How to encourage people to turn on their camera during virtual meetings
May 19, 2021 |
Presenting tips
Whilst it has become the norm now to present virtually and attend more virtual meetings, there still may be times when you host a meeting and are met with a picture of your attendees rather than seeing them in person.
Your participants could be camera-shy, have a background that they are not comfortable with, or a multitude of other reasons.
As the meeting host, you need to be aware that some of the attendees may still not be comfortable turning their cameras on no matter how much you try to persuade them. Whilst our tips below are aimed at encouraging visibility during virtual meetings, there may be times when it’s better to just let the attendee make their own decision with regards to their camera being turned on.
For those who have no significant barriers to turning on their cameras, our top tips below will help you encourage them to turn them on in your next virtual meeting.
1. Let them know the benefits of turning on the camera
If you want your meeting to be highly in...
Your participants could be camera-shy, have a background that they are not comfortable with, or a multitude of other reasons.
As the meeting host, you need to be aware that some of the attendees may still not be comfortable turning their cameras on no matter how much you try to persuade them. Whilst our tips below are aimed at encouraging visibility during virtual meetings, there may be times when it’s better to just let the attendee make their own decision with regards to their camera being turned on.
For those who have no significant barriers to turning on their cameras, our top tips below will help you encourage them to turn them on in your next virtual meeting.
1. Let them know the benefits of turning on the camera
If you want your meeting to be highly in...
6 Ways to Create a Great First Impression on Zoom, Teams or any Virtual Platform
Apr 19, 2021 |
Presenting tips
In a virtual meeting we are more likely to clue into what we “see” before what we “hear”.
And it takes very little time for people to form their first impressions.
It can take as little as one tenth of a second according to research by Alexander Todorov of Princeton, to form an impression of a face you have never seen before. He says:
“We decide very quickly whether a person possesses many of the traits we feel are important, such as likeability and competence, even though we have not exchanged a single word with them. It appears that we are hard-wired to draw these inferences in a fast, unreflective way.”
While his research was conducted in the world of face-to-face communication, you would have to wonder if the same is true in the virtual world.
Personally, I believe it is.
In the virtual world, where creating a connection can be so much more challenging, it is super important that we create the right first impression.
Unfortunately, we do not always create the...
And it takes very little time for people to form their first impressions.
It can take as little as one tenth of a second according to research by Alexander Todorov of Princeton, to form an impression of a face you have never seen before. He says:
“We decide very quickly whether a person possesses many of the traits we feel are important, such as likeability and competence, even though we have not exchanged a single word with them. It appears that we are hard-wired to draw these inferences in a fast, unreflective way.”
While his research was conducted in the world of face-to-face communication, you would have to wonder if the same is true in the virtual world.
Personally, I believe it is.
In the virtual world, where creating a connection can be so much more challenging, it is super important that we create the right first impression.
Unfortunately, we do not always create the...
6 steps to a successful speech or presentation
Mar 15, 2021 |
Presenting tips
Each year on 15th March (World Speech Day), organisations and communities globally are invited to hold public speaking events to encourage people to give a speech, talk or presentation. We thought we’d share our 6 simple steps to help you be successful with your next speech or presentation, regardless of whether it’s delivered in-person or via a webcam virtually.
1. Who
Who is your audience? Have you ever listened to a presenter and thought “they don’t know who they’re talking to”?
It makes no difference if you are talking to a large group of people in the same room, or an audience located in different places around the world, if you don’t know who you are speaking to then you won’t be able to make a connection with them.
Research your audience! What industry are they from? Are there cultural differences you need to consider? What age range are they? What challenges do they face? How can you help them?
Once you know who your audience is,...
1. Who
Who is your audience? Have you ever listened to a presenter and thought “they don’t know who they’re talking to”?
It makes no difference if you are talking to a large group of people in the same room, or an audience located in different places around the world, if you don’t know who you are speaking to then you won’t be able to make a connection with them.
Research your audience! What industry are they from? Are there cultural differences you need to consider? What age range are they? What challenges do they face? How can you help them?
Once you know who your audience is,...
The SSS of Presenting and Why You Need To Know It
Feb 04, 2021 |
Presenting tips
Sometimes the first minute of a presentation can be the most nerve wracking!
This is why during our Presentation Skills training programmes, both virtual and in-person, we spend time talking about what we call the SSS of presenting. These are 3 quite simple, yet often overlooked, key things to do before diving straight into your presentation. Not only will they help you feel more confident, but they will also help you look more confident to your audience.
So, what is the SSS of presenting?
S – Settle
When presenting in front of a group of people, be it virtual or face to face, you might feel the need to start talking the second you get up and launch straight into what you have to say (probably with the aim of getting it over with as soon as possible!)
This can give the audience the sense of being rushed… which is one thing you don’t want them to feel. You want them to take notice of what you are saying and connect with you.
Therefore, before you start your presentation, jus...
This is why during our Presentation Skills training programmes, both virtual and in-person, we spend time talking about what we call the SSS of presenting. These are 3 quite simple, yet often overlooked, key things to do before diving straight into your presentation. Not only will they help you feel more confident, but they will also help you look more confident to your audience.
So, what is the SSS of presenting?
S – Settle
When presenting in front of a group of people, be it virtual or face to face, you might feel the need to start talking the second you get up and launch straight into what you have to say (probably with the aim of getting it over with as soon as possible!)
This can give the audience the sense of being rushed… which is one thing you don’t want them to feel. You want them to take notice of what you are saying and connect with you.
Therefore, before you start your presentation, jus...
How to gesture naturally
Jan 04, 2021 |
Presenting tips
Whenever we carry out presentation skills training, whether face to face or virtually, whether in a one-to-one coaching session, or with a team in-company, there is one common area that clients struggle with and that is how to gesture and look natural doing it.
They will say that they feel “fake” when they gesture, and it is not in their nature to do it. Yet, when we see them communicating informally during our sessions, we see them in full flight and gesturing considerably!
Why?
Because when they talk about topics they are interested in, they become highly animated.
Obviously 2020 saw a lot of us having to present online via the likes of Zoom, Teams, etc., and you may think that gesturing goes out of the window when you are presenting to a webcam. However, you still need to gesture in order to look natural, regardless of whether you are in front of a group of people in the same room or a laptop screen.
Read on for our tips on how to do just that.
How to gesture and loo...
They will say that they feel “fake” when they gesture, and it is not in their nature to do it. Yet, when we see them communicating informally during our sessions, we see them in full flight and gesturing considerably!
Why?
Because when they talk about topics they are interested in, they become highly animated.
Obviously 2020 saw a lot of us having to present online via the likes of Zoom, Teams, etc., and you may think that gesturing goes out of the window when you are presenting to a webcam. However, you still need to gesture in order to look natural, regardless of whether you are in front of a group of people in the same room or a laptop screen.
Read on for our tips on how to do just that.
How to gesture and loo...
Oops I did it again …. How to deal with blushing in a presentation
Dec 17, 2020 |
Presenting tips
Blushing can be very embarrassing, when it happens during a presentation, it can make us even more nervous.
It happens to the best of us. I remember on my wedding day, my biggest fear was not whether my husband-to-be would turn up (he did, thankfully!) but that I would blush. In those days, when I blushed it seemed to go from my cheeks, to my neck and all the way to my toes! For many people who blush, the fear of blushing while delivering a business presentation can actually impinge on their impact.
Before we look at the tips on how to deal with blushing – just a little bit on why we blush and why we blush less as we age.
Why do we blush?
According to www.science.howstuffworks.com we blush because we feel embarrassed. When we feel embarrassed our body releases adrenaline, similar to how it does in the fight or flight response. The latter goes right back to caveman time. Caveman comes out of his cave – sees a tiger, has to decide… “hmm, will I fight...
It happens to the best of us. I remember on my wedding day, my biggest fear was not whether my husband-to-be would turn up (he did, thankfully!) but that I would blush. In those days, when I blushed it seemed to go from my cheeks, to my neck and all the way to my toes! For many people who blush, the fear of blushing while delivering a business presentation can actually impinge on their impact.
Before we look at the tips on how to deal with blushing – just a little bit on why we blush and why we blush less as we age.
Why do we blush?
According to www.science.howstuffworks.com we blush because we feel embarrassed. When we feel embarrassed our body releases adrenaline, similar to how it does in the fight or flight response. The latter goes right back to caveman time. Caveman comes out of his cave – sees a tiger, has to decide… “hmm, will I fight...
Christmas Presentation Tips
Dec 01, 2020 |
Presenting tips
Towards the end of each year, you may be asked to give a presentation, such as an end of year review, targets for the next year etc., to your team, senior management or perhaps a client. Or, perhaps during Christmas you might be called upon to give a speech at a family celebration.
This year may be slightly different, in that you may have to do this virtually, via a webcam, instead of in a room full of people! Rather than panic about this, draw on your presentation skills previously learned and adapt them to fit the virtual world.
Here are some light-hearted quirky Christmas Presentation tips (using the acronym Christmas) to help!
C is for CEO
Have you ever noticed that most CEOs tend to stand tall and command a room? They exude confidence and have a presence about them. Even if they are sitting, they tend to sit up, rather than slouch.
There is no reason why you can’t do that too! You don’t have to be a CEO to look and sound more confident.
You may think it...
This year may be slightly different, in that you may have to do this virtually, via a webcam, instead of in a room full of people! Rather than panic about this, draw on your presentation skills previously learned and adapt them to fit the virtual world.
Here are some light-hearted quirky Christmas Presentation tips (using the acronym Christmas) to help!
C is for CEO
Have you ever noticed that most CEOs tend to stand tall and command a room? They exude confidence and have a presence about them. Even if they are sitting, they tend to sit up, rather than slouch.
There is no reason why you can’t do that too! You don’t have to be a CEO to look and sound more confident.
You may think it...
8 reasons why pausing makes you a better presenter
Oct 15, 2020 |
Presenting tips
Pausing is one of the presentation skills we highly recommend, and can be the difference between a successful presentation and a less memorable one!
You have probably noticed that really confident speakers pause… a lot! They tend to speak in shorter sentences, use less words and therefore have more impact.
Their silence speaks volumes.
Those who are not so confident, tend not to pause as much. You will find the not-so confident speakers tend to replace full stops with the word “and”.
They make a point – then, instead of pausing, they add the word “and” which results in them continuing to the next sentence, or point without so much as a whisper of a pause, and it reduces their impact and they find themselves speaking in long rambling sentences, much like this one and it is quite annoying and seriously reduces their impact.
If you are a person who notices yourself using a lot of “ands”, you might need to think about replacing some of them wi...
You have probably noticed that really confident speakers pause… a lot! They tend to speak in shorter sentences, use less words and therefore have more impact.
Their silence speaks volumes.
Those who are not so confident, tend not to pause as much. You will find the not-so confident speakers tend to replace full stops with the word “and”.
They make a point – then, instead of pausing, they add the word “and” which results in them continuing to the next sentence, or point without so much as a whisper of a pause, and it reduces their impact and they find themselves speaking in long rambling sentences, much like this one and it is quite annoying and seriously reduces their impact.
If you are a person who notices yourself using a lot of “ands”, you might need to think about replacing some of them wi...
Keep your audience engaged in your virtual presentations with these 5 tips
Aug 21, 2020 |
Presenting tips
One question that we are constantly asked by our clients when giving virtual presentations is “how on earth do we keep a virtual audience engaged?” When you give a presentation in-person, you can pick up on the audience’s reactions more quickly and easily than when you present via a webcam.
It is more difficult to engage the audience when done virtually… but it’s not impossible!
We’ve shared our top tips below to help you keep your audience engaged on your video calls/meetings or virtual presentations. (If you prefer to watch the video go to the end of this post)
Tip 1: Act engaged
Dale Carnegie said: “Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic.”
Presenting to camera doesn’t mean you have to sit in one place like a robot, with your arms by your sides and talk monotonously! You can still bring energy to what you are saying.
One way to do this is to set up your laptop / desk etc so you can be standing rather than seated. You will find you use ha...
It is more difficult to engage the audience when done virtually… but it’s not impossible!
We’ve shared our top tips below to help you keep your audience engaged on your video calls/meetings or virtual presentations. (If you prefer to watch the video go to the end of this post)
Tip 1: Act engaged
Dale Carnegie said: “Act enthusiastic and you will be enthusiastic.”
Presenting to camera doesn’t mean you have to sit in one place like a robot, with your arms by your sides and talk monotonously! You can still bring energy to what you are saying.
One way to do this is to set up your laptop / desk etc so you can be standing rather than seated. You will find you use ha...
From Spongebob to Beckett – an Irish actor’s insights on vocal impact and diversity
Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing the actor and voice-over artist Marcus Lamb.
Marcus has extensive experience of screen, theatre and voice-over work in both English and Irish. So, when it comes to using voice – Marcus is a bit of a guru.
From the voice of Spongebob (in the Irish version) to Terence Andrews in ‘The Dublin Murders’, to Dessie O’Malley, whom he played in the historical drama broadcast on RTÉ Television in 2015 and numerous Beckett plays – Marcus has an incredibly wide range of vocal diversity he has had to utilise for his characters. Believe me when I tell you – he knows a lot about the voice and can do amazing things with his own voice!
In this blog I share just a few of the many insights he shared, that can help anyone who needs to add more diversity and texture to their vocal impact.
Preparing your Voice
I asked Marcus how he prepares his own voice. He shared a technique that originates from Stewart Pearce. Stewart is associated...
Marcus has extensive experience of screen, theatre and voice-over work in both English and Irish. So, when it comes to using voice – Marcus is a bit of a guru.
From the voice of Spongebob (in the Irish version) to Terence Andrews in ‘The Dublin Murders’, to Dessie O’Malley, whom he played in the historical drama broadcast on RTÉ Television in 2015 and numerous Beckett plays – Marcus has an incredibly wide range of vocal diversity he has had to utilise for his characters. Believe me when I tell you – he knows a lot about the voice and can do amazing things with his own voice!
In this blog I share just a few of the many insights he shared, that can help anyone who needs to add more diversity and texture to their vocal impact.
Preparing your Voice
I asked Marcus how he prepares his own voice. He shared a technique that originates from Stewart Pearce. Stewart is associated...