Episode #104: Presenting By Video Conferencing

Technology is getting pretty good these days so joining meetings remotely is becoming more and more common. Years ago the platforms were not that stable and the actions and voice synchronization had a problem with delays. I had a job interview with a panel by video conference which was horrible. The panel looked very small on the screen because the system could only handle a wide angle shot for that many people. I on the other hand, was a close up for them. They would move their mouths and about three seconds later out would come the words and the same for my end. It was all very disconcerting I must say but I got the job anyway.

Today the tech is much, much better but the presenting part is no easier. Here are a few ideas for when you are doing a presentation remotely. Make sure you get there early and check the sound and video connections are working perfectly. In some cases, you may need to be wearing headphones and speaking into a separate microphone connected to the computer. I am doing a guest spot on Jeffrey Gitomer and Jennifer Gluckow’s “Sell Or Die” podcast shortly and these are the requirements for me to participate. Fortunately, because I do three weekly podcasts, I have the necessary high quality microphone and headset. Make sure to check what you will need equipment-wise your end, well before the set date. If you can organize it, definitely have an iPad, extra screen or a phone hooked into the same system, so that you can see what the audience can see.

This is useful during the set up, to see how you look to the viewers and also for during the actual broadcast, to see how you are coming across. You only need to glance at yourself during the real meeting, because otherwise it looks weird if you are talking to someone off camera.

Most of these systems allow for recording, so when you rehearse, use the exact same system and record yourself speaking and then take a look at the results. Most people don’t think to do this, but we have to see the presentation through the eyes of our viewers. You may notice that you have little habits that become magnified, when it is just your face on screen. You may find there are slides in the deck that on the small screen are hard to read and need simplifying.

When you use slides, this is very similar to a webinar format. If you have done webinars before, you know how disconcerting it is to be talking to others and not being able to easily gauge their reactions. Even with the better tech today, the team members will either be in a wide shot of the whole room, in which case you can’t really see their faces or the tech will only feature the face of whoever is talking, so again you can’t see the other participants. You just have to accept that your read of how what you are saying is going down, will be limited and carry on anyway.

The camera in your computer is always set above the main screen, so you are always looking at a point below the looking line of the audience. If you can manage it buy a separate camera, that you can arrange to be more face level, so you can talk to the camera, rather than talk to a point 20 centimeters below the screen camera. This also allows you to have better posture and sit up straighter in the chair. Try it and you will see it makes a big difference to how you relate to the viewing audience.

When you see a screen, it is an illusion really, because the visual aspect is really superseded by the voice. Also slides will reduce your “face time” on screen as well. The voice is a powerful tool for communication and in these instances it becomes even more important than usual. Don’t speak too quickly. The tech is good but we still need to slow the pace down a bit for the audience to hear what we are saying. You don’t know the quality of the speakers at their end. They could be those small, cheap, portable speakers and so the acoustics may not be great.

Many of the things I am going to mention also apply when we are speaking to a live audience. Voice modulation is key to avoiding a slumber inducing monotone. Hitting key words brings greater emphasis to important parts of the message. I recently did over seven hours of narration for my bestseller Japan Sales Mastery for the audio version.

Sadly, I don’t have the classic, deep bass DJ voice. What I could do though, which a sexier voiced narrator would find impossible to do, is to know which words to emphasise in every sentence. By isolating out key words with either additional volume or by dropping the volume to a covert whisper, we can really grab the listener’s attention.

Pauses become very important when speaking in these situations, because we need people to constantly adjust their hearing and digest the content of what we have just said. Rushing ideas, one after another, over the top of each other is ineffective. Plan to have slightly longer breaks than you would do with a face to face presentation. Also don’t be thrown if there are long periods of silence on their end. If you ask a question and no one answers, it can often be that they are not able to organize who will answer amongst themselves, if they are all tuning in remotely. In that case, just repeat the question and be patient. Wait for the answer. The ball is their court now, so there is no pressure on you.

Eye contact should be made with the camera at all times, where possible. This is similar to if you were doing a video shoot. You need to be making love to the camera lens. My weekly YouTube TV show “The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show” is me talking straight to the camera. It was difficult at first, to keep staring into the camera lens, but with practice I found you can get used to it. Don’t look away or to the side if possible. It looks like you lack conviction or self confidence in what you are saying.

You are probably going to be seated, so your gestures will be smaller than normal, but still use them. At this close up range, your arms won’t be making the gestures, as much as your hands. The sweep of the gestures will be more compact and you will probably want to hold them for slightly longer than usual. As I said before sit up straight, don’t slouch and adjust the chair height to allow you to do that. If you can arrange the tech so that you can do the presentation standing that would be ideal. It gives you more access to your body language and gestures. It also feels more comfortable than being constrained while sitting.

If it is phone only and no video connection, then the earlier ideas about voice come directly into play. This is harder in one way, but there is also less pressure, because no one is looking at you. Also, you are not trying to discern the expressions on their faces through the medium of a small screen. Rehearsal is still very important and you should record how you sound across the phone lines. Pay special attention to pauses, because the only mental stimulation they are receiving is auditory. They need time to filter what they are hearing, so don’t be in a rush. You may have had to send the deck ahead of time, which means they will be on page eight, while you are still on page two. There is nothing you can do about that, so keep going regardless.

The basics of presenting apply whether you are in the hall, on the phone or on live video. The rehearsal element is even more important. Getting online early, to check the tech becomes critical. Remember the tech, the screens, etc., are all there to play second fiddle to you, the presenter. You must dominate the medium, no matter what it is. Plan to be successful and you will be successful.