ÜberzeugenUncategorized / Monday, November 15, 2021
How to use body language to impress in online presentations
Danja
Most of our communication is nonverbal. While what you say is important, what your body says is far more crucial. Body language can help you in all areas of life and is particularly important in online presentations to reinforce your message and capture and direct your audience's attention.
My name is Danja Bauer. I train and coach you and your employees to ensure your online presentations, webinars, online meetings, and customer consultations are effective and professional.
In this article, you'll learn how to effectively use the power of body language in online meetings..
Many people sit in front of the camera during online presentations, and the audience usually only sees a close-up of their face. While this might look nice, their body language unfortunately goes completely unnoticed.
Therefore, don't just show your face, but also include your upper body in the frame so that your gestures are visible. Leave about a third of the top of the frame clear so that you don't appear cramped or even cut off.
When listing items like 1, 2, 3, I often use hand gestures to guide my message and the audience. But there's much more you can do with body language to consciously enhance your impact and communicate confidently.
You might be used to making large gestures in face-to-face presentations so that even those in the back can see everything. However, in online presentations, your audience sees you directly in front of them on their screens, making dramatic gestures unnecessary.
Large, frantic movements also appear very restless online. Forward-facing gestures directed at the camera can sometimes seem too dominant, large, and even intimidating. Therefore, opt for more restrained gestures and make them to the side rather than forward.
When presenting, you always have a window of opportunity. In online presentations, it's the screen area; on a real stage, your stage is larger. You should use your gestures within this window. If you want to use your hands to support your message, hold them slightly higher online than you normally would. Use clear, convincing gestures that hold the gesture for a moment.
Once you've internalized this, using your body language online won't feel awkward anymore. You'll know exactly what to do with your hands and won't have to "hang on" to anything, like a clicking pen.
Where should you put your hands when presenting? I see it time and again, especially with men, that their hands disappear into their pockets. Or they cross their arms. Both look insecure and create a barrier to the audience.
Alternatively, place your palms loosely in front of each other and let your hands rest together. Or, rest your hands comfortably and loosely at your sides. From here, you can gesture effectively. Always return to the starting position after gesturing.
Active gestures make you appear approachable and confident. Furthermore, movements activate the audience's brain and counteract listeners who might be drifting off. When listing points, such as "first point, second point, third point," you can emphasize them with your fingers, thus clarifying your message even more and guiding your audience.
On a two-dimensional screen, it can help viewers if you guide their eyes. For example, if I'm showing a document, I might hold it to my left and simultaneously turn to the left and look at it. This guides my viewers' eyes to the document.
Words are worthless if you don't underline them with the right body language and tone of voice.
Stefan Verra, body language expert
Using body language online is often new to many, and people frequently think hard about which gestures to use and which to avoid. It's important to appear natural and authentic. You should also project confidence and competence, even when conveying important information.
How can you best emphasize this interplay between approachability and confidence? Here are a few tips I learned in a lecture by Stefan Verra:
To appear approachable: Move loosely and relaxed; don't tense up too much about your next gestures. Smile often, as this also relaxes you and makes you appear more friendly than a strained expression. Show asymmetry, for example, by moving with only one hand. This demonstrates harmony in your body language.
To appear authentic: Your personality is unique, and your temperament is your stage. You attract precisely the people who like you. If you are rather quiet, you will appeal to exactly the people who appreciate that. If you have a vibrant, lively personality, you'll also attract fans.
Often, people think they want to be different, but in doing so, they suppress themselves. Your body language promises something, and as soon as you convey a sense of inhibition, you won't attract people.
If you want to work on your personality and impact, you have to embrace what you were born to do. Your temperament attracts people who love that you're honest and authentic.
Consciously use dominant body language when presenting facts: When you're discussing important facts, you want people to listen. Here, you absolutely must project confidence.
You can achieve this through stable body language and a calm head posture, accompanied by symmetrical body movements (e.g., both hands aligned), a firm stance, and a more serious facial expression. However, keep in mind: this dominant body language also creates distance. That's why it's important to master this interplay between sympathy and dominance.
Here's a quote from Mr. Verra that I particularly liked: "Words are worthless if you don't underscore them with the right body language and tone of voice."
Most people present online while sitting, but I'm a big advocate of presenting while standing. Body language and voice flow much more freely this way. Presence is better, the voice is clearer, and gestures are easier to use when standing than when sitting. Besides, you stand on a real stage, so why not during online presentations?
Other experts believe that online presentations while seated create more intimacy and connection with the audience. If you want to sit—please sit up straight! We often automatically slouch as soon as we sit down. This is a big mistake, because poor posture conveys disinterest, insecurity, and sluggishness.
Therefore, it's important to consciously sit up straight, because this way you take up more space on the screen and your voice is projected more effectively. Simply sit upright, place both feet flat on the floor, and take deep breaths to relax.
A cushion placed behind your back can help you maintain good posture. Lean forward slightly to appear interested and project presence.
Ultimately, you'll have to decide how you prefer to present yourself; the most important thing is that you feel comfortable and project that confidence.
Many people are unaware that body language not only supports our words, but can also help reduce stress and build self-confidence. Adopting a so-called power pose for just two minutes boosts energy and mood while simultaneously lowering the stress hormone cortisol.
It's quite simple: Before your next presentation, stand up for a few minutes, make yourself appear larger, and claim space – and you can use your body language to impress online and deliver a more relaxed presentation.
How important is eye contact in online presentations? When presenting online, look your audience in the eye. This is the major difference compared to offline presentations. To make your audience feel seen, you absolutely must look directly into the camera while presenting online.
Many online presenters haven't mastered this yet. But you should definitely do it to build trust with your audience and appear confident. You can learn how to best achieve this in my blog article about… Blickkontakt beim Online-Präsentieren.
Conclusion
Your body language is just as important in front of a screen as it is offline, supporting your words and demonstrating interest. To present effectively online, it's crucial that your audience can clearly see your upper body and, consequently, your gestures. These should be subtle, however, to avoid distractions. Additionally, your body language can guide your audience and reduce stress. Most importantly, be natural and authentic, as nothing looks more awkward than stiff, rehearsed gestures. Body language is your most important tool for anchoring your message effectively and lastingly in your audience's minds, while simultaneously conveying confidence, which enhances your overall presence. Therefore, familiarize yourself with it thoroughly and practice to perfectly master the power of body language online.
Want to improve your online presentation skills? As a presentation coach, I'd be happy to help you reach the next level. Feel free to contact me at: info@danjabauer.com
