I’ve had about ten emails in the last week promoting some amazing virtual conferences and summits that are coming up. Since lockdown there has been an explosion of innovative online events and experiences. The tech is getting smarter, the delivery is getting slicker and the virtual experience is getting way better.
Last week the UK got the hopeful news that life might finally be getting back to normal over the coming months. Events are set to make a comeback in the second half of the year which I cannot wait for. But till then, there is still a huge amount of opportunity for you to keep working on your speaking skills by landing some virtual keynotes. It also looks as though virtual is also here to stay and that means more opportunities for you!
What makes a great virtual keynote?
Interaction
I had an intensive with a client the other week who was delivering a 45 minute virtual keynote and it was all one way delivery. The one key thing about virtual is that interaction is essential! Otherwise you will have the audience reaching for their insta feeds 5 minutes after you’ve started. Making full use of the virtual tools such as the whiteboard, emojis and chat box will ensure they are engaged and present throughout the talk.
Energy
All talks benefit from energy, however the virtual experience calls for you to dial up your energy around an extra 20% percent. That doesn’t mean you have to be jumping all over the place, but be mindful of bringing focus to your energy. This may mean at some points your pace, timbre, and tone is slower and quieter, and then you build to a crescendo at others. Being aware of your energy can ensure an engaged and locked in audience who are hanging off your every word.
Impact
As well as energy and interaction, you can really pack a punch with WHAT you are saying. Virtual keynotes can often fall into the trap of feeling like a presentation. The goal is to move away from this! With this in mind keep slides to an absolute minimum, and when you do use them swap text for images. Instead of giving and ‘telling’ information, use stories instead. Storytelling is a sure fire way of taking your virtual talk from ok to amazing!
Structure
Another common mistake I see is that people don’t prep as much for virtual keynotes. There is a lot more winging going on because it can feel like more of an informal experience. My advice here is to use similar structures as you would with a real life keynote, with tweaks to how you engage with the audience. A framework for your talk flow rather than having a rigid scripted delivery is also a winning approach.
Need help?
My virtual speaking pro course has a module purely focused on this. As well as support with WHAT your keynote should focus on and HOW to land the gigs!
https://helenpackham.com/virtual-speaking-pro/
Grab Virtual Speaking Pro and:
Get my talk flow structure for the perfect virtual keynote.
- Making the jump from real life to virtual – learn the difference
- How to use interaction to engage
- The perfect stories for virtual delivery
- The key components of a killer virtual keynote
- Tech know how – what you need to know
Not only that but I take you through a step by step on how to speak virtual in FIVE other ways including virtual training sessions, webinars, podcast interviews, live streams and guest expert sessions.
https://helenpackham.com/virtual-speaking-pro/
If you have questions about how Virtual Speaking Pro could help you just hit reply!
Much love
Helen x
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