Giving a business presentation in the virtual world poses unique challenges. How do you make an online talk interactive and memorable when you don’t have a live audience? Get creative with these preparation tips for an outstanding virtual presentation:
1. Shake up the flow. Maintain interest by revealing information in an unexpected order. Try a provocative poll to kick things off or start mid-story with a compelling statistic.
2. Add an activity. Get your remote audience to participate with an online whiteboard activity, chat question, or poll to keep them engaged. Actively involving your audience drives retention.
3. Use engaging visuals. Combine striking images, infographics, and multimedia to deliver an impactful virtual presentation. Well-designed visuals are crucial for keeping a remote audience focused.
4. Make it personal. Humanise yourself by sharing a quick personal story or fun facts during your self-introduction. This builds an initial connection with your remote attendees.
5. Check your setup. Test your equipment, internet connection, slides, and conferencing software ahead of time. Have a backup plan ready in case of technical glitches.
6. Use camera effectively. Look into the camera periodically as you present to mimic eye contact. Pay attention to your background, framing, and appearance on camera.
7. Engage through chat. Monitor chats and answer questions in real time. Have a colleague moderate chats and cue you on relevant questions.
8. Set the energy. Project high energy, enthusiasm, confidence and stand up while presenting to combat low energy. Your passion will engage your virtual audience.
With these tips, you can create an online presentation that captivates any remote audience. Take creative risks and leverage technology to deliver an unforgettable virtual presentation.
