Fallback Friday: Zoom Tips
Time for a Fallback Friday I wrote in April 2020, when we thought we would be back in person soon.
This last month, the national news has been difficult for me. I’m full of outrage and sadness. So what can I possibly tell you, dear readers, that’s helpful? We are not all the way back, and we are still communicating online.
My mantra remains: Anything Worth Zooming Is Worth Zooming Well.
You are still talking to people, right? Zoom meetings and webinars abound. I have attended many in the past few months. And if your content and delivery are valuable and well done, will people be more likely to want to work with you?
Here’s some wisdom gleaned from 35 years of speaking for corporate and entrepreneurial high performers. And I have prepared hundreds of keynote speakers, workshop leaders and TED Talkers.
Here’s what I notice: THE SAME RULES APPLY when you speak onscreen.
Boring people in person are boring on the screen—even more boring. People who are not understandable in a live situation are even less clear on a screen.
So, until I can coach you individually, online or in person, here are some tips.
CONTENT:
1. Be as clear as you can with your content. Organize it, practice on the family, or the cat. Remember — how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. This will cut down your long “ums”—not fun to listen to.
2. Production values aren’t just for movies or videos. Your presentation deck needs to be clear, visually appealing, and IT MUST WORK. Practice so you don’t waste your viewer’s time with technical difficulties.
3. Be aware of Auditory Abuse! I know you may not like “shushing” people, but you no longer have “in person” vibes. Mute the participants, and unmute them one by one, when you want them to speak. Few people want to hear your baby crying or your dog barking. Our patience is already thin.
Unless you have a super sound system, avoid playing music—we hear it as tinny and awful.
4. People want to know who you are, and why they should give you their time. So before you speak, ask if someone can introduce you and your expertise to build credibility—otherwise, you need to do it. If you do, remember less is more. Don’t abuse your time—it looks selfish.
DELIVERY:
1. Banish the following: “honestly” and “to tell you the truth”—it’s language suggesting you are not always that way—it’s like “trust me.”
2. Minimize your laughing at your own content. It’s okay to join in when a live audience is laughing louder. So now with no live audience, I would say no. Put your smile in your voice.
3. Steer away from answering questions that start with, “can you go over . . .” The questioner either was late to the webinar, or slow-witted. The rest of the audience is not amused. Answer questions that FURTHER your talk, not repeat it.
4. Never say “great question.” That’s judging the question, hence the person, and if you say it for every question, that’s not true. And don’t say “I like this question”—others feel you did not like their questions.
5. Eye contact — straight into the camera. Avoid flitting your eyes to the ceiling—right ceiling, left ceiling. Very distracting for your viewers.
6. DO NOT EAT when you’re on screen. Yuk!
Hope these tips are helpful.
Right now, do you have a memorable answer to the question, “What do you do?” Let’s work that one out. Please call me to schedule your FREE 30-minute clarity call to help you create your powerful pitch.
[Photo Credit: https://instructionaldesignthatworks.com/]