Who would have thought that presenting virtually would become the new normal? Now that the pandemic has moved into a new phase, the requirement/opportunity to present virtually remains. Organizations now realize that they do not have to fly someone in to deliver great content to their customers, members or employees.
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 tips for great virtual presentations:
- Do not use virtual backgrounds. They often look weird and sometime 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. I also bought a boom for my microphone from Amazon so that it would not pick up the sounds of me touching my desk while presenting.
- Loose the headset if you are presenting to an audience. Sorry, but it looks weird. Use it only in a meeting with your people and only if you are trying to keep your room quiet for others.
- 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.
Now that you can create a great set-up, you need great content. That’s for another blog post.
