Virtual presentations have become a norm today – especially with the onset of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Professionals from every line of work are expected to rely on their virtual presentation skills to help them communicate through team sessions and give business reviews.
Regardless of whether you are engaging customers, performing quarterly business reviews, or organizing a simple business meeting, you have to adapt to the new normal of the current digital age.
Professionals who have no experience with virtual presentations would be tempted to think that the rules applying to in-person presentations would also be applicable here. However, virtual presentations require a completely different pedigree of skills altogether.
In this article we take a look at some killer tips you can follow to improve the virtual presentations you deliver at your place of work. Learn from these tips and ace your presentations.
Keep It Short
We have all been on the other side of a virtual presentation. The presenter keeps rambling on, as the audience is distracted by a number of possible distractions. It is a known fact that the audience in a virtual presentation has an infinite number of distractions available. From instant messaging to social media feeds, the audience can easily be distracted by this sea of distractions.
Keep your presentation concise and remember not to maunder-on without keeping your members involved. Avoid listener fatigue by condensing your content down to a 5 or 10-minute presentation. Also, provide your audience with a succinct précis of all that you tackled during the presentation to keep them on board if they zone out during your presentation.
Ask for a Distraction-Free Meeting
While virtual presentations are the new normal, users haven’t really settled into them. It isn’t uncommon for presentations to be marred by the frequent honking of a car parked outside a member’s house or the cooing of pigeons on another member’s balcony. Always give a reminder to all members in a meeting to close their mics when they aren’t talking. This keeps distractions at bay when you’re presenting something.
Test Equipment Beforehand
The last thing you want in a virtual presentation is your equipment to fail just as the session begins. This can waste precious time and spoil the decorum you’ve set. Always test your equipment beforehand to avoid last-minute errors. Webcams, headphones, mics, and the app you are using should be tested appropriately.
Close Unnecessary Windows
We say this in multiple contexts – close all unnecessary windows on your computer and in your room. If you’re sharing your screen with users, you don’t want unnecessary windows with awkward Google searches and your social media handles popping up. Also, since you’ll continuously be using your mic, you would want to shut down doors or windows that can be the source of noise pollution.
Even if you’ve got great presentation skills, your next virtual presentation can suck if you’re unable to follow the tips we mentioned above. By implementing these ideas, it is possible for you to get the best out of the online world and become a pro at virtual presentations.
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