Remote Presentations: From Mediocre to Impactful

By Sally Williamson

I confess. My relationship with remote presentations got off to a bad start. Five years ago, when I wrote my first article about Webinars, I shared my frustration and confusion that companies were using this new technology without understanding how to use it effectively.

Most people approached it as a less expensive way to deliver existing presentations. I often was asked to coach presenters to deliver effectively by phone, which meant voice work and delivery. Early on, the technology was viewed by presenters as an “easy way out.” They didn’t practice or prepare as they would for a live presentation. They were simply reading notes and flipping through PowerPoint decks.

Consider the difference in attendance of people who sign up for a live meeting or presentation…the cancellation rate is about 10 percent the morning of the meeting. Webinars average a 40 to 50 percent no-show rate from registered participants.

Coaching presenters and observing hundreds of Webinars and remote presentations helped me see that the medium is fine; it’s the use of it…or misuse of it…that determines the difference between a mediocre or impactful remote presentation.

Here are three common misconceptions:

1. Saves Money: Not necessarily. The presentation decks created for live presentations don’t transfer well to a remote medium. In fact, the impactful ones are built separately. A Webinar requires many more visuals, animation, and creativity to keep an audience’s attention. Done professionally, a remote presentation can cost more to develop than a live one.
2. Saves Time: Initially, it takes more time because for many, it’s a new skill set. Delivering great Webinars requires training on a new medium. To do it well, you need to understand how it works and how to leverage the technology throughout your presentation.
3. Ease of Use: Over the last few years, I’ve seen a real shift in competencies with technology and its ease of use. Different provider companies have different features and processes, so it makes sense to pick a provider and stick with their format.

As mentioned, I have had a change of heart. When a presenter understands the complexity of reaching a remote audience and adjusts accordingly, these presentations can be a very effective medium.

Here is my list of what it takes to develop and deliver remote presentations well.

• Message: While I tell every presenter their style can engage listeners, the remote presentation makes it extremely difficult. Presenters must rely much more on the content to engage a group, and the ability to create a compelling message is critical.
• Storyline: Webinars must be built from a storyline, not a PowerPoint deck. Once the message is set, how will you get the listeners to buy into it and believe it? Once you build the story, think through how you will bring that story to life visually.
• Visual Impact: Here’s the hard part. Listeners watch computer screens all day long and are very comfortable getting information from them. But, the compelling component is moving and entertaining…not flat. Create diversity in your visuals…video, polling, animation, etc. The Webinar itself has to provide a level of energy that keeps the listeners engaged.
• Voice Tone and Energy: The impact of the voice on overall impressions goes from 38 percent to 85 percent in a remote presentation. It is different than the energy in a live presentation. It takes practice…and coaching…to learn how to add variety, pace, and energy to the voice. Think of a radio deejay or a great storyteller.
• Technical Capabilities: Most professional Webinar providers have enhanced the medium. Technology can improve the production, but many presenters don’t know how to properly use the tools. One client learned this the hard way when his competitor gained an advantage by presenting capabilities more effectively in a remote setting. If you tell your client it’s the best way to see your product, then it really needs to be effective.
• Delivery Team: I encourage delivering Webinars as a team effort. Having more than one presenter helps build energy and conversation. I also recommend a director or producer who is very savvy with the technology and can handle polling, Q&A, etc.
• Repetition: Webinars make the most sense to me as an investment and a delivery alternative when you have great content that you want to leverage repeatedly, i.e., deliver multiple times. The value in being able to share recorded versions of your Webinar electronically can justify the costs of development and training.
• Audience Participation: It’s hard to gauge an audience when you aren’t with them, but it’s an essential part of getting them and keeping them involved. From polling questions to live chats, there are creative ways to involve a group that can be built into a remote presentation. We’ve created games, contests, and other activities to keep the audience involved.
• Training: As I talk to communications and sales groups, they often share their surprise and frustration that some of their top presenters don’t come across well in Webinars. The transition to this medium is not automatic, and if it’s a key component of your strategy, you should invest the time and money to train people on how to do it well.
• Trends: We’ve seen video feeds work well as promotions for Webinars. Interestingly, one client reported that the promotion of the Webinar with a video introduction by the presenter more than doubled the number of attendees they received from flat e-mail invites.

Prezi and Tandberg are two new technologies that can add sizzle to your remote presentations. An online presentation tool, Prezi dispenses with the idea of slides, creating instead one big canvas where you can add text, images and shapes. For more information, visit http://prezi.com.

Tandberg is a provider of high-definition video conferencing. Desktop connectivity through a company’s intranet provides real-time, face-to-face communication. For more information, visit www.tandberg.com.

Remote presentations have their own unique challenges and advantages. When developed and delivered correctly, they become a great communication vehicle and transform a mediocre group of slides into a powerful remote experience.

Sally Williamson is an executive communications and speech coach based in Atlanta. Her firm, Sally Williamson & Associates, provides one-on-one coaching and customized group workshops that blend personal development with bottom-line results. Williamson teaches workshops on Executive Presence in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast. She currently is writing a book about Executive Presence, “The Hidden Factor: Executive Presence: How to Find It, Keep It and Leverage It,” which will be published later this year. For more information, visit www.sallywilliamson.com or e-mail info@sallywilliamson.com.