Engagement in a Virtual World

Tips for Successful Online Learning Meetings

Friday, the 13th of March, 2020. A Black Friday like we’d never imagined!  I was in Adelaide at the Professional Speakers Association’s annual convention with 200 other speakers and trainers, possibly the last conference ever before Covid-19 erupted and Australia was locked down into isolation. As the convention weekend progressed, our phones buzzed constantly with text messages and emails cancelling our gigs for the rest of the year. The speaking industry was hit hard and the air was filled with shock, fear and uncertainty.

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For many, life became a daily struggle to find sanitiser, PPE andtoilet paper, while trying to maintain a positive outlook. As companies started pivoting to their new normals, Zoom, Webex and Teams became household words. We became obsessed about social distancing and flattening the curve. Nobody really knew
what to do – we’d never been through a pandemic before, so we all just made it up as we went along.

As speakers and trainers, we had to go virtual or starve. We had to learn very quickly how to engage our audience virtually and make their experience great. We banded together globally through social media and Zoom to help each other through, and together we learned…a whole lot! Some of us even proudly achieved the Certified Virtual Presenter global accreditation. Thankfully, for most of us, life is almost back to normal. But while we were in those trying times, the new normal became a world of working from home with virtual classrooms and meeting rooms.

Since we are still living with this pandemic, we know we must be prepared at a moment’s notice to go virtual again. The interpersonal skills required virtually are just as important as face-to-face skills but even more difficult because there are less visual cues to give and receive.

In the virtual world, you must be able to influence to make a difference. Whether your virtual meeting is a classroom lesson or collaboration with your team, my top 12 tips on the art of virtual etiquette (VE) will help you engage, influence and be heard:

1. Before sending the meeting invitation, delete unnecessary clutter from the email, such as overseas phone numbers, so participants can easily locate the meeting link. Add a personal message so it looks less automated.

2. Visual aesthetics are important.

• Natural light is most effective…face a window for the most flattering light.
• If you wear glasses, angle them down to reduce glare.
• Avoid using a virtual background unless you have a physical green screen (to stop you from disappearing into
it) especially if you have long or curly hair, or use hand gestures.
• Declutter your background to look professional and minimise audience distraction.
• Make sure no one is likely to walk past the camera behind you. We’ve all seen those funny videos on YouTube!
3. Audio is equally as important as visual. Use an external microphone for best sound quality.

4. Prior to the meeting, make sure any potential distractions are diverted. Ensure the kids and pets are out of the room, the printer is turned off and all notification sounds (including the home doorbell) are off.

5. Have your phone close by in vibrate mode, in case someone can’t get into the meeting and you need to assist them.

6. Arrive at your meeting five minutes early so you are there to  greet your guests with a confident smile as they arrive.

7. If you use a virtual waiting room, customise it with a personalised message to make sure your guests feel comfortable and reassures them that they are in the right place. Let them in right on time or a minute before.

8. Start the meeting on time to respect those who were punctual.

9. Engage your audience by looking at the camera and sitting on the edge of your seat to prevent you from slouching. Sitting upright will maximise your energy levels and improve your tone of voice to make you and your message more influential.

10. Remember to smile. It’s contagious!

11. If your audience is large, mute your guests and encourage them to interact with the Chat facility or unmute themselves when it is their turn to ask a question.

12. Wait until your guests have left before ending the meeting.

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Ava Lucanus


Ava Lucanus
Ava Lucanus is a Customer Experience Expert, who helps organisations to align their customer experience with their brand promise. Drawing upon four decades of knowledge and experience, Ava works with organisations Australia wide including schools. Through her company Edge Communication, she provides training programs for every level within business to fully optimise customer relationships and increase trust.
She can be contacted at:
ava@edgecommunication.com.au