As ASTD prepares for the International Conference and Expo 2011, I sat down with Wayne Turmel, author of 10 Steps to Successful Virtual Presentations, to get a preview of what we'll be hearing from him in Orlando. Now admittedly, this does not fall under the category of "specifically sales". But before you tune me out, I have one quick question. Okay, maybe two. Have you ever watched a webinar? If your answer is no, we're not doing a very good job here at Sales Training Drivers. Ever wanted to try putting one on? If you answered yes to either of these questions, keep reading. No? I didn't think that far ahead. Keep reading anyway, Wayne's a funny guy.

So, Why a book about virtual presentations?

I got into presentation skills training because I hated seeing good, very smart people struggle to get their ideas out in the world while people like me (who could communicate well) got way more credit than we deserved. When things started to move online, I saw the same thing. For audiences, they have been forced to endure boring, non-engaging presentations online.for presenters, it's worse. The very thing that drives most trainers is the interaction with the people, the ability to see them "get it", which is often the thing that's most missing. If you have bored audiences and unenthused presenters, nothing good is going to happen no matter how much money they save. I am basically trying to make the entire process suck less for both parties.

I've certainly watched my fair share of "sucky" presentations, so I appreciate that. Speaking of putting together better presentations, in your opinion, what is the single most important factor of a truly engaging and interesting virtual presentation?

You have to make the presentation as rich and interactive an experience as technology will allow. If you were to say to a class full of people"I'm going to talk for about 45 minutes or more. I don't want you to talk to me, ask questions or speak to each other until I allow you to, oh and I'm not going to look at you either, I'm just going to talk to the PowerPoint slides until we're done"how would that go over? Yet that's how too many of us present online. If it's not fun for the presenter, and it's painful or boring for the audience, are we surprised it's not used well or effective?

It seems like being able to engage an audience is getting more difficult as technology advances. Everyone seems so distracted all the time! What is the greatest advantage to using a virtual platform as opposed to physical training or instruction?

Actually, the technology is getting easier, there's a new generation of these platforms about every 6-8 months. There's a tendency to look at these, especially in training, as making the best of a bad situation: "they" won't give us the budget, managers won't let their people go long enough to learn.you've heard it all. But, there are some advantages to learning virtually: shorter modules often work better than 2 days in a Ramada conference room. You can schedule training just in time, rather than having to block people's calendars for meeting and travel. Training follow up and reinforcement is easier this way and you can add serious value to your training so that they are less "events" than steps in a process. And, the ability to record and archive online training makes it a great reference tool and easier to ramp up new people without having to wait 6 months 'til the next class. It's not perfect, but used properly, it's a great medium.

In your book, you discuss the reality that technology causes stress, and we'd like to think you're speaking from experience. Do you have any good mess-ups that you would be willing to share?

I tell this story to people all the time. The very first webinar I ever led had over 200 people to launch a new product for the company I worked for. It was about how to deliver these new things called webinars (this was maybe 2002 or 2003). The day of the event something went wrong with our network and I couldn't get on line as a presenter. But, because I had carefully planned, printed out my visuals and had someone else with access to them, I delivered the vocals, had someone else deliver the presentation and (even though I couldn't see a thing and was sweating the whole time) not one person outside our company knew there was a problem.

Your secret's out! That's not too bad. I've had similar experiences, and it always seems to work out just fine in the end. What is one piece of advice you would offer to those that are intimidated by the idea of putting on a virtual presentation?

Presenting online is just like presenting in a room.except you're doing it while programming your DVR. It's more complex, and no matter how good a presenter you are live, until you become comfortable and at least partially competent with the technology and the tools at hand, you cannot physically or mentally be in the right place to do your real job - help your learners or your audience. Take the time to really learn the possibilities of the tool you use, practice with it, and learn what you can and can't do online. It will be less painful for you and your learners will benefit.

We're excited to have you present an author chat session at ASTD 2011. What will be the main takeaway for attendees?

I hope that people take away from the author chat the same thing they do from the training we do with our corporate clients, that while there are constraints to presenting online, there is also great potential. Stop looking at the glass half empty: you can do so much more than most people do and maybe, just maybe.you can have a little fun in the process.

(A little bonus for those of you that have read Wayne's book, 10 Steps to Successful Virtual Presentations - I made sure to ask only the most important questions) Now I'm curious. Have you read all the books on that bookshelf behind you?

Yes I have, and thank you for rubbing it in that I have absolutely no social life and never get out of the home office any more. Yeeeesh.

Join Wayne in his author chat session, "Why Trainers Hate Webinars and How to Get Over It," at the ASTD 2011 bookstore Tuesday, May 24th from 11:30-12:30. See you in Orlando!