What’s a Hybrid Presentation and How to Nail It

Over the past two years, for many of us, life has become quite “hybrid.” Whether it’s working in the office and at home or blurring the lines between how we operate professionally and personally, our lives are less separated than they once were.

When it comes to presentations or public speaking in the hybrid office, everyone feels anxious, from CEOs to managers and teams. And they have all the reasons to do so. Everyone’s on Zoom, and things flow as normally as they possibly can. But what happens when some people go back while the rest of the team works from home?

There’s a reason for all this anxiety. While Zoom presentations are far from perfect, at least the participants are on an even playing field. Literally, the boxes on display are the same dimensions. On the other hand, hybrid presentations are otherworldly and run the risk of putting the remote audience at a serious disadvantage.

Nowadays, the corporate world can do just about anything virtually. Unparalleled advantages in video and messaging software have encouraged more than 40% of American employees to work remotely at least some of the time – and one in three workers now spend an enormous 80% of their work hours outside the office. Despite all those advances, research shows time, and again there’s no substitute for meeting face to face. Nothing can substitute the energy created when we’re physically together: facial expressions, knowing glances, and personal eye contact makes conversations flow more naturally. To snap out of this dystopian blur, here are several strategies any presenter and meeting leader should follow to completely engage individuals in their hybrid audience:

Focus on the Positive

Rather than tormenting yourself on the liabilities of the hybrid meeting, consider the value each person can bring. How can both remote and in-person teams benefit from hearing your presentation? Is there anything you can do to enrich the experience your hybrid presentation brings? Having a positive mindset will help you identify core values that your audience, be it in-person or remote, has. It’s that simple: when you believe and express excitement about the hybrid experience, this will positively impact the experience of the audience.

Engage Visually with the Entire Audience

In hybrid presentations, it is crucial that remote partakers turn their cameras on in order to show their full presence. It’s also imperative that the presenter be able to engage visually with everyone, not just individuals in the room.

To further level your hybrid presentation, consider asking an in-person audience to bring their devices and turn their cameras on, holding their microphones on mute when not talking. It also pays to install a screen in front of the room so that everyone can see remote participants.

Emotionally Engage with Remote Teams

When remote teams are not receiving some form of feedback from their managers/ presenters, they feel confused, disconnected, and emotionally conflicted. During a hybrid presentation, it all comes down to you noticing and appreciating their efforts and work.

The hybrid presentation should not be a passive experience for those who are dialing in. While it’s easier said than done, presenters ‘attention is typically drawn towards people in the room. Thus, it’s imperative to help teams feel heard and seen. At the beginning of the session, personally great online participants and keep doing so throughout the presentation. Allocate specific times in the presentation to address remote employees, and build into the content messages that are directed explicitly towards individuals dialing in.

Enhance Inclusivity

As your presentation begins, move towards the camera to help remote teams feel included in what is happening in the room. When you speak, pay attention and move purposefully towards those in the room and then back again towards the camera. This back-and-forth venture between in-person and remote teams communicates greater inclusivity and makes participants of both sides feel more connected to each other.

Whenever someone in the room is speaking, move the laptop closer to the speaker (if they didn’t bring their own) to remind in-person participants that their remote team workers are part of the room.

The Best Way to Start a Hybrid Presentation:

Icebreakers: One sure-fire way to open up your audience is to give a virtual icebreaker. These activities are a fun, easy way to get to know your audience and lighten the mood. You can always keep an icebreaker on hand that can be done over the computer accompanied by upbeat music from services like MelodyLoops before starting any online presentation. Believe it or not, good music and icebreakers are the best ways to connect with your audience.

Illustration: Chat with your audience and ask questions like: “Remember when…” and display a photo by telling the audience to imagine the scene when that happened.

Short Stories: Personal short stories about something or someone else can really grip people, but the key is to make it as short and less boring as possible.

Surprising Facts & Statistics: A really good statistic can get your audience thinking and challenge their point of view.

Aphorisms: Aphorisms are common phrases or sayings. You’re probably familiar with phrases like “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” or “easy comes easy goes.” Be creative and add a twist to the aphorism for greater effect.

Quotes: A great presentation should start with a great quote. One you know will surely move your audience but also be related to your presentation.

Promote Hybrid Collaboration

When dividing a larger presentation into smaller groups, the lure is to put the remote and in-person participants in separate groups. This only highlights the impression that the two are separate groups rather than one group working together. Instead, try to create connections. Have online and in-person participants work together. Set the meeting based on your remote team’s energy levels, and keep the presentation as short and efficient as possible. In the end, everyone will appreciate your efforts of surpassing these discrepancies and making things work in the new normalcy.