Blum Consulting Tips for Effective Virtual Communication

​Today, much communication is held online. Virtual is the new normal, whether it's business communication with colleagues, family, friends, or students. As the world increasingly shifts to online communication, certain "netiquette" (online etiquette) rules and standards are important for effective virtual presentations.

Effective communication is clear and unambiguous. Delivering effective online presentations requires some extra preparation above standard person-to-person. Ask several trusted persons to help out before the virtual presentation. Rehearse before you present. Divide your content into sections or chunks that help you to practice easily. Practice transitions between chunks to ensure they are smooth and that what you say syncs with your visuals.

Learn as much as possible about your online audience in advance. It'll assist you in building relevant, clear, concise, and inclusive content. After the meeting, ask participants to give you actionable feedback; it will help make your next presentation more refined.

In an effective virtual presentation, audience attention and satisfaction are vital. Ensure that you are audible and that the audience hears you. You can even ask them if you need to turn up the volume on your device or your speaking voice. To keep the viewers interested, vary the speed of your delivery and voice tone.

Online communication in an online environment should be robotic or impersonal. For example, if you are an online instructor, your primary goal should be to create a sense of community within your virtual class.

Whether presenting to external collaborators, your immediate team, or the whole company, focus on interaction and engagement. Add interactive elements to your content whenever possible. A standard virtual technique is to get a comment from a random listener or ask for a show of hands. Live surveys are another method of engaging the audience virtually; they can tell you what the audience thinks about your topic.

The environment you make the presentation matters, especially when working from home. Surround yourself with comforting objects that energize or inspire you, such as books, art, or plants. Spruce up the space to make it pleasant for yourself and the audience. However, make sure you declutter the space, as that can distract your virtual audience. The key lies in striking the right balance, not too cluttered or too austere.

Collaboration tools are handy in online communication. They make effective communication easier and help store the presented content or briefs. However, all digital presentation tools are created equal. To compliment your primary working hub, consider mixing tools. Collaborative tools like Google Calendar, Trello, ClickUp, and Figma can add value by helping audiences to tick off tasks or track milestones.

In virtual presentations, less is more. Nobody wants to sit in a virtual meeting for hours. Unlike a person-to-person presentation, it may not be necessary to warm up the audience with charming stories or witty introductions.

Keep your content original and on the topic. Don't tell your audience about the current business environment, which they might be conversant with already. At the end of your virtual presentation, offer a brief recap of what you discussed, and if you intend to meet again, give the dates as well as how the audience should prepare.

Randall Blum

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