Most of us are socially and professionally isolated, working from the confines of our homes. We've become proficient, if not expert, at conducting business through Zoom, Skype, Slack, and all manner of web share and messaging apps. It's not ideal, but it's still productive. Day-to-day business is getting done, but it looks a bit different and there are definitely areas where we can do better, especially when it comes to virtual conferences.

Face-to-face conferences, which we love, are as much networking as they are presenting. Attendees bring value to a conference with their ideas, creativity, and eagerness to collaborate. So how do you capture that same energy when everyone's conferencing from their living rooms wearing who-knows-what from the waist down?

Given what we've learned about COVID, the conference as we know it – indoors for long hours with hundreds of people – is not coming back anytime soon, so we're trying to make do in virtual spaces. We can do them better, though. Conferences are supposed to be engaging and interactive, but when we're all staring at our laptop screen, that's easy to forget. So, if you are presenting at or planning an online conference, here are some ideas to help foster friendliness and liven up the "virtual" room.

Dress for success. This may sound superficial, but our clothes carry us. When we wear pajamas, we slouch and slink into the comfort of our couches. That's perfect for binge watching The Office, but not for actual business. When we dress up, we mean business. And a conference is first and foremost for business. It facilitates productive ways to practice your trade and provides a platform for networking and meeting new partners who can help you achieve your goals. The event and its attendees deserve your very best, and so do you. What you wear not only tells people around you how much you respect yourself, but also that you respect them.
Create networking opportunities. Give attendees the opportunity to connect with new peers. At a physical conference we meet people at breakfast, in the elevator, at happy hour, and even on the way to the restroom. It's so easy and spontaneous to make those connections in person, but there's no reason it cannot be done virtually – we just have to work harder. Consider making a game of it. One that I've seen that works surprising well is called Virtual Elevator. Throw everyone's name into a hat and draw out random groups of three or four people. Set aside 10- to 20-minute blocks for these small groups to have their own breakout sessions where they can network and discuss relevant topics. It may not be as organic as an in-person environment, but it's certainly beats sitting passively for hours.
Encourage participation. Try to hear from everyone – not just the keynote speakers. Get more information from people than just their name, title, and company. Pose a question that everyone gets to answer. You can invite people to unmute and contribute, or you can poll attendees with survey questions. Also, consider sprinkling in whimsical queries such as "If you could be anywhere other than your couch right now, where would you be?" alongside your more content-related questions. The idea is to get people to open up and participate. That's how trust is built, and relationships are formed. And we need to work extra hard to remember that especially when attendees are on remote screens.

For keynote speakers, the challenge is bigger, and the stakes are higher. You need to keep your audience engaged without the benefit of making eye contact or reacting to body language. You need to be able to anticipate where attendees might zone out during your presentation and adjust your content accordingly. While this isn't easy, there are a few things you can do to deliver engaging content.

Avoid the static. Branch out from linear PowerPoints where you recite a litany of bullet points. Sources claim we process images 60,000 times faster than words, so incorporate bold pictures, easy-to-decipher charts, and videos that engage into your presentations. It gives your audience a break from you talking, and it forces attendees to redirect their attention, which will help keep them focused.
Tell a story. Humans have been telling stories since cavemen started drawing on rocks. A good narrative is powerful! Weave some tales – whether anecdotes or stories about your products – into your presentation. Start with a problem (conflict is the backbone of any good story), drive toward your solution (usually a product, service, or big idea), and wrap up with the results (a happily ever after). We may not remember facts and figures that well, but we do recall a well-crafted story infused with emotion and humanity.
Get interactive. As I mentioned above, encourage participation. Don't drone on and on and on. Engage audience members. Ask them questions and elicit their feedback. It keeps everyone awake and helps you connect with your audience.

Conferences are as much about the people as it is about ideas. In a remote conference, we must make a concerted effort to make that human connection. The effort is worth it. By our very nature, we are social and emotional beings. Embrace that.