08 Sep Mastering The Art of Presenting, Virtually
As the world gets smaller, ironically its virtual form grows larger. With remote teams getting popular by demand, our [traditional] systems and processes are increasingly going digital and the current situation makes it less easier, as it forces us all to accelerate adapting to new teaching and communication modes, platforms and a new dimension of skills.
Virtual presentations are rapidly becoming the norm in our day-to-day professional lives, now that more and more people are transitioning to the idea of basically ‘working from anywhere’, and as such, this is marked as the perfect time to learn how to maximise your ability to pitch or present on an online platform – Zoom, Teams, Lifesize and the likes.
With communication being a skill, lies effective communication as an art, and if you can master it now, especially given the availability and magic of new technological advancements, you are on the road to being well-prepared for the future. The lessons that were [and still are] taught on how to construct and deliver an effective, memorable presentation are obsolete in the remote-meeting world. However, many of the techniques and tools that were shared for decades are even more important and relevant in this day and age.
For many, moving from in-person to on-camera presentations may quite seem like a relief, given the trials that come with presenting in a room full of a wider audience. Interestingly so, although online presentations are convenient, they also bring about a new yet manageable set of challenges to overcome, such as technical difficulties, distracted audiences, impersonal experiences, and lack of audience engagement, among other common ones.
Are you probably wondering what it takes to defeat the ends of fumbling when presenting in an unfamiliar digital arena? Well… this is why SWM Communications is here, to teach you how to navigate and pull out an excellent presentation through our tailor-made training programme.
Here are some of tips you can take and utilise, whilst we work on other ways to leverage this much-needed skill for the future:
- Simplify your slides
- Do your research and, analyse and assess your typical audience. Find out who you are talking to, what they would like to know, what is important to them, what and how they are benefitting, and what they can do with the information.
- Ensure you have a stable internet connection
- Position your camera at correct height, preferably at eye level and straight on
- Ensure that you have a suitable background
- Ensure audio is clear with no interruptions
- Dress appropriately, as if you are going to the office
- Optimise lighting – Light must come from in front of you and not behind you. If lighting is bad, use a ring light or a lamp just behind your laptop.
- Test your presentation
- Do not ask questions such as ‘Can you hear me?’, ‘Can you see my presentation?’
- Timing – much shorter than in-person
- Use visuals aids – they are captivating and enhance perception
- Engaging – It takes 8 seconds to grab the audience’s attention. Make sure you engage in the first 2 minutes and never go longer than 5 minutes without giving your audience another activity.
- Ask questions and get responses in the chat area
A well-renowned author, John Rohn, once said: “Take advantage of every opportunity to practice your [effective] communication skills so that when important occasions arise, you will have the gift, the style, the sharpness, the clarity, and the emotions to affect other people.” As such, it is high-time you “embrace the opportunity to communicate in new ways, beyond your comfort zone”, adds Michelle Greenwald, Contributor at Forbes.
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