Search engines have seen a spike in people searching for how to present online.
As coronavirus spreads worldwide, most of us are now working from home.
And that means video conference calls.
Pitching for business using Skype.
Making presentations on Microsoft Teams.
Talking about your company’s crisis communication on a Zoom call.
So how can you present most effectively when you’ve been robbed of face-to-face?
Read on.
Presenting online is very much like being a TV presenter.
When I read the news for Scottish Television, I was often the only person in the studio.
The cameras were operated remotely.
So it was just me in a big empty room.
It’s how many of us will be presenting at the moment.
Perhaps with the added distraction of a wandering cat or toddling child.
There’s an important fact to bear in mind from the outset though.
Everyone is in the same boat right now when it comes to presenting in business.
But there are some key points to remember.
Let’s start with a subtle change you can make.
Often we can be tempted to look at the people on the screen in front of you.
But the camera lens is your audience.
You’re speaking through it.
The same rule applied for the breakfast news I would read.
Our audience was regularly in the hundreds of thousands.
And I was sometimes tempted to look at the monitor below the camera.
But that would’ve been a mistake.
The camera lens is your best friend.
You’re making eye contact with your viewers.
People worldwide will be making this simple error of watching the screen as they present.
Give yourself an advantage.
And build a connection based on your engagement with those watching.
When we present in person, we encourage the use of speaker’s stance.
That means starting with your hands together in a central position.
As you present, they’ll do what they want to do.
And they’ll come back to that central position.
Our advice is the same for presenting online.
Passionate people are animated and enthusiastic while making their point.
They use their hands all the time.
They vary their tone to keep you interested.
Their delivery is deliberately slower.
And they smile.
You want the people to whom you’re pitching to be convinced by your argument.
Your delivery, use of hands and general enthusiasm will help do that.
Allow your presentation to become three-dimensional.
As opposed to the person whose pitch may read nicely, but lacks a spark.
Often, that spark is your enthusiasm.
Let your body language do the talking for you.
It may feel forced and over-the-top to begin with.
Persevere.
Until it becomes second nature.
This is a simple but regularly overlooked piece of advice.
And it avoids your conference call getting off to a clunky start.
We did it before every single bulletin I ever read on live television.
We tested the microphone to make sure I was audible.
Often there was some background noise we had to silence.
Then we’d check I was sitting dead centre of the camera.
We’d see if the studio background was free of distractions.
And then we’d play through any clips or footage we were going to show.
You can do similar checks before you start presenting.
Run a test call with the video conference software of your choosing.
Rehearse the technical side ahead of your pitch.
It means you’re familiar and confident with how it sounds and how it looks.
And it avoids the awkward mid-presentation interruption:
“Sorry Colin, I’m failing to catch everything you’re saying here.
“Can you move closer to the mic?
“Is everyone else hearing him properly? Yes, no?”
And suddenly, an avoidable technical hitch has derailed your flow.
Work out the kinks before you begin.
We’ve all been there.
The webcam’s stopped working and you’re unsure why.
It happened to me this week.
We ran into unexplained technical issues before the conference call started.
The option to show my camera was greyed out.
So all that I was left with was my voice.
But the change in delivery is simple.
You’ve become a radio presenter.
The body language and use of hands aspects have gone.
So you’ve got to use your tone, pace and vocal enthusiasm to convey your message.
As a journalist at Radio Clyde, I knew I had a limited amount of time each hour to tell a story.
So I chose my words carefully.
I started with the most important piece of information.
And I let my voice do the rest.
That means a slow pace, an undulating tone and putting emphasis in at the right times.
Bill & Colin on a conference call pre-coronavirus.
One final tip to remember when it comes to how to present online.
With most video conferencing software, you’ll always be in vision.
Regardless of if you’re the person speaking.
As Zoom user Jennifer Miles learned much to her embarrassment this week.
It’s a rule in the world of television too.
I would always assume that my on-camera actions were visible to viewers.
In case they were.
So I had to behave as if I were live on camera.
This means avoiding checking your phone (because we can see you doing it).
As well as yawning (always a bad sign).
And even folding your arms.
What is your body language telling those watching?
Of course, this rule goes out the window if your webcam is off or broken.
As mine was this week.
So I was able to stuff my face with nachos as much as I wanted.
You understand the importance of how to present online.
It’s vital in setting yourself apart from everyone else.
So let us help with an e-learning video course you can take at your own pace.
Welcome to the Pink Elephant Academy.
Allow our TV presenter trainers to guide you through the steps to becoming your best virtual self.
Colin Stone is a Senior Trainer and Communications Lead at Pink Elephant Communications in Glasgow.
You can read his full profile here.
Photos in How to Present Online by Pink Elephant Communications.
How to Present Online blog written and edited by Colin Stone.
26th March 2020 Featured in: Blog, Presentation skills training blogs By: Pink Elephant
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