Please Unmute Yourself — 7 Ways to Make Webinars More Interactive, Creative and Connected!
I was mouthing something only to be heard by myself, when a participant said: ‘Ritika, please unmute yourself!’
And so I did, or else I would have been happily talking to myself for the next half hour!
Such are the odd experiences you face when you participate in or conduct online meetings, webinars, and workshops.
Now that I’ve been part of many, I’ve realised that in online communication, as in offline communication, non-verbal cues play a bigger role than verbal ones…
What you don’t say, but show through expressions or gestures, also need to be focused upon.
For instance, in my yoga class, my teacher often wonders whether she is audible or not, and most of us students are a few feet away, to be in perfect view of the camera and get corrected if needed… At such times, she will say, ‘Show me a thumbs up if you can hear me.’
Isn’t that perfect? No need to get out of the asana and unmute yourself, simply stay in the pose, and raise your hand with a thumbs up.
Similarly, I love the concept of raising a hand in webinar mode, it elicits interaction and participation, but still allows participants to stay mute, and not disturb the trainer or key speaker’s audibility and trail of thought.
So, here are some non-verbal cues I’ve used effectively to communicate with my co-speakers/trainers and participants… Let me know your innovative ways, and together let’s make the world of webinars a more creative, connected and interactive one!
1. Smile
Especially at the start and end of a webinar, and more so if you are the host, make sure you smile a lot and make people feel welcome and at ease from the get go.
A smile instantly spreads warmth to any space.
But, more than anything, it shows people that you’re happy doing what you do, and want the other person to be happy during your time together too.
2. Pause
Just like you use punctuation in writing, use pauses effectively when communicating online… If you keep talking without the necessary pauses and expression, the message will seem like an automated presentation, rather than one that is animated and engaging. One way to do this is by modulating your voice —
Raise your voice a bit when you ask a question, or lower it when you need the audience to reflect on what you said.
3. Emote
Since only a mug shot view is available in the virtual world, use facial expressions and hand gestures freely to convey emotion — Raise your eyebrows to show surprise and amazement, ask a question by slightly narrowing your eyes, raise a thumbs up when someone does well, nod your head in understanding, and show compassion with a gentle smile and alert eyes.
We are almost performers when conducting webinars, so bring in theatrical elements to keep the audience engaged.
4. Question
When communication is one-way, there’s a tendency to run on, without checking if you’re being understood or not. In real-life communication, you get a chance to see quizzical faces and frowns, but in the virtual world, you can’t see everyone all the time…
Make sure you stop and ask the audience if they have understood what you’re saying or need clarifications.
5. Interact
Use chat boxes as tools to elicit interaction, interest and engagement.
Ask questions often and encourage the audience to respond in the chat box… Keep the Q&A open at all times, and look at that space to see if you need to intercept and explain something again. Very often, one forgets to look at the chat box when presenting, but keep your eyes and mind open for what’s happening in that space always… When you respond to queries promptly, you show the audience you care about their involvement and inputs.
6. Engage
An audience wants to know they are not in something alone… To ensure that, share your own experiences and failures too, or simply state you’re inability to comprehend something at that point in time.
Authenticity and honesty stand out on all platforms, offline and online.
If you couldn’t comprehend something, say honestly — ‘It would be great if you could elaborate on that, as I may have not caught it accurately.’
7. Enjoy
The end goal of all communication is to make it meaningful and memorable.
Sometimes, this happens by simply having fun — by giving the audience an activity to do, a different experience through meditation or writing (or whatever you’re training them in), or letting them speak by unmuting themselves... This will encourage them to share their stories and interact with other participants. Device creative tools well in advance, and help everyone feel involved in the conversation.
The webinar space is a new and growing one, and we all have much to learn about its actual dynamics and potential...
Can we apply real-world principles to the virtual world, or should we create a whole new way of communicating and emoting in the virtual world?
Webinastic is a platform that seeks to explore these questions and more… To device tools and frameworks that help us become more productive and effective as communicators and learners in the virtual world.
Do comment with your questions, inputs and suggestions… And, of course, do follow Webinastic for similar stories!
