On April 8th, I attended a workshop hosted by Ali Al-Rawi from Oracle on the “Best Practices for Presenting Online.” What better timing for this type of webinar, given that most people are either working or studying from home during quarantine. Although presenting online may seem more straightforward because you have no physical audience, Al-Rawi proves how easy it is to slip up.
Below I have summarized Ali’s hour webinar into the top 5 key points to deliver the best online presentation.
Photo by Gabriel Benois on Unsplash
1. Check in with the audience
When you don’t have a physical audience, it is harder to read the room and see if people are following along. A common mistake when presenting online is presenting and asking the audience questions once you are finished giving. To keep people more engaged, it is essential to ask if everyone is following along and whether they understand something you have explained. This will allow people to speak up and possibly even spark a new idea to discuss!
2. The slides are for the audience, not for you!
It's a common mistake to read off the slides, especially if you are not prepared for the presentation. However, keeping the slides minimal with more visuals is critical to prevent people from browsing the internet. When presenting, get straight to the point and have your notes on the side.
3. Don't sound bored!
Ali-Rawi said he walked around while presenting because you sounded more authentic and like you had a real conversation. Voice inflection is a crucial point to remember because it keeps the audience interested and alert. If you sound like you’re bored, your audience most likely will be too.
4. Wear proper attire
Working from home makes it very easy to get comfortable when working. It makes sense to dress more relaxed when you don’t have to have your webcam on. However, it would help if you always were prepared because who knows when someone will ask for the webcam to be turned on unnoticed. Especially when you are told to have the video on a dress as you would for an in-person presentation.
5. Setup beforehand
Presenting online relies more on technology than in person, and you have to be prepared if something happens. Suppose there is an internet interruption in person; you can still present; however, online, you cant deliver prevention half as good. Get your presentation set up 1 hour to half an hour before, and make sure the internet, camera, links and anything else you need to present works. Not being prepared for a presentation is unprofessional, and you should always have a backup.
Comments