I call it Log-In, Check-Out Syndrome.

It’s that thing that happens when, about 17 seconds into your webinar or masterclass, your attendee engagement plummets but your attendee numbers stay the same. They’re there, but they’re obviously not paying attention.

They’re in another window or their screensaver is on; either way, they’re in the virtual room but they’re not really there. You know this is the case because at the end of the event, you have to clear the room of folks who didn’t exit on their own…because they didn’t even notice that it ended.

They were logged in, but they definitely checked out.

This is not okay with me, and it’s probably not okay with you either. After all, it’s a LOT of work to put together an online event, just to get crickets from the audience. But let’s be clear.

I don’t blame the people who are multitasking or walking away from their desks during a webinar or masterclass.

If I have to choose between (a) getting some tasks off my always-overflowing plate or (b) stopping everything so someone who sounds like Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off can read me PowerPoint slides for the next 60 minutes, I know which option I’m going to pick.

But there’s good news: You don’t have to stay in an unfulfilling relationship with virtual events.

Here are seven tips for breaking up with bad webinars and masterclasses.

#1 Please step away from the bullet points.

One of the best indicators that a webinar is about to suck the life out of its audience is an endless parade of bullet points on dense slides.

I’m not the first person to wax poetic about the evils of Death by PowerPoint, nor am I the first person to suggest more attractive, more effective presentation slides. But apparently it needs to be said a few more times because, y’all, bad slides are rampant.

Slides should not contain every word the presenter is going to say, and they’re not there to take the place of handouts.If I can read the whole presentation in the slide file you send me after the event, why should I bother even attending?

The role of webinar slides or other visuals is to reinforce your key points — not to replace them.

#2 Decide that chat is not a four-letter word.

In a live, face-to-face training or presentation setting, the audience members feed off of the energy of those around them, and the speaker feeds off of the energy of the audience. It can be harder to achieve this same effect online, but using chat is a great move in that direction.

People inherently want to connect with their peers. Encourage the use of live chat for questions, comments, and sidebar conversation during your events to keep people engaged in what you want them to see and hear. More on chat in a moment.

#3 Get ready for your close-up.

Take advantage of your webcam so attendees can both see and hear you throughout your webinar, or at least at key points in the presentation. Most newer computers have cameras built in, and you can find them for under $20 with free shipping on Amazon if yours doesn’t. Either way, it’s worth the effort.

It’s a lot easier for attendees to disengage from a mysterious voice. When you’reon screen, particularly when you make good “eye contact” by looking directly at the camera when you speak, your audience feels more connected to you.

#4 Share the mic.

An hour is a long time for one person to talk with enthusiasm without getting any breaks or opportunities to recharge. If you have a co-presenter or assistant for your event, great! They can give you a breather by asking questions, making observations, or highlighting questions and comments from chat.

And speaking of chat, you can also share the mic with your audience by using chat. Ask open-ended questions pause a moment so folks can type their answers into chat, and then read some of the responses. You can also use this opportunity to invite a participant to come off mute and chat with you about their question or comment.

#5 Ask and it shall be answered.

Throughout your webinar or msterclass, ask for real-time input from your audience. Most webinar platforms have multiple options for attendee engagement, but most webinars don’t take advantage of these tools.

• Just as you would do “temperature checks” in a face-to-face event, ask your participants about the pace of the event.
• Ask for a show of hands related to your topic of the moment.
• Ask for agreement or disagreement.
• Conduct relevant polls and discuss the results.

If you show people how to interact with the speaker and then give them tools to do it, they’ll respond.

#6 Give the people what they want.

Presumably you know the topic for your webinar when you start promoting it. But mostly likely the content is still developing when people are registering for your event. Take advantage of the registration process: Ask people during registration what questions they have and what challenges they’re struggling with related to your topic.

Your audience members come to your events with expectations and needs in mind; find out what those are, and use that information to craft your content and your approach. It’s a lot less work for you — no more mind reading! — and a lot more satisfaction for them.

#7 Deliver and direct.

At the end of your webinar or masterclass, your attendee should have gotten exactly what you promised them in your marketing AND should know exactly what their next steps are. Recap your main points, answer any questions, and tell them what happens next:

• What communication will they get from you after this?
• Is there another event or activity to register for?
• Where will they download any resources?
• How can they access the replay?
• How can they get more from you?
• How can they hire you?

When people don’t know what to do, they’ll do nothing for fear of fucking up and embarrassing themselves. Do not leave them hanging. Make it easy for them to do what you want them to by telling them exactly what that is.

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Log-In, Check-Out Syndrome is a serious and contagious condition. But you have the power to stop it by breaking up with bad webinars, and by teaching others how to do the same thing.

After all, friends don’t let friends deliver bad webinars.

What are your favorite strategies for breaking up with bad webinars? What are some of your virtual event pet peeves? Let’s hear ’em in the comments.

A version of this article previously appeared on GovLoop.com.