Six Expert Tips for Virtual Presentations

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Even great face-to-face communicators struggle in virtual environments. Virtual and face-to-face dynamics are simply different. To be successful in a virtual environment, you have to adjust your delivery to account for the unique challenges these settings present.

Even great face-to-face communicators struggle in virtual environments. Virtual and face-to-face dynamics are simply different. To be successful in a virtual environment, you have to adjust your delivery to account for the unique challenges these settings present.

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Have you ever participated in (or led) a virtual meeting that fell prey to one of these common fates? These meetings might have:

Have you ever participated in (or led) a virtual meeting that fell prey to one of these common fates? These meetings might have:

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  Lacked focus.

  Lacked focus.

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  Strayed from the agenda.

  Strayed from the agenda.

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  Been hijacked by a strong personality.

  Been hijacked by a strong personality.

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  Been met with negativity from participants.

  Been met with negativity from participants.

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  Fell upon multitasking ears.

  Fell upon multitasking ears.

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If so, there’s good news. You can do something about it.

If so, there’s good news. You can do something about it.

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When you’re communicating virtually—without the benefit of face-to-face contact and visual cues—it’s even more important to keep your cool and amplify your energy.

When you’re communicating virtually—without the benefit of face-to-face contact and visual cues—it’s even more important to keep your cool and amplify your energy.

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Fortunately, these are communication skills you can learn. Here are some guidelines to help.

Fortunately, these are communication skills you can learn. Here are some guidelines to help.

Master Your Composure

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To sound and feel in control during a virtual meeting or call, you must remain composed at all times, even (or especially) when things go wrong.

To sound and feel in control during a virtual meeting or call, you must remain composed at all times, even (or especially) when things go wrong.

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Here are three ways to do just that:

Here are three ways to do just that:

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1. Maintain Good Posture

1. Maintain Good Posture

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Use an engaged, open posture to feel more relaxed and confident.

Use an engaged, open posture to feel more relaxed and confident.

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  Keep your feet flat on the floor and your legs uncrossed.

  Keep your feet flat on the floor and your legs uncrossed.

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  Sit straight and comfortably.

  Sit straight and comfortably.

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  Avoid shifting and rocking in your chair.

  Avoid shifting and rocking in your chair.

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2. Use Pauses

2. Use Pauses

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Use pauses to stay in control and punctuate your thoughts.

Use pauses to stay in control and punctuate your thoughts.

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  Breathe to stay relaxed.

  Breathe to stay relaxed.

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  Avoid rushing, pace yourself, and enunciate.

  Avoid rushing, pace yourself, and enunciate.

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  Eliminate clutter words like um, ah, so, right, and.

  Eliminate clutter words like um, ah, so, right, and.

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3. Use Eye Contact

3. Use Eye Contact

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Eye contact can help you feel more connected to your virtual participants even if you can’t see each other.

Eye contact can help you feel more connected to your virtual participants even if you can’t see each other.

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  If you’re using a camera, think of the camera as the person you’re talking to and speak to it as if you were having a face-to-face conversation.

  If you’re using a camera, think of the camera as the person you’re talking to and speak to it as if you were having a face-to-face conversation.

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  If you’re not using a camera, find visual targets to focus on. Put your meeting notes or participant log plus any supporting docs in front of you.

  If you’re not using a camera, find visual targets to focus on. Put your meeting notes or participant log plus any supporting docs in front of you.

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  Some people even put up photographs of participants and talk to those images.

  Some people even put up photographs of participants and talk to those images.

Amplify Your Energy

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When you communicate virtually, with or without a camera, you’ll find that you need to amplify your energy beyond what may be comfortable for you to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment.

When you communicate virtually, with or without a camera, you’ll find that you need to amplify your energy beyond what may be comfortable for you to demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment.

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Here are three ways to do that:

Here are three ways to do that:

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1. Gesture Purposefully and Use Natural Gestures to Emphasize Your Thoughts and Ideas

1. Gesture Purposefully and Use Natural Gestures to Emphasize Your Thoughts and Ideas

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  While participants can’t see your gestures, simple arm movements generate energy in your body that helps punctuate your sentences and varies the intonation of your voice.

  While participants can’t see your gestures, simple arm movements generate energy in your body that helps punctuate your sentences and varies the intonation of your voice.

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  If you’re using a camera, gesture more slowly and deliberately.

  If you’re using a camera, gesture more slowly and deliberately.

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  Avoid clasping your hands, playing with objects, or making other nervous movements.

  Avoid clasping your hands, playing with objects, or making other nervous movements.

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2. Speak Clearly, Keeping in Mind That Without a Camera, Your Voice Must Carry the Conversation

2. Speak Clearly, Keeping in Mind That Without a Camera, Your Voice Must Carry the Conversation

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  Avoid jargon, slang, and acronyms.

  Avoid jargon, slang, and acronyms.

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  Look and sound as if you’re engaged and glad to be there.

  Look and sound as if you’re engaged and glad to be there.

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  Keep your voice level up; don’t trail off at the end of your sentences.

  Keep your voice level up; don’t trail off at the end of your sentences.

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3. Project Conviction, Using Your Voice and Language to Demonstrate Confidence and Emphasize Importance or Urgency

3. Project Conviction, Using Your Voice and Language to Demonstrate Confidence and Emphasize Importance or Urgency

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  Vary your vocal volume, speed, and pitch to match your content.

  Vary your vocal volume, speed, and pitch to match your content.

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  “Paint” pictures with your words.

  “Paint” pictures with your words.

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  Be assertive and avoid tentative language, like hopefully or maybe .

  Be assertive and avoid tentative language, like hopefully or maybe.

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Better virtual delivery skills make for a better experience all around—for you and your colleagues or customers. When you master your composure and amplify your energy online or on the phone, you’re better able to:

Better virtual delivery skills make for a better experience all around—for you and your colleagues or customers. When you master your composure and amplify your energy online or on the phone, you’re better able to:

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  Keep your listeners’ attention.

  Keep your listeners’ attention.

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  Elicit their feedback and involvement.

  Elicit their feedback and involvement.

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  Accomplish your goals.

  Accomplish your goals.

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For more tips, read this complimentary whitepaper, Best Practices for Virtual Presentations .

For more tips, read this complimentary whitepaper, Best Practices for Virtual Presentations.