Let’s face it, virtual meetings are very difficult to make interesting. Many business people who communicate mostly through phone conversations cannot even use the teleconference so at least everyone can see everyone else. What are the key skills you need to get people to actually listen to you on the other end of the phone line? Here are some strategies for responding to your listeners’ concerns.

#1 SOUND ENGAGED: Liven up your voice!

Listener concern: You sound exhausted and not at all interested in this topic. Why should I listen? I’ve got lots to do. Plus, you ramble on and on and I have no idea what you’re really talking about. Advice: You must sound enthusiastic about your topic. You have to pause, speak in short sentences and change your voice inflection. Smile while you are talking. Tell a story that gets people laughing. Tape one of your calls and ask yourself, “Would I want to listen to this person, or would I start multitasking?”

#2 KEEP ME ENGAGED: Keep stating transition phrases!

Listener concern: I cannot always follow your logic. Did you just change the topic from the problem to a solution? I’m lost. I’m going to answer emails. This is too frustrating. Advice: You must use transition phrases like:

• “Here are the 3 options to consider.”
• “You heard the high risk of this project and here is my suggestion.”
• “As you just heard, we must reduce our costs, and now I’ll offer suggestions so we can share the pros and cons of each for our business areas.”

#3 LET ME PARTICIPATE: Tell your listeners how long you will talk before letting them speak.

Listener concern:  What am I going to do? This is going on and on. I already know all this. I have work to do; I can’t just sit here for one hour. I do have some ideas, but it sounds like you are going to talk the whole time. Why am I on this call? Advice: You can say, “I will set the stage for the issue we need to discuss. This will take me 10 minutes. Then we need only 15 minutes to brainstorm ideas.” You really make friends when you cut your phone meeting by 10-15 minutes. Better yet—only have 20-minute phone calls.

#4 TELL ME HOW TO PARTICIPATE: Tell your listeners what you want from them.

Listener concern: What do you want from me? This is not worth my time if you just want to talk for 40 minutes and then hang up. I’m bored. I am going to interrupt you and point out how you are wrong in your thinking. Advice: Tell your listeners what type of participation you want. You might say:

• “My goal is for each of you to agree to take this recommendation and implement it in your department. Today please share what resources you will need to do this.”
• “I want to share an idea and hear why each of you think this may or may not work.”

#5 TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE ON THE VISUAL: If using PowerPoint, tell your listeners where you are on the slide.

Listener concern:  I am looking at this slide and have no idea where you are on it. Maybe I’ll just read all these sentences instead of listening to you. You are confusing me as the slide seems to have nothing to do with what you are saying. Advice: When you use slides, you have to use phrases like:

• “As you look in the upper right at the chart…”
• “The key message here is that we are ahead of schedule and on budget.”

It should go without saying: Do not read all the words on the slide. How can you change your next virtual meeting for your listeners and for yourself as well? Improve your meetings by implementing these ideas. Better yet, stop having these kind of  “presentation-oriented” meetings.  Making Meetings More Interactive asks you to consider changing the meeting format.  Their ideas will really enable you to connect even more with your listeners.