Presenting Best Practices

Being a presenter can be challenging. Below are a few tips and tricks to make sure you are presenting like a pro!

Minimize Potential Interruptions

Whether you’re giving your presentation at home or in a nearby cafe, there are tons of potential interruptions that can disrupt your flow and make you look unprofessional. During your prep, your goal should be to minimize these interruptions as much as possible. Find a quiet area to begin with, and lock the door, so no one unexpectedly comes in. It’s a good idea to inform your family members or roommates that you’re going to be busy before the presentation.

Another tip is to close all other open applications and windows on your computer. Notifications and sounds can interrupt your meeting and distract you. You can also use the “Do Not Disturb” mode on macOS or “Focus Assist” on Windows 10 to mute notifications. Silence your phone!

Stick Your Notes in the Right Place.

Just like when you’re presenting in person, you’d likely want to keep notes or pointers nearby if you forget something important. During a Zoom presentation, though, you need to be careful about where you place your notes. It can look very unprofessional and awkward if your eyes keep moving away from the camera when everyone is staring at your face. Avoid keeping a notepad next to you or pasting them on the side of your monitor. A better alternative is to stick a post-it right below or next to your webcam. So, even if you take a peek, you will still be looking somewhat directly at your audience.

Strike an At-Home Tone.

Living rooms are inherently less stuffy than convention centers, and your presentation should reflect that. Depending on the subject matter, this is likely not a time for black-tie formality. Instead, use this opportunity to be a human. Crack a joke, let people into your home, and acknowledge that though you’re not technically in the same place, you’re all in it together.

Draw Attention to Your Face

An online presentation can quickly start to feel distant and impersonal,like watching a pre-recorded video. To remind your audience that they’re interacting with a real human, you need to draw focus to your face and expressions as you present. Make sure you’re presenting in a well-lit room, where the source of light is in front of you. If the light source is directly behind you, you might end up looking like a dark blob.

Make Eye Contact with the Audience

While you’re speaking, it’s just as important to make eye contact with your audience as it is during a face-to-face presentation. The problem with online presentations is that you often end up looking at your video or at the video of your audience. To make eye contact online, however, you need to look directly at your camera.

Regularly Pause to Engage

Online presentations can get monotonous really quickly, and it’s common for people to zone out in the middle of it. If you want to ensure your message hits home, take regular breaks throughout your presentation and engage your audience in conversation. You could pause to ask them questions or simply ask what they think about a particular topic. You could also try switching up your presentation’s pace, show a short video clip, or tell an interesting or humorous story that helps bring wandering minds back.

Use the Chat Feature to Your Benefit

Eventfinity’s chat feature is a great way to get your audience involved without disrupting your presentation flow. You can use chat to your advantage in several different ways: Questions. Ask your audience questions and let them answer through chat or get them to ask you questions in the chat. Feedback. Let your audience know beforehand that they can leave their feedback and comments related to your presentation or topic in the chat.

For example, if someone comments that they can’t hear you correctly, you can try fixing your mic or raising your voice. Get creative with your use of the chat feature to keep your audience engaged.

Rehearse Before the Presentation

Never walk into a presentation unprepared. This is especially important for online presentations, as it can be even more challenging to wing it when you’re not interacting in person. Plus, rehearsing is a good idea if you want to overcome the fear of being on camera. Do a demo meeting with a friend or family member, or just practice alone before the presentation.