Making Remote Presentations More Engaging

Ever notice how some leaders seem to have a sixth sense for meeting dynamics while others plow through their agenda oblivious to glazed eyes, side conversations, or everyone needing several "bio breaks" over the course of an hour? Research tells us executives consider 67% of virtual meetings failures, and a staggering 92% of employees admit to multitasking during meetings. After facilitating hundreds of in-person, virtual, and hybrid sessions, I've developed my "6 E's Framework" to transform the abstract concept of "reading the room" into concrete skills anyone can master. (This is exactly what I teach leaders and teams who want to dramatically improve their meeting and presentation effectiveness.) Here's what to look for and what to do: 1. Eye Contact: Notice where people are looking (or not looking). Are they making eye contact with you or staring at their devices? Position yourself strategically, be inclusive with your gaze, and respectfully acknowledge what you observe: "I notice several people checking watches, so I'll pick up the pace." 2. Energy: Feel the vibe - is it friendly, tense, distracted? Conduct quick energy check-ins ("On a scale of 1-10, what's your energy right now?"), pivot to more engaging topics when needed, and don't hesitate to amplify your own energy through voice modulation and expressive gestures. 3. Expectations: Regularly check if you're delivering what people expected. Start with clear objectives, check in throughout ("Am I addressing what you hoped we'd cover?"), and make progress visible by acknowledging completed agenda items. 4. Extraneous Activities: What are people doing besides paying attention? Get curious about side conversations without defensiveness: "I see some of you discussing something - I'd love to address those thoughts." Break up presentations with interactive elements like polls or small group discussions. 5. Explicit Feedback: Listen when someone directly tells you "we're confused" or "this is exactly what we needed." Remember, one vocal participant often represents others' unspoken feelings. Thank people for honest feedback and actively solicit input from quieter participants. 6. Engagement: Monitor who's participating and how. Create varied opportunities for people to engage with you, the content, and each other. Proactively invite (but don't force) participation from those less likely to speak up. I've shared my complete framework in the article in the comments below. In my coaching and workshops with executives and teams worldwide, I've seen these skills transform even the most dysfunctional meeting cultures -- and I'd be thrilled to help your company's speakers and meeting leaders, too. What meeting dynamics challenge do you find most difficult to navigate? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments! #presentationskills #virualmeetings #engagement

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.

If you’re like me, you have pretty vivid memories of this day five year ago. The Pandemic changed everything. One of the changes that affected the business world big time was the necessity of virtual presentations. Very quickly, some very smart people came to realize that presenting virtually was very different from presenting face to face. What continues to amaze me is that a large percentage of sellers today - five years later - still present virtually the same way they do in person. Folks, it doesn’t work. So, here is a reminder of what just some of the research found: 1. Ditch your standard opening slides where you have an agenda, and show a bunch of slides about your company - ostensibly to credential yourself. Instead, have a hot opening that surprises your audience and lets them know this will be an experience they will enjoy and benefit from. 2. Presenting virtually requires much more “movement." This means you need to do more than show slides. You need to have your slides build so your audience is focused on what you’re talking about. That also means you need to gray out the parts of your slide that you don’t want your audience to focus on. My friend, Dr. Carmen Simon, has run many neuroscience tests and has found that if your slide has a lot of information on it, the attention of your audience is darting from one part of the slide to another, and not in concert with your talk track. 3. A more advanced version of the above is to leave parts of your slide blank and annotate what you would normally show as part of a prebuilt slide. This means you may need to update your technology. It's so worth it. 4. The most advanced, and proven to be the most effective across a variety of dimensions; credibility, persuasiveness, uniqueness, and memorability to name a few, way is to ditch the slides whenever possible, and draw what my colleagues at Corporate Visions call a “big picture." The recent research shows that this is still more effective than standard slides, even those that build as mentioned above. Once again, you need to have technology to support this. Or, place a flip chart off your shoulder and go old school, drawing on the flip chart. 5. Also in the spirit of #4, ask your audience to draw along with you. You don’t ask them if they are ready, you just proceed as if they are following along. The data is compelling: - Your audience is 14% more likely to view your presentation as unique - They are 12% more confident they can re-tell it to others - There is a 21% improvement in overall memorability compared to a group who doesn’t draw along While for many of you I’m sure this is old news, I’ve attended enough virtual presentations in the last couple of months to realize that many presenters are still treating virtual audiences the same as they do in-person audiences. Treat them differently and separate yourself from the masses in a positive way. DM me if you’d like to learn more.

3 things I do different when presenting virtually vs. in-person: 1. Increased Animation: I use more animation (only the "Appear" animation!! No "star wipe" please...) so that there is more frequent change on the slides and more visual interest. 2. Interactive Elements: I use polls, ask for feedback, solicit questions, and encourage feedback in the chat to try and replicate the interactive feeling of in-person presentations. 3. Camera Eye Contact: Direct eye contact with the camera is crucial—it’s the virtual equivalent of making eye contact in a room, making each viewer feel acknowledged and engaged. And, as with any presentation, stay focused on your main message, and trim away all unnecessary detail! Attention spans are short, and even more so in a virtual environment. Keep your message clear, concise, and focused on the key takeaways!

In March 2020, the world changed overnight—and so did how we connect. Suddenly, all my speaking engagements were online. At first, I struggled. How do you capture the same energy, the same connection, through a screen? It was a steep learning curve, but the lessons were invaluable. The key to standing out in virtual presentations is mastering small details that make a big difference. I learned to treat my camera like a person—making eye contact and speaking directly to it, as if addressing a live audience. Visuals became essential—not just slides, but dynamic content to keep people engaged. And I realized that virtual interaction is possible, using polls, Q&As, and even acknowledging the online setting made my presentations feel more connected. If you're navigating this new world, remember that virtual doesn’t mean "less." It requires more attention to detail, creativity, and effort. But when done right, a virtual presentation can be just as powerful as one in person, if not more. Ready to stand out in your next virtual presentation? Focus on eye contact with the camera, use engaging visuals, and keep your audience involved. Drop your virtual presentation tips in the comments below! P.S. Want more strategies to improve your public speaking skills as an entrepreneur? Follow Ham Sebunya and check out my book on public speaking at https://HamsB4.com!