Five tips for keeping attention online!

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, checking email, wondering why your colleague picked that wallpaper. If we're not entranced, our brain has endless tricks to start entertaining itself. And we see now: online meetings and presentations manage to grab us harder. Lots of distance, lots of distractions, little momentum.

That makes presenting online or moderating an online meeting difficult. Especially since, as a speaker or host yourself, you have to deal with additional obstacles. You have to operate Zoom, Teams or other app. You have to look into the camera while also wanting to keep an eye on your audience. And you have a lot fewer opportunities to reinforce your story with body language.

In short, it's hard work. But that also offers opportunities. Because with a few adjustments you can make a lot of profit and stand out from the rest.

How can you keep them there? Here are five tips!

1. Let them prepare.

Sharing the agenda in advance, asking a question or sending some inspiration, for example, has two benefits. It increases your audience's "buy in"; they've already put time and effort into it. In addition, it saves time. And for online, the shorter the better.

2. Keep them in the picture.

Strange eyes compel, so be sure to have your audience turn on their camera. It immediately gives you an idea of how they look. And, it still creates something of a group feeling.

3. Do regular check-ins.

It's important to keep in touch with your audience throughout your presentation. Start with a round or short assignment. During your presentation, regularly ask if people can follow it all. In a small group, have them answer by raising their hands. This way you can immediately check if everyone is still there. With a larger audience, you can use the chat function for this, for example.

4. Provide interaction.

Following on from point 3: even more than in a physical meeting or presentation, it is important to let people participate as much as possible. With questions, polls, quizzes and break-outs. This also works well for presentations. Zoom and Teams offer numerous technical possibilities (but beware! Keep it simple).

5. Make it energetic and dynamic with your voice.

Your voice is the carrier of your story. With it, you give color and meaning to what you say. Especially in an online presentation or meeting, where body language plays a smaller role. Variation in intonation and volume keeps your audience alert and captivated. Conversely, a monotone voice can kill your presentation.

On May 19 from 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., we'll give a FREE online webinar:

Keeping Your Audience Engaged Online with Your Voice and Body Language.
How to add power and color to what you say

LOOK HERE FOR MORE INFO & SIGN UP

Ultimately, the essence of an online session is the same as that of a physical presentation or meeting: put yourself in your audience's shoes. Think about what kind of situation they are in. Put yourself in their place: what would you need?

Have fun!

If you would like to know more about our trainings around online presenting and moderating online sessions, check them out here.

Stay safe & sound.