Recently, I attended a hybrid event. I logged in from home, so I was a member of the ‘online audience’. A few who were physically present respected the appropriate social distancing norms. The event was a town hall session and the speaker was the head of the organisation. On the agenda was an overview of the financial performance of the institution so I braced myself for an important programme.
The session started, and straightaway I knew it was going to be tedious listening in. Technical issues ranged from a glitchy network (which was eventually solved when online participants turned off their cameras) to low audio, to that nerve-grating high-pitched screech.
There were frantic messages in the chat section from my fellow online attendees protesting about the piercing feedback in the setup (despite us muting our mics) and the barely audible voice of the speaker.
Eventually, the technical staff intervened and the speaker was given a wireless mic, which was clipped to his garment. Thereafter, online attendees could hear him for the rest of the programme, excluding the occasional fluctuating internet connection.
What salvaged the programme was the speaker’s skills. His credibility as a respected and admired executive aside, his presentation style was engaging. He spoke clearly (and more importantly, loudly), was mindful of the online audience so addressed them by looking into the camera, and encouraged us at home or logging in from elsewhere to ask questions orally or in the chatbox.
After the session, however, I noted that the whole experience could have been more effective if the audio quality was sharp and clear from the onset. I admit, I almost logged off completely when it became impossible to hear the speaker. I figured my presence was not necessary when I could wait for the minutes of the meeting afterwards. If the speaker himself had not been an experienced presenter, the poor audio would have diminished his credibility.
That experience is a wake-up call for us all since due to the pandemic we’ve all, in some way, become automatic video presenters and speakers.
So when I came across fascinating research highlighted in this article that reveals that bad audio makes you appear less credible, less intelligent, and less likeable, the science vindicated what fellow trainers and I in the field have known for a while: boost your audio or lose your credibility.
Below are some useful tips to note about your audio quality when you’re called upon to speak, present or facilitate sessions in a virtual or hybrid programme:
1) Connect directly to your router via an Ethernet cable where possible
I got this tip from a post that Rob Biesenbach published over a year ago, and this single practical adjustment has elevated my overall performance.
If you’re working from home and need to give a presentation or a speech, don’t rely solely on your Wi-Fi connection. Where possible, connect directly to the main source of internet via an Ethernet cable. Your signal will be sharper and will prevent glitches. A stable connection is critical for a seamless audio experience. There’s nothing worse than delivering your most powerful point and suddenly being ‘thrown out’ of the session. Even if you’re reconnected speedy, it breaks the ‘flow’ and you’d need to work hard to regain the audience’s attention and trust.
As a communication facilitator, poor network has negatively impacted my sessions in the past. Although the participants were forgiving (this was at the peak of the pandemic), I often needed to immediately reclaim lost ground, recap my points and prioritise interaction with the audience. The increased performance drained me even further as an introvert and afterwards, I had to ‘retreat’ to recover.
If all else fails, however, and the only option is to work with your Wi-Fi, then negotiate with members of your home to disconnect from the Wi-Fi until your session is over. This move will free up more bandwidth for your connection. If you’re a member of the audience and are not mandated to turn on your camera, consider ‘sacrificing it by turning it off in favour of an improved audio connection.
Audio is more important if you’re forced to choose between the two.
When I shared the article listing the effect of poor audio quality on a speaker’s credibility, Biesenbach made an interesting comment in my LinkedIn post, a screenshot of which is below.
If the entertainment industry has figured out how critical great sound quality is to viewers, then note that your sporadic internet connection does you no favours, and would worsen your verbal delivery since your audience members will retain little of what you share.
No point subjecting yourself to the additional pressure of ensuring you’re heard and understood.
Set yourself up for a confident, flawless delivery.
Just fix your audio.
2) Get an external microphone or headset
Again, you can be forgiven for poor video quality but not dismal audio.
Virtual and hybrid presentations are here to stay. So whether you’re giving a talk, speech, keynote, lecture, or a training programme, sabotage-proof your delivery. Get an external microphone or a headset, and don’t rely on your laptop’s built-in microphone.
Even if you have a high-grade laptop or desktop with a powerful in-built microphone and speakers, invest in a lavalier microphone, a standalone microphone or a headset because:
– It helps eliminate background noise (pets, kids, phones, etc.)
– It ensures stunning clarity
Depending on your budget, you could get standard options. I use a Blue Yeti microphone for my laptop via which I connect my earplugs. Other times, I use a headset. Both are reasonably priced.
Over at LinkedIn, more interesting comments were made on the need for external mics, one from a career expert, Sonal Bahl.
Another explained how the audience feels about a speaker with poor audio (Linda Dunn)
A fellow presentation trainer, Kolarele Sonaike reshared my post and was pleased to read about the science that backed up what he regularly tells clients:
As a communications coach as well, I concur. From experience, great audio makes you feel more confident and more prepared to handle even tough questions. Bonus points if you can concisely articulate those clear thoughts.
3) Speak clearly but pause strategically
Always structure your content so that your Point A logically leads to Point B, and one section segues into another. Otherwise even the best audio quality won’t save you from the blunder that would be your presentation or speech.
Be deliberate in your speech and be clear when you speak. Virtual and hybrid forums are not built for ambitious, long-winded rhetoric. It’s too tedious for the audience to decipher your ramblings, so many participants won’t bother. I won’t either, and if I’m not compelled to stay, I’d log off as quickly as possible.
Note also that sometimes in virtual interactions, there might be a slight delay from the time you speak to when members of your audience hear the words. So consciously slow down or your words will get ‘swallowed’ up, which will result in your audience only making out every other word or sentence you utter. This situation can be highly frustrating for even the most patient attendee.
Pauses are often underestimated but they are invaluable in allowing your critical point to ‘marinate’ in the minds of your audience so that they have a moment to process your message. An added benefit is that pauses make you appear more confident and more knowledgeable in the subject matter. I use pauses all the time during my sessions. One great technique is to change your volume or tone, lean slightly forward, lock eyes with the webcam to mimic eye contact (it’s virtual medium after all), say your piece, pause and lean back. The nonverbal cues you’d get from the audience will be priceless. Try it.
Realise that it’s an honour for you to speak before any audience – so make your words count, and make your content worth the gift of their time and attention.
Conclusion
After preparing for your virtual speaking stint, the last thing you’d want is people being noncommittal, disengaged or logging off before the end.
Therefore, whether you’re giving a talk, speech, keynote, lecture, or a training programme, sabotage-proof your delivery by ensuring your content is rich, and that your audio delivery is clear and uninterrupted.
Remember you want your credibility to remain what you’ve worked hard for – unscathed.
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Over to you:
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N.B: First image is courtesy of Bruno/Germany via Pixabay. Screenshots courtesy of LinkedIn. Last image is courtesy of Gerd Altmann, via Pixabay.