Strategies For Effective Virtual Presentations

You're hosting another webinar. The chat's dead silent. Half your attendees are probably scrolling through their phones. And you can practically hear people dropping off like flies. Sound familiar? It's time to wake the hell up and revolutionize your webinar game. I've been there. We've all been there. Boring, one-way presentations that put people to sleep faster than a bottle of NyQuil. But in 2024, if your webinars aren't engaging, interactive, and valuable as f*ck, you're wasting everyone's time - including your own. Here are 5 ways to turn your webinars from snoozefests into can't-miss experiences: 1. Ditch the monologue: Stop talking AT people. Start conversations. Use real-time polls, Q&As, and breakout rooms. Get people involved or get out of the game. 2. Bring the energy: If you're not excited, why the hell should your audience be? Pump up the enthusiasm, use storytelling, and for God's sake, show some personality! 3. Less is more: Cut the fluff. Focus on ONE core message and drill it home. Give people actionable takeaways they can implement immediately. 4. Make it visual: Our brains are wired for visuals. Use dynamic slides, live demos, and even props. Anything to break up the monotony and keep eyes glued to the screen. 5. Create FOMO: Exclusive content, limited-time offers, or guest experts. Give people a reason to show up live instead of watching the recording (if you even offer one). I remember when we overhauled our webinar strategy at VaynerMedia. We went from typical corporate snoozefests to high-energy, interactive experiences. Attendance shot up. Engagement went through the roof. And most importantly, our audience started getting real, tangible value. Here's the thing: Webinars aren't just about delivering information. They're about creating experiences that stick with people. That inspire action. That make people feel like they're part of something bigger. So here's my challenge to you: Take a hard look at your next webinar. Are you truly creating value? Are you engaging your audience in meaningful ways? Or are you just going through the motions? It's time to step up or step out. The days of boring, one-way webinars are over. Your audience deserves better, and frankly, so do you. What's one way you're going to make your next webinar more engaging? Drop it in the comments.

I have a confession to make. I have been guilty of putting people to sleep during my presentations. Unfortunately, not once, but many times. I could blame it on the complexities of tech topics or the dryness of the subject. I could always console myself by saying that at least it's not as sleep-inducing as financial presentations (sorry, my friends in Finance). Deep down, though, I knew that even the most complicated and dry topics could come alive. As with anything, it's a skill and can be improved upon. Thus, I turned to my friend Christopher Chin, Communication Coach for Tech Professionals, for some much-needed advice. He shared these 5 presentation tips guaranteed to leave a lasting impression: 1/ Speak to Their Needs, Not Your Wants Don’t just say what you like talking about or what your audience wants to hear. Say what your audience needs to hear based on their current priorities and pain points: that sets your presentation up to be maximally engaging 2/ Slides Support, You Lead Slides are not the presentation. You are the presentation. Your slides should support your story and act as visual reinforcement rather than as the main star of the show.  Consider holding off on making slides until you have your story clear. That way, you don’t end up making more slides than you need or making slides more verbose than you need 3/ Start with a Bang, Not a Whisper The beginning of a presentation is one of the most nerve-wracking parts for you as the speaker and one of the most attention-critical parts for your audience. If you don’t nail the beginning, there’s a good chance you lose the majority of people. Consider starting with something that intrigues your audience, surprises them, concerns them, or makes them want to learn more. 4/ Think Conversation, Not Presentation One-way presentations where the speaker just talks “at” the audience lead to dips in attention and poorer reception of the material. Consider integrating interactive elements like polls and Q&A throughout a presentation (rather than just at the very end) to make it feel more like a conversation. 5/ Finish Strong with a Clear CTA We go through all the effort of preparing, creating, and delivering a presentation to cause some change in behavior. End with a powerful call to action that reminds your audience why they were in attendance and what they should do as soon as they leave the room. By integrating these, you won't just present; you'll captivate. Say goodbye to snoozing attendees and hello to a gripped audience. 😴 Repost if you've ever accidentally put someone to sleep with a presentation. We've all been there!

Nail Your Virtual Presentation Do you know how to stand out in a virtual presentation? Even though Zoom burnout is real, virtual presentations are here to stay, and remote work will continue to evolve. Whether it’s a team meeting or a big pitch, you can show off your leadership skills. Here are some quick tips to shine on screen! ➡ Treat Virtual as the New Real Virtual meetings aren’t “second best” versions of in-person ones. They’re a real opportunity to show you’re adaptable and ready for leadership. The secret? Take them as seriously as face-to-face meetings. Show up, engage, and make your presence count. ➡ Master the Basics Good lighting, a clean background, and dressing the part are small details that make a big difference. You wouldn’t wear sweats to an in-person meeting, right? Show up early and use those first few minutes to build rapport. This is gold for building relationships. ➡ Be Unforgettable Bring your personality to the table! Whether it’s a fresh perspective or a creative solution, don’t blend into the virtual background. Don’t be afraid to share your opinion, even if it’s different from everyone else’s. Leaders speak up, respectfully of course. ➡ Show Some Love Virtual meetings can feel impersonal, so take a moment to acknowledge others. Drop a quick “Great job!” or call out a teammate’s contribution. A little appreciation goes a long way in building goodwill and showing you’re a team player. ➡ Embrace Feedback Nobody’s perfect. The way you handle feedback says a lot about you. Instead of cringing, treat it as a chance to grow. As a good leader, consider thanking the person and be clear about how you’ll improve. ➡ Stay Engaged Your part of the presentation is over, so it’s time to zone out, right? Wrong! Stay tuned in and engaged throughout. This shows you care about the whole team’s success, not just your part. ➡ Present Like a Pro Want to ace your next presentation? Be Magnetic (grab attention early), Be Mesmerizing (keep things interactive and fun), and Be Memorable (use emotion and stories). People won’t remember every word, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. Ready to rock your next virtual presentation? Share your favorite virtual presentation tips in the comments below!👇 

Whether you’re delivering a keynote, a town hall meeting, a virtual presentation, or an important message at a meeting, all speaking benefits from preparation. You can find specific tips for your kind of presentation anywhere, but I want to tell you what exceptional speakers really do. When I’m coaching executive-level leaders, here are three tips that come up every time, and you can also make them work for you. 1. Speak it aloud. There is positively no substitute for practicing a presentation, and you need to say it out loud, a lot. I recommend speaking it into the voice recording app on your phone and disciplining yourself to listen to it, then repeat, repeat and repeat the process until your words feel and sound natural. 2. Make your slides match your words. If your slides don’t match your words, your audience is either listening to you and ignoring your slides or reading your slides and ignoring you! The secret is to make sure the words on your slide are the identical words that come out of your mouth. I do not mean that your slides should contain your entire message, because that would be way too much. I also do not mean you should read your slides, because that comes across as unprepared. Instead, put your brief core messages on your slides and say those exact words. No only will you help focus your audience’s attention, your message will land with twice as much impact. 3. Make eye contact or appear to. Ideally, as a speaker you want your audience to feel like you’re having a sincere conversation with each of them personally. The way to do that is to look them in the eye, for several moments, one at a time, as you speak – just as you would if you were sitting around a table having lunch. If that makes you nervous, a pro tip is to look between two people, aiming for eye level, as if there were someone right next to them with whom you’re making eye contact. From the audience’s perspective, it will look and feel just like you’re looking them in the eyes. These three little tips can help you go from nervous to nailing it in no time. If this is helpful, let me know, and I’ll send you more tips to help your presentations become (or at least appear to be) second nature.

The One Zoom Call Rule Every Speaker Should Remember One of the hardest things to remember on Zoom calls or webinars is this: you're not speaking to a group—you're speaking to one person. Even if your webinar has thousands of attendees, 95% of them are sitting alone, experiencing your message as individuals. They're not in a crowd or part of a collective energy unless they’re in a rare watch party. But here's the challenge: as speakers, we tend to approach online events like we're on stage, addressing a large audience. That tone works in person, but on Zoom or webinars, it creates a disconnect. The key? Develop a voice that connects with one person at a time. Speak like you're having a personal conversation, not delivering a speech. And here's the truth: it's easy to forget. I’ve caught myself slipping into the “talking to a crowd” mode countless times, only to remind myself—this is a one-on-one moment for everyone listening. So, the next time you’re presenting virtually, picture one person on the other side. Speak to them, and watch how your connection, clarity, and influence soar. What’s your biggest challenge when speaking on Zoom? Let’s chat below! 👇 #VirtualCommunication #ZoomTips #WebinarEngagement #SpeakingTips #OnePersonAudience