24/7. It balances the light on my face during the day, and is a great lighting source at night. It even has a cellphone mount for the center of the circle.
Test your laptop’s speakers and microphone as well as various headsets you might use. I won’t turn this into a tutorial on equipment – just realize that wood floors in a room and uncovered windows will create an echo, echo, echo.
What’s behind you? Do you care? The bookcase has become the popular background for many on TV. Am I listening or trying to figure out what’s on the shelf? I’ve seen authors of new books who have their newest title displayed conspicuously behind them. Kitchens are becoming popular too. In an environment where we need to control people’s attention, the less that’s behind you, the less distracting it is, the better.
Where do I look? Depends on your role in the meeting / presentation. If it’s a meeting, you can look at the screen, your colleagues or your notes. However, if your entire team is on the call (and you’re using video), they will be able to observe your attentiveness – or lack thereof. If it’s a presentation, you want to look into the camera (if you’re visible to others). I prefer (when presenting), to have my visuals fill the screen and not be visible the audience. As mentioned in a previous blog, I have a lot of juggling to do when running a virtual event – I don’t want the audience seeing my panic!
Want to check all of this? Start a meeting where you are the only participant!!! I’m watching the news as I write this, and I’m seeing someone being interviewed who appears to be about 1.384 feet from the sun. Way too bright!
Manage attendee expectations:
An agenda for the meeting / presentation / event will provide a “roadmap” to attendees
Housekeeping slide – this can be displayed at the beginning of the meeting / presentation or even before the meeting begins as participants are joining. It might include:
A reminder to print materials sent in advance.
Start / end times for the meeting.
Directions for putting phones on mute – NOT on hold (unless there is really good music on ‘hold.’
Question asking protocol (depends on the platform – “raised hand,” or “instant message,” or “chat,” or shout out (a shout out happens when someone comes off of “mute” and speaks to the group).
Be prepared for shout outs – alerts the audience that you might be calling on others to participate.
One last note about questions – you get to choose whether to be interrupted as you go along or if you want attendees to hold questions until the end. This can go on the housekeeping slide or announced at the beginning, or both.
Manage your environment:
Close your door! I’ve telecommuted for 27 years. I’ve had my dog bark and announced to the attendees, “my alarm system just went off.” I’ve had a family member walk behind me and said, “my staff is keeping the paparazzi away.” That was “then.” At some point, audible or visual distractions are no longer cute, nor do we need reminders that most people are working from home.
Silence your phone (unless you’re using it and not your computer)
Disable email notifiers – I used to have one where a butler walked across the screen and intoned, “You have mail, sir.” I used it until that happened during a webinar.
Create a checklist of the things mentioned above. Many of my blogs emphasize the need for a plan. When we are doing the equivalent of a two-day class it becomes six, two-hour Virtual Classroom sessions. Most frequently a two-hour session is held on the same day-of-week, at the same time during six consecutive weeks. Our work plan starts two weeks prior (because of pre-work) and there is some administrative task every day until the final session is held. We have a follow-up mechanism that’s triggered 30, 60 and 90-days after the class ends.
“Roll with it, baby.” Things will go wrong. You will be judged by how you handle those moments. Try to anticipate anything that could go wrong and plan for that, but when the “unexpected happens” stay calm and troubleshoot. This is another good reason to have a partner, producer or teammate working with you when presenting / meeting virtually. Spread the panic around!
Manage your software:
Know what happens when you “share screen” – which is something you want to do when using some visual support. Make sure that you’re not sharing the controls of the screen with others – that could be a train wreck waiting to happen.
Make sure the color you use is the color others see (this also holds for smart art). A client used blue, what showed up on screen was purple. I’ve seen a solid color turn into plaid when shared. It’s pretty easy (and wise) to set up a test in advance of an event.
Know if reveals and transitions work – if so, great. If not, (as pointed out in a previous blog), you may need five individual slides instead of one slide with five reveals.
When to import charts or graphs from other programs:
Remember big and bold – when you import an existing chart, what will it look like when shared – and what happens is someone is working off a smaller screen than yours.
A simple graph (fewer than four rows X four columns) may be best if created in PowerPoint or another graphics program. A bigger graph may need to be created in WORD, then copied and imported onto a PPT slide.
Use rehearse timing – most programs like PowerPoint have the capacity to allow you to start a timer (it’s under the tab labeled “Slide Show”). When you click on “Rehearse Timings” two things happen:
The file immediately goes into “show” mode.
Two timers start, one is the cumulative amount of time for the presentation, the second is the individual slide timer.
Lesson? There are a lot of variables involved with running successful meetings and presentations. The better your plan, the better you will be able to have your event reflect positively on you!
Stay Safe!
And, if you have suggestions for future blogs on Virtual Meetings / Presentations, let me know!
Joe Friedman is co-founder of Zehren♦Friedman Associates, Ltd, which sells and delivers sales, presentation, negotiation and influence training. Joe spends over 100 days a year in the classroom (virtually and in-person).
You can call Joe directly at 312-841-3364 or email to jfriedman@zehrenfriedmam.com.
