Ep. 31 How to Be Unforgettable...Virtually

Hey there, Mark Brown. What a crazy world we live in right now.

Oh, yeah, we are in now. Unprecedented times, man. So much happening in the world today.

And you and I have friends who are keynote speakers. And right now they're getting canceled, they're getting postponed, and some of them are going online. Some of them are now being forced to do their keynote speech online. So, Mark Brown, how do we be unforgettable? Virtually.

Anyone can give a presentation. Few deliver unforgettable presentations. What's the difference? You're about to find out. Welcome to the Unforgettable Presentations podcast with your hosts, world champion speakers and coaches, Mark Brown.

Mark Brown, your life tells a story and there's someone out there who needs to hear it.

And Darren LeCroy and Darren LaCroix.

Stage time. Stage time. Stage time.

Ready for some powerful presentation. Ahas, let's dive right in.

Hey there, Mark Brown. Wow. You and I do this. We've been teaching this for so long that it's just part of what we do. We don't really teach it, but we're realizing that right now in the world, a lot of people are working from home. Managers need to give presentations and train their staff, which they've never worked from home before. Managers are being forced to motivate, inspire, keep connected. Salespeople need to sell online virtually. It's just crazy. And keynote speakers, our friends. We hadn't planned this, but the thing.

Is, you know, we want people to know. We are totally sympathetic. I mean, you and I had a program planned last week, a three day conference right there in Vegas. We had to cancel. So we're doing it ourselves, virtually, a two day program. And so many people are unfamiliar with the idea of doing it, they're uncomfortable with it, but they find themselves being forced to do it. So, Darren, help me and help everybody listening, guide us through the process to really prepare ourselves to be unforgettable, virtually. What's the first thing we need to know?

Have a plan? No, I was trying to think up of something very witty, but nothing came to mind. But seriously, have a plan. So I think if let's. Mark, let's break this down into three ideas, three secrets that people really need to know. Now, again, this is you and I have never taught this before. We've done this for years. Like at our live events, we have virtual seats where people are online. So how do we keep them engaged? You and I have been doing webinars for a couple years now all the time. And we've been getting better at it because we've had more experience. We see the problems, we see the mistakes people are making that we made. So by no means are we the ultimate authority in this, but we felt it was important to focus.

I totally agree. And to kind of allay some of the fears, the doubts. What do I Do I jump online? Do I just start recording stuff? I mean, you're right. People need a plan to get this process to flow and to flow well. And we're seeing a proliferation. Nice big word for you, Darren. A proliferation.

I gotta go look it up.

Of LinkedIn and Facebook and online people who are trying to do it on their mobile phone. Do I do my desktop, an old desktop, a laptop, an iPad? What do I do? And there are people who have questions, and some are doing trial and error, some are doing really well, and some are doing poorly at it. But you said we need to start with a plan. And when people talk to me about going online, I had a client today say, how do I record these videos? Do I need to get a good camera on, put it on my computer? Can I record on my phone and have all these questions? And how would you allay these fears? And can I help lay the groundwork for this plan, to start delivering presentations virtually?

Darren, I think what we need to clarify, too, is the importance of this. The importance of this subject. If you're listening, you probably know it's important, but understand this, that when you're presenting live, there's another factor involved. There's another thing that's going for you. When you go over to virtual, it dulls the process, it dulls the experience. So we have to strategize and do all that we can to overcome that dullness. So I think the first secret in going with that, how do we overcome the dulling down of the experience? Because you're dealing with people at home with all these distractions going around them. Lights, whistles, friends, people calling pets. Like, all these distractions, like, what can we do? And I think the first thing we just need to say is, you gotta have the right equipment. You got to have the right equipment. Even you and I, we've gone through our experience. If you want to share what. How you started?

Well, yeah, we were doing our webinars on our podcast, and I'm using, you know, my regular headphones with a little microphone on the string by my ear. And somebody lovingly but firmly said, hey, Darren, love what you and Mark did. Mark's audio was bad. It was really bad. He needs to get a good microphone. And we can chuckle about that now. But when you realize you have, you're now in a place where you are required to interact and to do business. And at times with people who are paying you very well for your business, you need the right tools to deliver what you have to offer in a professional, profound way. And even when we're doing video reviews in our coaching programs, we tell people, video is great, but audio is the most important. So thankfully, my partner, my good buddy Darren had mercy on me and he shipped me a yeti microphone, which has been for me, a game changer. So I did a game changer there. Right. Our theme. There you go. Yeah, Our game changer event was postponed last week, but having a good quality microphone has made a tremendous difference in my style, in how I sound, and how I come across in our webinars, in our podcasts, and of course, at our live virtual event. So that's one thing I had to get was a good microphone and a pop filter to filter all my my P's, T's and D's and my S's. So that's one tool I had to get right away. And it made a difference for me.

Yeah, I think it makes the whole connection deeper that we need to be able to hear you. I mean, our church, you know, my buddy Vince, that we've done programs together. Our church went online for the first time, live streaming. Like each of the different pastors and even the worship leader was all. Each was in their own home. It was a cool setup, but one of the things that we talked about was the microphone, my pastor's microphone. I said, we just need to get it closer and it needs to be better. There was nothing wrong. The lighting was good. You could hear him, but it wasn't as deep as if you were like in the same room. Like your sounds so beautiful.

Oh, thank you.

But with the other microphone, it didn't. So bringing back to we had what of our listeners? In the version two or three of our podcast, somebody said to us, I'll excuse a guest having bad audio, but I won't excuse the hosts. And I think that's so crucial and so critical. So if you're running a meeting like the people, especially if they're investing in you and your tools and your talents and your expertise, we've got to look like the expert. Now, image online is everything, because if we're watching a video of yours and we watch a video, if somebody's in the choosing process and they look at these different people, well, the person who's got the cleaner background My background didn't look the same a year ago. It was just plain out of my home. And then somebody said something. So I think one of the cool parts of being unforgettable, too, Mark, is being aware and listening, listening to the little cues on what you might need to upgrade. But for sure, Audio, Mark, you use a Yeti. You can get at Yeti Blue. Get on Amazon. A Yeti, Yeti Blue. It's 125 bucks or something like that. You can get it on Amazon. I used to use an Audio Technica 2020 USB, which I have as my backup. So right now I have a expensive system because we started making podcasts part of our business. You don't need that. I just chose to do that because we also run our live events through it. So there's other reasons. So Mark and I are trying to help you be unforgettable on a reasonable budget. But you've got to invest in a good microphone. And yeah, you could do it through your phone or your headphones. It's just not as good. And that matters. We've got all these barriers. We've got to remove the barriers. So number one, the microphone, number two, I think might even be more important. But the platform, the platform that you're using, if a customer or client is using a certain. I won't mention any names that I'm not fan of, but it rhymes with FedEx. Now, in their defense, I haven't used it in a while, so maybe it's upgraded. But I'm a fan of Zoom. But here's the key. You've got to pick the one that you have the account for. If you're using a client's platform, well, you have to know their platform. And here's the key. You got to go learn it. You got to watch some of the tutorial videos. You've got to experience it. So in the moment, you can be more connected to the people online and not worrying about, how do I do that. Is this the right microphone? I remember, Mark, last year around New Year's Day, I was sick. I was home alone, sick as a dog, and I was just on my couch, and I said, you know what? Here's the perfect day to learn Zoom. So I watched every tutorial. I tried the account. I added all the little check marks in the right places. I tried. It didn't work. A lot went into now being super comfortable with Zoom. And is it perfect? No, but I'm really comfortable. Most users, people we interview, Mark, you and I, we're using Zoom right now to connect to each other. So the platform is important, but it also, you need the usability of the user experience. One of the reasons, Mark, you and I chose Zoom is because we have breakout sessions right when we're doing our live events, we can put people in a breakout session. We learned about that from Ed Tate. And it's really cool that they can talk to each other. The people online, we can put them in small groups, groups because we were trying to replicate the experience that we have at the live event. So that was important. Find the right platform. We love Zoom, but that doesn't mean the other ones don't work. Mark, when we were on the game show, they actually had us audition through Skype. Who uses Skype? And the producer.

People still do Skype. Some people still do. Yeah.

I was trying to be funny. The producer did not find it funny.

You don't want to mock the user's platform.

Okay.

Don't mock the client's platform.

See, you learn, you get, if you're listening to this, you get to learn from Mark and my mistakes. Mark, anything else on platform really quickly.

When you said understand their platform when it worked and it works well, it is fantastic. As a matter of fact, I want to brag on Darren for a second because we have testimonial video from our stage time members who have attended our live events in breakout rooms using the virtual platform. And we have a videotape recording of one of our members attendees saying it felt just as good being in the breakout rooms virtually as if you were right there with us. You remember that guy? I was so pleased to know not so much that the platform worked, but that they found that what we had to offer within the virtual platform made them feel engaged and part of the program, as if they were there in person. And we've had members who have been both virtual and live and they all say that when we use the platform well, they get the experience of being there with us. Really important to learn the platform well.

And I think the other idea that we need to bring up is lighting. Again, a simple, affordable solution. You can have good lighting and it's not that hard. I went to when we were teaching video marketing made simple. We actually went to the electronics store and I went right down the lamp aisle and I had my phone on thinking, okay, people are going to record videos, a lot of videos for YouTube from their phone. So I literally went down the electronic aisle which each of the different, different lights and I bought. I think it's a 29 one. It's got three different settings, but it has the right light. That gave me the daylight experience. They have the ones that rings can.

Be the ring lights.

Ring lights. I've heard, and I haven't experienced this, but I've heard that they actually put a little tiny ring in your eye, which is not good. Like a reflection of it. Here's the thing. You've got to try and see what works for you, but you've got to consider sound number one. But lighting. You want to look professional. You've got to play around. The lights that I use, they're neewer n e e w e r. I bought a set. I think it's a set of two or three. You get 450 bucks on Amazon. And I love them because they have the daylight and the amber light and you can actually adjust them. So right now I have two of them in front of me right now. It's just really important if you're watching this adjust. So I just shut one of them off. I can remotely do it from my desk. I get a. I don't want to sound like a big spendthrift here, but I bought a $10, $10 dimmer switch from Home Depot. We don't need something fancy. But we've got to consider that everything is demagnified when we're doing this experience. So we've got to consider. Can they hear? Like, can they hear us really well or.

I hope so.

If I just move my microphone a little bit away.

What? What? I can't hear you. What did you say?

You can hear the words, but you almost have to lean in and it's just not the same depth of experience.

Please, friends, understand times are difficult right now. As we're recording this podcast, I'm going to ask you to go and break the bank and create an in home studio to record an imovie and for mass distribution. We're just saying that there's some simple ways to get some cool tools to help you to be unforgettable in a virtual platform that won't break you, but they'll help you. And I believe we'll come through this season where we're going to be back on the platforms around the country and around the world. But now we have one more means of getting our message across. And I believe it's going to change the industry. It already is changing the industry. And having this technical expertise and having these tools now will just set you up for another income stream as you go forward. So getting the right tool, getting the right light, the right Sound is really, really very helpful. And hopefully the camera on your computer will be a decent enough camera for those virtual presentations to have the audience see you, hear you and connect with you. Because Darren says when you're alive, there is that human connection, but when you're virtual, it is demagnified, it is minimized. It isn't the same experience, but there are ways to create that experience, increasing value if you're exactly what to do and how to do it, it. Darren, any thoughts on that?

Yeah, no, I agree. And the thing is, again, just like stage time. Stage time. Stage time. Camera time. Camera time. Camera time.

Oh, a new, a new foundational phrase. Camera time. Camera time. Camera time.

Yeah, and.

I'm sorry, I'm punching it.

Sorry. It's punchy. That's what happens when you're stuck inside for a while, Mark.

Going stir crazy. Not really. Yeah, yeah, it's important. Camera time is important now. Yeah, it's a shift for us.

And the other only tool that I think, again, we don't want to go way into it. Everyone's got different tools. The key is can we see you and hear you clearly and is there depth to the, is there some base to it? Because that is about the connection and that's one of the ways we keep people engaged. So you got to have the right tools. The only other one I want to mention is if you do do live events. One of the things I love using Zoom at our live events is I use a huddle cam. We actually have three huddle cams, so it becomes a three camera shoot. It works really well with Zoom. Now this is again, if you have live events and you're upgrading, you don't need one. The video lens in your computer, if you bought it in the last few years, is probably great. It's probably fine.

Yeah. But Darren, now you mentioned, I'm sure there's some folks saying huddle cam, huddle cam. Do I get why buy at a huddle house? I'm being really ridiculous. But no, just so those who are not watching, who are only listening to understand when you say huddle cam. Describe that for us.

Yeah, it's a brand name huddlecam HD huddlecamHD. You can just go to huddlecamhd.com the coolest experience with them was when I had a challenge when I first got it, learning how to connect the remote and stuff. I called them and Mark, you're not gonna believe this, but someone picked up the phone. Like that just doesn't happen.

You got a live, a live human Being when you call the customer service.

And they help, right then and there, I was like, wow. Yeah, it's beautiful. Anyway, we have a three camera shoot. It looks like a tiny little R2D2 and it swivels. It has a remote. You can zoom in, you can zoom out, you can pre program, but I don't want to overdo it. But if you're having a live event and you're gonna use zoom, it works beautiful with zoom. So, Mark, let's. Again, this isn't technico, but if you looking for the audio microphone, if you're looking for the microphone, you can just put in YETI into Amazon, Yeti Blue into Amazon. And again, the one I used to use USB was Audio Technica at 2020 USB. At 2020 USB. I still have it here. It's our backup if the whole other pro system goes down. All right, so, Mark, let's switch lanes. Let's move over now. I think one of the biggest mistakes that I see out there in virtual meetings is actually a technique that I Learned from David McElhaney, my other coach, my second coach, Mark Brown. You remember Dave McElhaney, he used to talk about changing the pace elements. Yes, Changing the pace elements, which in virtual terms. The way I would convert that in virtual terms is we need to switch between talking head to slide to video, to questions, maybe to raise your hand, maybe to polling to full screen talking head to slides to chat room as well. To chat room.

Live chat. Yep.

Yeah. So it's not con. It's. It's. It's a simple thing, but if you're not even aware of it. That's why I think it's one of the biggest mistakes. It's almost like when, Mark, when you and I teach this live, when people are using slides, we teach them about the B button because it makes the screen go blank or black, which shifts the attention to the presenter. And then when you turn it back on, it switches attention to the slide. And when you switch it, it goes back. So what you're is you're keeping them engaged by the switching. So if you go to a slide and now your little head goes small on zoom or whatever platform you're using, and then you go back, and then you, boom, you come big. It's the same idea. It's keeping us engaged by regularly switching the perspective, if you will.

Mark, you are switching attention with intention, Right? You are switching attention with intention. And we don't really realize it, but these pace element shifts really help to keep the People engaged. I did a webinar several weeks ago. I don't know how many people were on it, maybe 300 about managing our time well. And I spoke with the moderator in advance and we discussed the addition of polls as part of the webinar to get the audience to interact. And he monitored that. And we can talk briefly, Darren, about having a co presenter monitoring different aspects, but he monitored that. And we decided beforehand at which point to insert the polls to get them to respond to what I was saying. At certain points were being made. We decided deliberately, with intention when to have a Q and A. We also had some questions in advance that we chose so I would in effect be answering questions during the program. But everything was paced out for this one hour webinar on managing our time. And it had the questions, it had the answers, it had the polls, it had the results. It had me explain to them why the poll, what the poll told us and how it was different from the truth. And it was really cool. That hour went by so quickly. And of course, as we always hope, I got contacted by someone who was on the webinar for a future engagement. The point being, not that I got a second gig, which is kind of nice, spin off is always good. But using those elements created an environment where they felt involved, felt engaged, and nobody just sat there and heard me talk as a talking head for 59 minutes. That's not the idea. And I'd love to get your thoughts, Darren, also on the idea of how we kind of work together as a team. When you want to do the hand raise, the chat, the poll, all of that maybe help us to understand how that works when you run your programs as well. Because maybe there are people out there who have to do a webinar with a co presenter. I have one coming up next week for Toastmasters International. I'm co presenting with Mohamed Murad, a past international president. So when you find some time today, Darren, just give us your thoughts on how to work as a co presenter to make the experience really worthwhile with those pace elements.

I remember one of the things we learned early on, Mark, when we had the Champions Edge.

Oh, yeah, way back.

Yeah, like a decade ago. And we had conference calls, our first conference calls. We would often talk over each each other because we would have a thought, the person would take a breath and then like two of us, because we had too many on the call, two of us would like jump on each other and then. No, no, you go. No, no, you go. We turn into Chip and Dale. No, no, no, you, you. No, no, no, please, you. And then it's just like after a while, it's annoying even if you're pleasant. So one of the tips that we've learned that I think is an important technique actually is the handoff, is that you and I, when we do webinars or virtual webinars, we actually will do almost a handoff visually to each other or we'll say, mark, yeah, so we're handing it to the other person. If you're co presenting, if there's one thing you do, it's that, that we want to let the person finish their thought. But that person has to know that the other person wants to jump in too. I mean, if you've got two experts on there, you know your stuff, you have different perspectives, which is beautiful, which is the value of two presenters. But if you're talking over each other, it becomes very annoying quickly.

Mark.

Yeah, see what I did there?

Nice handoff, Dan. I appreciate that. Thank you very much. And that is, I believe it's not unusual to have co presenters delivering programs these days. So really think about this. If you're going to incorporate different pace elements and you have a co presenter with you, you have to coordinate who's going to monitor the hands being raised. You'll hear when Darren and I do our weekly programs and our webinars, he'll tell, he'll tell our viewers, our listeners, our participants. Okay, Mark is going to monitor our chat. He'll keep track of your comments and I'm going to be looking for hands raised and questions being asked while we go through the program. So he sets me up as being responsible for monitoring chat, and that way I can take over when he passes it over to me. Well, now we've got these three questions and these four comments coming in. It also gives him opportunity to respond to hands being raised in other parts of the program. Because a well constructed webinar or virtual program can really have several moving parts. When you have co presenters who understand each other, have built that relationship and know what roles they will take, an entire program can run very, very smoothly. Because of that relationship you build, you will not always have a co presenter. At times you'll be on your own. What you don't want to do is overwhelm yourself by saying, okay, I'm going to put a poll in here, look for hands raised, a Q and A and a chat room, and try to govern everything yourself while delivering your material. Responding to questions and comments, it can be overwhelming, which means you have to decide to what extent will you have these levels of interaction? You may simply have a hand raise option for someone to agree. If you're going to go with a chat, you have to make sure how you, how you monitor that, how you govern that, how you manage that, and decide what can you handle to make the program effective without you going crazy and pulling out your hair, if you have any. Right, Darren? See what I did there, Right, Darren? Yeah.

Yes, Mark, I love what you did there. Beautiful, Mark. And I think one of the subliminal messages maybe I picked up on out of this is just a reminder. A co host or a host, a co presenter or a host is invaluable to keep it moving, to be able to monitor the chats. Because, Mark, when you and I do webinars and it's just the two of us, you're looking at the chats, you bring in the conversation when it needs to be. And I'm watching the technology and that side of it. So that doesn't mean I don't see the chats once in a while. And it doesn't seem you don't help out with technology, but you're in charge and so you do great at that. You do the keepers. As we go through all of our webinars and podcasts, we keep keepers and Mark does a great job at that. So it's having the distinct roles and letting the audience know this is how we're gonna go. But that is probably the best pace element. When you and I do the weekly webinars with Mike Davis and he's the host and we're the presenters managers, it's great to have him monitoring the chat and then you and I can coach because it's hard to coach at the same time as actually monitoring the chat. So now because our weekly stage time university coaching calls, we're coaching live people, so we almost need that third person. So I would say there's a real value to having a co presenter or a host, which Mike Davis does both. Some weeks he's the host host, sometimes he's the bridesmaid, he's the host with the most.

You just got that.

Thank you. Thank you very much. So Mark, I think changing the pace element is just one of those big mistakes that nobody really is, or I shouldn't say nobody, but many people aren't aware of. But changing that pretty regularly and pretty often. I should say regularly and frequently.

Frequently. Yeah, frequently. And having different ways for them to learn the visuals. We didn't really discuss the visuals much, but Darren, you control the PowerPoint the slides when we do our webinars, and you do a really good job of that because you know what's coming, you set them up. And when you have a co presenter, make sure you have that relationship. You know where it's going and you can flow together if you're by yourself, know exactly what you got in the material and decide, will these slides be really helping me to reach the audience? Darren, question for you. Is there a difference presenting live with slides and presenting virtually with slides?

Yes.

What is? If there was one lesson that you would teach us about how that works in terms of. Because, see, when I know when I'm live and I can go to Slack and go to B black button, okay, the screen goes blank and they're back to me and they have me in the room. We're interacting, we're smiling, we're eye contact, we're nodding. But virtually as a presenter, I've got a screen in front of me, I've got my slides and I can see myself in the corner. Little tiny old me and these slides. But the interaction I would normally have with the audience live doesn't really translate that well. How can I manage my slides? Well, to maintain that level of intimacy and connection with the audience.

Yeah. It's also keeping that attention. So I think what you're leaning towards is we need more slides, we need many more visuals. We've got to keep the visual stimulation going in front of them to keep them engaged. So, Mark, this brings us to secret number three, which. What are the different elements and how do we use them? So what are the different pace elements and how do we use them? Because I think that is the other thing you and I have learned through experience, through trial and error and more trials and more errors is for sure. Number one, let me set this up. What's the one thing that would make your unforgettable presentation work virtually? So how to have a virtual unforgettable presentation? Mark, I think of Patricia Fripp's quote. When people ask her, what's the one thing that's most important? She says, there is no one thing. It is a series of small ideas and techniques and strategies layered one on top of the other. But if there was one, it would be that the subject is of interest to the audience.

That's well done.

Yes. I've been working on my Fripp impression. So, Patricia Fripp, if you're listening, thank you for all your wisdom. But she said it right. Number one, to keep them engaged is to get the right audience in front of you in the first place. Now, some people may be forced to listen to you, so you have to be more engaging just for them. You have to be more interesting. I know Ed Tate talked a few days ago on our Game Changers call where he said that he was prepared to sit down and watch this one on taxes for the American Payroll association, and he was prepared that he had to do it. And he said he was blown away. It was so good. It was so engaging, and that is awesome. So, yes, we can bring people over to keep them engaged. So it's more challenging. But if we can get the right subject in front of the right people who want that outcome that you're gonna help them with, that kind of covers a lot of sins, if you will. It covers over the mistakes. Because I need this information. I want this information perfect. You're gonna forgive some mistakes just because of that. So that being said, more, Mark.

Well, you said getting the right subject for the right audience. As presenters, the assumption is we know our material and we also feel we market our programs to the audience we believe we are right for. We believe we are going to get. And having the knowledge and the understanding of the subject and expertise is really, really good. But you also have to understand that you are with an audience that is not physically in the room with you. And there was something that was mentioned in our webinar. In our program last week we did our group webinar, Game Changers. A small thing. Kevin Burke said this. He says, you know what? When you have the right audience, that's great. But you have to make sure with your technology, you are looking at the camera. This sounds really rudimentary. It sounds elementary, my dear Watson. It sounds basic. I have a coaching client now. And I told him, you need to create little videos of yourself for marketing purposes. And he said, great. And he got his camera, his mobile phone, and began to record videos. And he was looking at the screen on the camera and not at the camera lens, because in a mobile device, the camera is at the very end, near the top. But he was so used to watching himself on video, he was looking at the screen. So when the videos came out, he was not looking at the camera. And it's a small thing, Darren, but we have to learn to treat the camera as a person, to interact with the camera. Now, you're a master of this. You're laughing at me through your lens. I can see it right now. But you look at the camera, you interact, you smile, you get serious. But you have to translate your Emotions no longer alive in the room. But through the lens of this camera, the camera becomes ineffective. A member of the audience, it's a small thing, especially if you're doing a quick video on a mobile phone. Know where the camera lens is on your mobile device and look there. It initially will be counterintuitive. Darren, you're laughing. Let me guess, you've been there, done that.

You. And I remember when I'm doing a Facebook Live, I remember halfway through, I'm like, oh, the lens is over there.

We laugh. But it's a small thing that makes a big difference because some people, you on a computer and you're looking at your screen, at yourself in the inside and my hair, okay? And you're talking, looking at the words on the screen. You're reading your slide and the audience says, dude, friend, sister, look at me, I'm over here. We're laughing about this now, but I challenge you to look at video. Your first couple of videos you ever did of yourselves, okay? And look where your eyes were for. Happened to me all the while. And with my mobile phone, I forced myself look up and left. The lens is there. Don't look at the screen. It's a simple thing, but it's critical for the audience to understand and to believe and to be convinced that you are interacting with them, not just at a machine. Darren.

Yeah, exactly. And I even learned this, or relearned this when I was giving my presentation on the big stage and it had been a while since I was in front of IMAX screens and I was at nsa, and I asked some of my pros, my friends that are pros, like, how do you. What do I need to know? What do I need to be reminded of? And they said, you've got to deliver your key lines to the lens, to the lens on the camera. Why? Because half the audience, even though they're sitting right in front of you, they're looking up at the IMAC screen. So they're only going to make eye contact with you if you're looking into the lens and they're looking at the result of what's on the other side of the lens. So. So even in big, big, big stadiums or even just conventions where there are thousands of people, we've got to still talk to that camera lens. Whether it's a camera on a tripod or a camera lens on your computer. We've got to make eye contact. And it's usually best, too, if it's right at your eye level. We don't want to have it Too high, we're looking down. And we don't want to look down on our participants either. So think, think height. Like, even when I do the webinars, I have a little computer holder spacer that lifts it up to make it eye level with me. Why? Because we've got to look like a pro. If we're experts, we've got to have these basic things in place that we don't even think of anymore. I forget that if I was teaching, if you and I weren't having this conversation right now and someone asked me for help, I would probably forget. Make the lens be at eye level. That's why we're doing.

And it's funny, last week Ed Tate, fellow world champion and csp, also pointed out, the cool thing is when you elevate your computer in that way, you actually have space below for notes. You can write little notes to yourself and you can have cheat sheets there. But it's important for the audience to believe you are talking directly with them. So look at that camera lens. And the benefit is when, not if, when we go back to large platform in large room with imags, we're that much more comfortable now identifying where the camera is. And we'll treat that camera as someone in the audience and will seem even that much more comfortable on stage being able to interact with a large audience whose eyes are focused on the imag, even though you're in the third row. Right.

That also brings me to the other engagement. What we're really talking about is secrets to engagement virtually. And I think, Mark, this is one that we teach from the platform. But I think virtually people forget. Yet it's even more important and that is the you focus questions, the you focus conversation, as we say in Stagetime University, speak to one. Look to all the Craig Valentinism where we've got to use the language of a one on one conversation to make the person feel like we're just talking to them rather than saying, ladies and gentlemen, well, all of you. Well, well, I'm not all of me, I'm me. So talk to me. So it's a great reminder that, that you focus conversation. How would you say it over coffee? That's kind of my little rule of thumb. There we go. Rule of thumb. I got my cliches backwards today, Mark. My rule of thumb that how would you say it over coffee? You need to talk like you're having that one on one conversation because the person on the other end, they're one on one with you. Now, there may be other people, we may See them, but the feeling, the true connection. Again, we're talking about connecting virtually. You can't be unforgettable unless you're connected. So these are all ways to connect. Mark, the other one that I would love to bring up is that not only going to slides, that's a pace element. Showing a slide and doing more than normal amount of slides when we're online. Just keeping that visual moving. It's like people watch television. Like you watch TV shows from the 80s and it's like, oh my gosh, this scene is dragging so long. Yeah, yeah, you watch it now, it's like, bam, bam, bam. Well, guess what? We're trained to want the change of visuals. So if we're trained to want the change of visuals, you and I as presenter have to give people the way they've been trained. And then the second thing would be live coaching, like, or hot seats, as Ford Sakes would call them, where we can pull up somebody website and actually give them a critique on their website. So that's what we do in the business side of Stagetime University. But talk about engaging now, it's not only connected to the person, it's connected to their business, their message. And now they're getting direct coaching and feedback. What we do, you and I, in terms of our skill coaching call is we actually have the person create a video of them speaking, whether they're in their living room or in front of a daughter audience. And we show that video and then we have that conversation with that person live. So people get to experience the actual live coaching. What is it like? I had no idea what a coaching session would be like. I was actually a little intimidated before I started working with my coaches because I had no idea. So what's really cool is that the outsider can see and actually participate. So we ask our other members who are online watching, what did they think think when this person said that? So if 100 people are online and 60 people say, I was confused by this, well, guess what, it's confusing. And it doesn't even matter what you and I say.

Well, what I like about that particular format, not every webinar or online virtual presentation will have the element of the coaching. Please consider this as an option for yourself because that's one more element that's different, that's engaging. And even if the individuals who are attending aren't the ones receiving the individual attention, and we have VIPs who get our individual attention at our events, what happens is at least they feel engaged because their opinion becomes important. You're inviting them to share what they think, what they see, what they experience, and it becomes not just another webinar. It becomes truly an educational experience for everyone. So I'm not just watching. I'm getting to respond in the chat. They're going to hear my thoughts. I get to answer a poll. My opinion matters. And when your audience feels, one, you're engaging with them, two, you're being conversational, and three, that their input, their opinion, their perspective matters, then you're going to create an experience. And that's what makes your presentation unforgettable. Wouldn't you agree, Darren?

Bam. How do you argue with that? Mark Brown, you're extra feisty today. That's a beautiful thing. Another way to engage the audience or keep them engaged is to ask them to type in. So when you and I are doing some of our webinars, we show a video and we ask them, what did this make you feel? Because it makes our point of eliciting emotion that we learned from Michael Haig. Well, if they give us a feeling, it has elicited emotion. So by asking people to type in now, you can obviously poll as well. But polling is choosing something, and it's not bad. If there's a reason you need to see a percentage, it's not bad. I encourage it. We choose to have the person type in their individual feeling or experience because then it's complete engagement rather than polling. So again, polling good. Asking them direct responses is even better.

And that can also be a function as a caution. That can also be a function of the number of people involved in the program and webinar. I know. My wife gets Zoom conference calls every week with her business that she has. And the woman who runs the meeting has a habit of asking everyone. It was a call first. At the count of three, tell us your name, where you're from. One, two, three, go. And they'd all kind of yell their names together. And that cacophony of sound gave the feeling of a group or a crowd being together, even though they were physically in completely different places. When we have our webinars, one of the first things we do is we bring them in. Welcome, welcome, welcome. I see John here. Hey, Denise. Hey, Deepak, you're here, too. And we ask them, check in, tell us where you're calling in from. And they'll go, ah, it's Annabel. I'm coming from Argentina. Wow, welcome. And before we even get started, what happens is people feel engagement, they feel they're involved. They hear their names being called. We Acknowledge their countries. Oh, man, you're calling from Japan. What time is it there? And they go, 3am wow. Awesome. And before we even begin teaching, people are feeling engaged. They feel part of a community and it involves them. Again, that's a function of how many you have. If you've got 500 people on the line, that may not be the best approach to take. But always be thinking, how do I keep them engaged? What pace elements can I use to let them feel they're having an experience with me? And again, when you can do that plus good, solid content, that's what is what will make your presentation, your virtual presentation unforgettable. Darren.

And I would. I would label that one. Edify your participants.

Edify the audience.

Edify the. Ooh, that's better.

Edify your audience keeper.

Edify the audience. And the cool thing is, too, though, even if you have five hundred or a thousand, and you could never say hi to everyone, if you're saying hi to a few of them and they know it's authentic and real, that every listener knows it's authentic and real, they'll feel it. Just like when I learned from Patricia Fripp at a live event, shake as many hands as you can can. Even if you don't shake everybody's hand, you virtually shaked more hands because people saw who you were and that you cared and you weren't just showing up, giving your speech and running home. So that is multiplied. Your effect is multiplied.

Yes, true. Because, you know, in these days, we can't give physical handshakes. So virtual handshakes and high fives are really cool to get. Yeah. And everyone appreciates being acknowledged. I know, Darren, you tend to also mention one of our guys who came to our webinars even though he was in hospital. And people appreciate that. You acknowledge people who are those who make the effort because it also tells you and everybody else there are individuals, there are people here who value what you bring as a presenter. When they make that level of sacrifice to be a part of your program, they're telling you they value what you have to offer, and you need to validate them, appreciate them, them, and edify your audience.

Mark Brown. Such brilliance. Another pace element that you might not have considered that Mark and I use all the time is videos. Videos are already put together, they're edited, they're succinct. Like, you don't want it to go on and on. Then people are like, well, why are we watching this? But if it's meaningful, if you set it up properly and you come out of it with a very important point to them. It can be super powerful because even if it's royalty free music that you have as a music bed, that music will help change the emotion and help create that connection. But be careful which ones you choose have a reason. Don't just show a video for the sake of a video. Like we at the end of one of our webinars, we show one of our customers from Germany, Denise, who Denise talks about how much she loves stagetime University. So it's not us saying it, it's her saying it. We show a video clip of you and I parked on a sidewalk in Ukraine. And that is fun. It's a short clip. One of my favorites is we have a clip of one of our event planners who Mark had this connection. She didn't even speak English fluently, but Mark and her had a great connection because of a story that I told, told about Mark. And so this video clip in the moment helps get that point across so much better than you and I telling that story. So be on the lookout when you're teaching what you do, when you observe things that could be a point like, this isn't a storytelling seminar, but this is how to use stories. And one of the good ways to do that is with video Mark piggybacking on that. I want to encourage people that the structure of the story and the structure of your whole webinar is critical. You've got to know the order and the framework. We teach this in live presentations. Well, it's even more important in virtual and the individual client stories. So if you're telling a story of a transformation of one of your clients or customers, well, we need to emotionally know where they were when they came to you, how the process they went through, how they are when as the result of working with you or your company or your service or whatever that is. So the individual story needs to be structured as well. And this is what Mark and I teach. We just want to bring it up to put it in your mind to realize the stories matter and the structure of the stories matter, matter. And where the stories go in the webinar matters.

And one key point is, please, friends, understand we're not saying you must now transform everything you do because you're going to be on video. On the contrary, if you have a really good structure in place, it'll be effective live. It'll also be effective in a virtual presentation. And there's one thing I wanted to add regarding your slide deck. What you probably find is as you Begin to do more virtual programs. Your slides may contain fewer and fewer lines of text, and you'll have more photographs, more video, more appealing visuals. Because your audience now depends more heavily on what they see on that screen, on their iPad, on their laptop, their Mac, what they see on their mobile device, the visual. The impact of the visual is exponentially magnified. It'll almost force you to be more creative and more engaging with the slides, the photographs and the video clips and audio clips that you present. Because now they're really leaning in to see more clearly what's on the screen. And I don't want to seem insensitive to those who have visual impairments. I don't mean to. But as a presenter, I must also think, what can they hear from my words? What can they hear from the video? How well do I describe what's on the screen to make sure everyone can fully comprehend? So the marriage between the words and your visuals in the online environment is also going to be critical. Don't panic. You can do this well. And the more you do it, the more proficient you'll become. I always say this, all things are difficult until they become easy. And there are two main factors, time and frequency. And you can do this well. And when you do it well, I'll say it again, you will have an unforgettable presentation again.

It dulls the experience when you go in virtually online, because you're competing with everything that's going on in that person's home or office outside of that. That's part of your competition. That's why we've got to be better and more engaging online. Again, secret number one was about the tools. The tools that we need to create that connection. A good mic, good video, good lighting. And know your platform. Know your platform. You've got to get super comfortable with it. So if you're doing a webinar next week, you should do three a day for four days with some of your friends or even alone, because you'll find some questions that come up. You just gotta be comfortable. Cause here's the key, Mark. Improv. It's just like live improv is probably the number one. C2, he said, changing the pace elements, changing it up. Going from screen share to full head and shoulders to video, to whatever the other pace elements that you choose to use for your situation, to asking them a question. Asking a question is changing the pace element. And then finally, what are those keys to engage? What are those important ways? What are the pace elements and which ones are best for you? So Mark Brown what do we get for keepers this week?

Well, get this. The first keeper I'm going to offer is one we didn't even talk about because it's a given. We think it's a given. You want to create. And I don't want to say this the wrong way, but I'll just say it. You want to create a secure place. You mentioned there are distractions, the family, the ringing of the phone and the animals and all that stuff.

Stuff.

That's that those are real, real concerns when you're dealing with privacy of your home. You want to secure your space. Some people put a sign on the wall recording video, do not disturb. You want to make sure to secure the space you're in. So that's my first keeper, right? Secure. Secure your space. Get this. You want to make sure. Get the right subject for the right audience, but ask yourself key questions. How would you say it over coffee? You want to maintain the feeling of being conversational. Ask that question if you have a co presenter. Understand the function of the different roles. Manage the different roles well. Okay. Also this. Engage your audience by asking them to type in responses. Ask them to type responses. Two more thoughts for you. You always edify your audience so they feel involved and engaged as having an experience. And as often as possible, use visuals that are going to be effective. Short videos, interesting photographs that keep them engaged and let them feel that they can relate to what you have to say. One of the biggest keys is this. You want to create an experience, not just deliver material. I'll say it again. You want to create an experience, not just deliver material. And that, my friends, is how to give an unforgettable virtual presentation. My man, Darren.

All right. Hey, thanks for joining us for this episode of Unforgettable Presentations. And Mark, I think in upcoming weeks we're going to start coaching some people live to let them see what it's like to be coached. So I think that's what we got coming. Coming up. We've got some cool guests coming up, which we don't even know all of them right now, but Mark Brown, thank you for joining me. Thanks for being doing improv yourself and jumping in on this idea and this topic that you and I do. And we don't have all the answers, but we have fun. We got a lot of them. And if you want to find out more, you can join us. If you like the idea of our weekly calls where we help people in the skill and mentor people in the business business, check out stagetownuniversity.com Mark Brown. Always a privilege to share a mic with you.

Hey man. Love you much. Hey. So we'll talk soon.

Peace.

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