A contributor from the Association for Consulting Expertise addresses a reader’s question about how to keep audiences engaged in virtual presentations.
Q: How can we plan virtual meetings that keep the audience’s attention?
ACE advises: Virtual meetings don’t have to leave the participants exhausted. Two of the major causes of Zoom gloom are lack of direction and content overload.
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Marty Grohman and Adelaide Taylor at E2Tech have successfully pivoted from in-person meetings to virtual events. Their expertise in hosting live events with multiple panelists and Q&A sessions helped them plan virtual meetings that keep their audience engaged.
E2Tech meetings have multiple speakers in multiple locations. To avoid communications glitches, they plan practice rounds with each speaker using the setup they’ll be using during the meeting. Their advance direction results in virtual sessions that replicate the “buzz in the room” of live events.
Direction isn’t enough to cure boring presentations. The secret to giving an interesting virtual talk is to distill everything you want to say into just what needs to be said. Ask your speakers these two questions to help them edit their content:
If you just had one thing to tell the audience, what would it be?
When you finish your presentation, the audience will (fill in the blank).
If you provide direction and help speakers edit their content, you’ll end up with a smooth-running virtual meeting with clear, concise, and convincing presentations.
The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a nonprofit association of independent consultants who value “Success through Collaboration.” The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com.
