Who would have thought that presenting virtually would become the new normal?
The truth is that this is both a curse and an opportunity. For those who don’t like it, and won’t embrace it, it can be career-limiting and even career-ending. For those who see the brighter side… this major change in the way we work, and sometimes play, can present new opportunities.
With our knowledge and experience PLUS the basic technology we have at our fingertips, many of us can rise above the pack and stand out in a new way:
- Internally, if we look and sound like a pro as we present to our peers and management team, our brand takes a major boost.
- If we find ourselves suddenly without a job and out there looking, a strong virtual presence can mean the difference between the call for an interview and no response back.
- If we run our own business, being able to quickly and easily pull together professional, virtual pitches can be the key to future business and new clients.
- If we aspire to a new career, or a ‘side-hustle’ as a speaker or trainer, being comfortable in front of a camera is the new key to success.
So, my 5 tips for great virtual presentations:
- Do not use virtual backgrounds. They often look weird and sometimes suggest you are hiding something
- Set your camera at eye level – not down below your chin. Put that laptop on a box or a bunch of books to raise it up on your table.
- Get good lighting IN FRONT of you and not behind you.
- Get a good microphone. The Yeti USB Mic is about $140 and worth every penny – there are many others out there. Loose the headset if you are presenting to an audience. Sorry, but it looks weird. Use the headset only in a meeting with your people and only if you are trying to keep your room quiet for others. Otherwise, invest in a good external mic. (I also bought a boom for my mic from Amazon so that it would not pick up the sounds of me touching my desk while presenting.
- Learn how to use the internal camera on your computer. You will be amazed at how good it is. Recording for a video session is a snap.
These are my 5 tips around the technology of virtual presentations. There are more in that area.
But what about the content? Just because you have a great set-up and great technology does not make you a great presenter. You need content and that is for another day.
Join me for my next webinar on How to Be a Great Presenter – Virtually and we will dive a little deeper into the tips above and add my 5 tips on great presentations beyond the technology and set-up.
How to Be a Great Presenter – Virtually
Tuesday, October 20th
Noon – 1PM
Free.
Register now – https://projectbites.com/how-to-be-a-great-presenter-virtually/
