Triple Take #44: How to Give an Effective Briefing in an Online Meeting

Voice Confident's Triple Take - your fortnightly trio of tips!

Key Takeaways on Delivering Better Online Briefings

Don't Start with Information; Start with Importance

Help people understand why your topic matters before you explain what it is.

Bring More Than the Slides

Your audience can read the slides themselves. Your expertise, stories and judgement are what make the meeting worthwhile.

Think Connection, Not Transmission

Your job isn't to talk through a slide deck; it's to help people understand, remember and act.

Introduction

We've all sat through online briefings where the presenter simply reads the slides. The information may be accurate, but it's difficult to stay engaged because the audience isn't being shown why it matters or what they should do with it.

An effective online briefing isn't about transferring information; it's about helping people think differently. Your experience, enthusiasm and judgement are what add value. This issue explores how to use your voice to guide attention, how to stay engaging on screen and how to deliver a briefing that people remember long after the meeting has finished.

Voice: Use Your Voice to Guide Your Audience

One of the biggest mistakes presenters make is assuming the slides will do the work. They won't. Your voice should tell the audience what matters most and why they should care.

Begin by explaining why the topic is important before diving into the detail. Then, as you move through the presentation, signpost where you're going. Simple phrases such as, "First, let's look at...", "The next point is particularly important..." or "This is the key thing I'd like you to remember..." make it much easier for people to follow.

This is something my coaching clients often find transformative. Once they stop narrating slides and start guiding their audience, their presentations become far more engaging.

👉 Try this: before your next online briefing, identify three moments where you'll deliberately slow down and say, "This is particularly important because..." Your audience will immediately know where to focus.

Presence: Use Your Presence to Keep People Engaged Online

Online audiences have more distractions than ever. They're looking at a small image of you, a set of slides and probably several other windows at the same time. Your presence therefore matters even more than it does in a room.

Sit upright, frame yourself so your hands are visible and allow yourself to gesture naturally. Smile when appropriate, maintain warmth in your facial expression and let your enthusiasm show. If the topic matters to you, it's much more likely to matter to your audience.

Bring more than the slides. Share what you've seen in practice, common mistakes people make, what concerns you and the actions you'd like people to take. I worked on this recently with a client and it completely changed the feel of her presentation; people stopped passively watching and started actively listening because they could hear the experience behind the slides.

👉 Try this: for every slide, ask yourself, "What can I add that isn't already written here?" That's the value only you can bring.

Confidence: Build Confidence by Thinking Like a Guide, Not a Narrator

Many presenters think their job is to cover every point on every slide. In reality, your audience wants help making sense of the information.

Use examples and stories to bring ideas to life. Explain your thinking out loud. Instead of simply describing what's on the screen, say things like, "This is what immediately catches my attention..." or, "This is why I'd be concerned about this..." You're teaching people how to think, not just what to know.

By setting your intentions to guide the meeting and to help others make sense of the information, you are heading off your inclination to impress or give them everything you know or prove your expertise. Be the wise advisor, the trusted guide. In this role you will naturally feel more confident because you have a task to do, and you know how to accomplish that task.

👉 Try this: before your next briefing, write down the three actions you want your audience to take afterwards. Let those actions shape everything you say.

FAQs About Delivering Online Briefings

Should I read what's on my slides?

Not every word, no. Assume your audience can read for themselves. Use your speaking time to explain why the information matters, what you've seen in practice and what action people should take.

How do I keep people engaged in an online meeting?

Use slightly more visible energy than you would in person. Sit upright, smile, let your hands be seen, vary your voice and signpost where you're going throughout the presentation.

What's the biggest mindset shift for online presenting?

Stop thinking of yourself as someone delivering slides. Think of yourself as someone guiding people through a topic they need to understand. Your expertise, experience and enthusiasm are what make the briefing valuable.

Would you like to be a more confident speaker?

Go from struggling to be heard to leading the conversation!

Check out the REAL Speaker Programme.