Most people enjoy having a live interaction during meetings. Virtual sales meetings and online team meetings are no exception.
When you use a whiteboard in online meetings your virtual participants get intrigued. They stay involved. And they stay in the meeting, fully engaged.
Although most people enjoy hearing a colorful story – it must connect with their interests, needs and performance. It must be relevant
I don’t want to tell you a random story about my neighbor’s dog Louie. I have to make the story relevant. Louie is a Scotty who gets all perky when he hears the jingle of keys. He starts jumping up and down even when he hears the “W” as in, “it’s time to go for a walk.”
Your online audience will get as engaged when you head to the whiteboard.
But here’s the catch. You don’t want to race to the whiteboard just because you’ve bought a cool drawing pad. You don’t want to automatically whiteboard to show off your new web cam.
You want to have a good solid ‘why.’
When it comes to getting the best use out of whiteboards in virtual meetings, virtual meeting training companies can be a great resource. They can help you answer the top questions, and gain skill in getting high-impact effectiveness with whiteboards.
The top question in using a whiteboard virtually is:
Why Bother Using A Whiteboard?
The answer is easy. People listen and watch. They enjoy seeing a dynamic picture unfold before their eyes. A whiteboard story emerges and appears one step at a time. This is highly engaging and recreates the feeling of an informal conversation one has over lunch or dinner.
It’s a lot like drawing on a napkin. It’s fascinating. The viewer doesn’t know what will come next. So they stay tuned-in and engaged. This is a powerful tool to use in virtual meetings – because this quality of informal dialogue is almost always missing.
In most virtual meetings, the dynamic is formal. There is minimal interaction. And participants often checkout and get distracted from the online meeting because the slides and presentation seem canned.
A virtual training company can show you exactly how to make working on a white boarding work like a charm – in a wide variety of online meetings. Transform dry sales meetings, team meetings and client proposal meetings into dynamic, interactive conversations. It all starts with using a whiteboard. But you must know when and how to use it.
The next big question is,
When Is The Best Time To Use A Whiteboard?
When you want to simplify complex issues, explain processes and engage your audience – a whiteboard is invaluable. Working on a board makes it possible to answer questions on the spot, relate to your current online audience and keep everyone on the same page.
A pre-made PowerPoint slide just can’t do the same ‘heavy-lifting’ as a simple diagram, drawn on the spot.
Remember your big why: make the message clear to your audience.
The best time to use a whiteboard is when your audience could get confused, disengaged or bewildered.
When you draw a sketch to explain a key point – that’s why.
When you use a timeline to clarify implementation issues – that’s why.
When you simplify solutions for a complex situation – that’s why.
Each and every time you work at a whiteboard, you cut through the tyranny of data and detail. You’re helping your clients step into the picture. They don’t have to be in the same room to see the solution. It’s on the board – in a quick sketch.
The final question, is:
How Much Should Go On A Whiteboard?
As a virtual training company will tell you, simple is best.
Stick to the simplest and easiest explanations.
Aim for one, two, and three steps. Reduce even the most complicated processes, situations or solutions into their most simple picture. Use shapes to help online audiences relate to the diagram.
And while you know there is more to your proposal, solution or strategy – much more – commit to staying simple. By doing so, you’re adding tremendous value. You’re helping your client understand. With your simple whiteboard sketch, they can see the big picture, explain it to others and engage their team.
If you don’t have the capability to draw a diagram on a whiteboard, you can still ignite engagement. Simplify your diagram into shapes that your client can draw. A box. A circle. An arrow. Encourage them to pick up a marker and draw along with you.
With a very simple map, it’s quick and easy to explain super complex solutions. One drawing puts everyone on the same page. It’s up to you to make it so profoundly simple.
Once you do, you cut the ice. Once you do, it doesn’t matter that you’re in different rooms across the country. It doesn’t matter if your client can’t see you. You still have a plan and you can win.
Key To Success In Virtual Meetings
Interaction and dialogue are critical to your success online. An experienced virtual meeting training company can help you make the most out of working with a whiteboard to gain maximum impact.
Virtual meeting training companies can help you design diagrams to match your audience, data and delivery style. This guarantees that your message will come across and virtual attendees will have a clear picture of what needs to happen.
Simplify data. Explain complexity. Engage your audience. A whiteboard, used well, is the perfect tool for the virtual meeting.
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