Have you ever felt awkward when delivering a virtual presentation to your colleagues, your team or to a client? In some ways a virtual presentation can be even more nerve-racking than presenting in person, where at least you can see if everyone is paying attention!
Read on to learn several techniques to help you can more comfortable and confident delivering effective virtual presentations.
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Stand up
When we stand up, we have more energy and are more engaging when presenting. If you are lucky enough to have an adjustable desk, that can be perfect for getting the angle right. Alternatively, you may need to build a big pile of books to lift your laptop or consider putting your computer on chest of drawers if the background is suitable.
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Look at the camera, not the screen
It might seem obvious, but remember to speak to the camera on your computer rather than the videos of participants on the screen. This will ensure better eye contact and will come across far more engaging.
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Ask rhetorical questions
Too many presentations are boring and consist of just one-way communication. During your virtual presentation try asking the audience questions to mix it up and create more two-way communication.
Asking rhetorical questions is a great way to emphasise a point and get them to think more deeply about your topic. An example of a rhetorical question is: “We improved our department’s performance by 25% over the last month. If we keep this up, what can’t we achieve?”
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Consider your background
Nobody wants to see your dirty clothes and messy bed in the background of your presentation. Simply try to keep a plain, clutter-free background for minimum distractions. Consider also experimenting with the creative backgrounds offered by both Zoom and Teams to give your presentation a professional edge.
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Don’t stand too far from the camera
Often people will make the mistake of positioning their screen/camera quite far from them. Be aware not to do this! The audience will not be able to see you clearly on their screen and will miss the fantastic gestures and expressions you are using to bring your presentation to life.
Sit or stand close to the camera, and if possible have a quick practice with a colleague or family member the week before your important presentation to get the perfect perspective!
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Keep your audience’s attention
When delivering virtual presentations, you should use different strategies to keep your audience’s attention. Examples might include quizzes and questionnaires such as Kahoot.com and Polleverywhere.com.
It’s also important to realise that if you are presenting slides the audience will often only be able to see a very small video of you. Therefore, try switching between sharing slides and not, so that you don’t lose your audience with “death by virtual Powerpoint!”
Conclusion
To deliver effective virtual presentations it takes a special combination of techniques to keep the audience engaged. Remember you can’t just treat it exactly like a face-to-face presentation, but by carefully planning and following our tips you are sure to blow your audience away!
If you want to enhance your virtual and face-to-face presentation skills take a look at our range of presentation training, including Presentation Skills Training, Advanced Presentation Skills Training and Public Speaking with Authenticity and Credibility.