Working from home has become the norm. Even with hope for a COVID-19 vaccine increasing it is likely that the way you work for some time to come will be home based. The way you see and meet your world; your colleagues; your extended family; your stakeholders; your prospects; your interviewees and interviewers will be over the web. So far most of us have been learning how to webinar ‘on the fly’. It’s time to recognise the importance of the skill and become deliberate in developing our techniques.
How effective a Webinarist are you?
In almost every client conversation the impact of and the aspects of ‘how to webinar’ has come up, and the implications for the non-verbal communicators that their webinar-self exudes and the positive, neutral or negative ensuing impact.
You have a choice:
just press on doing what you are doing, having the results you are having, ignoring, or apologising for any deficiencies in your webinar standards
enhance your inner master-Webinarist
The skill of webinaring has become crucial in these times, it is not a fill-in method while we wait to get back into the office. It IS the method.
Here’s a list of the recurring themes I have discovered about webinaring and how to ensure you have the impact you intend with your audiences:
1. Technology – got to get this one in first. Poor internet speed and low-res kit instantly reduces your impact. Shop around (I love the Logitech range and chose the Brio 4k for built-in mic sound and image quality), upgrade your broadband (the investment is part of your future brand image and productive efficiency after all). Consider headphones and dangly mic versus none and the impact that has on you when engaging with a webinar… your choice!
2. Eye Contact – humans thrive on eye contact, if you are staring off screen at your webcam the connection you have with your audience is diminished. Re-site your webcam, work with a colleague to find the point on your screen where you are looking at them (which may be slightly above the main picture, work with your peripheral vision to adjust and connect with eyes!). If you use a laptop or iPad, raise them level with your eyes.
3. Background – get feedback, what do your colleagues notice in your background, what might it be quietly communicating about you (and how does this align with what you want to communicate)? Clear the clutter, neaten up, or use a virtual background (and get a green screen to ensure the quality of you in your virtual setting). In selecting your virtual background, the same thinking applies – what does it communicate about you (e.g. professional, simple, leading edge?). Novelty themes rarely deliver the impact you want in a work setting!
4. Position of You – consider the best Webinarists you have observed, the recorded webinars you may have viewed on YouTube and see how much of their screen space they occupy – central or slightly offset and 40-50% of you vs background seems the best in class. Get comfortable in your chair (good posture), or stand! Standing is an excellent addition to your Webinarist repertoire, have a look at the YoYo raising desk kit to assist this. And keep your hands in view, naturally finesse your animated dialogue with hand movements.
5. Dress Code – I know we are all working from home and the dress rules have obviously changed but look again at your dress code for webinars – your impact is influenced by what you are wearing (is it communicating the messages you want?). See chapters 14 to 17 in The Impact Book.
6. Content Sharing – over time the truisms from presentation skills course still hold true in webinarland, so I’m not going to go into that here, you can! Each of the webinar platforms have nifty ways of your sharing slides and making annotations and engaging your content with your audience in different ways. I have found many extremely helpful tutorials on YouTube, easily found and well worth the investment of your time as part of Webinarist-Development-Programme.
7. Exploit the Platform – in Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and Zoom there are many undiscovered, or unexploited features that deliver impact-benefits for you. Get to know them and practice. The breakout feature cuts a heavy-going webinar session up and allows the reflectors and introverts time and space to reconnect and get involved. Constant use of the chat box adds much to content rich presentations. Use the feedback buttons (or even clap and wave for real!)
And the bonus tip for taking your inner-Webinarist to the next level:
8. Get a spotter – agree with a colleague for them to act as your spotter, actively observing how you are coming across and using the private chat box to give you instant feedback and corrective action
Good luck on your WDP (Webinarist Development Programme) and I look forward to seeing you in webinarland soon.
Keep it simple,
Simon