Lights, Camera, Action! Are you digital ready? Like it or not, more business presentations are going to be delivered digitally. Digital presentations save time, money, and have a wider reach. And video is king. Think Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, livestream etc. You may be a knockout presenter on a stage or in a meeting, but that doesn’t always translate to the digital screen. Here are 6 tips to give a knockout digital presentation:
Grab Them at Hello. Attention spans are short these days-one second shorter than a goldfish according to research. So it’s imperative to engage listeners immediately. It’s easier to sneak a look at a phone or send a text when you’re not in the same physical location. Save the lengthy introductions. You’ll lose the audience. Get right into the presentation with a hook or compelling question.
Up Your Energy. Video is an energy drain. That means even if you have good energy in front of an audience, you’ll sound low key on a video screen. Depending on your natural energy level, you might have to increase it tenfold to convey enthusiasm and excitement. Practice pushing your energy. It may feel exaggerated but the audience will appreciate your passion.
Shift your Focus. The mistake most digital presenters make is to look at the screen eye-to-eye. That works with video conferencing but if you’re broadcasting from a laptop you’ll actually be looking down. When it’s your turn to speak, look directly at the webcam. It won’t feel natural but to the viewer you’ll be making direct eye contact.
More Slides Faster. If you’re giving a webinar, discard what you learned about slides. Use more, not less. For webinars, create more slides that have pictures and minimal words and keep moving every 4 or 5 seconds. To keep the audience engaged, they need constant change. If you’re going to talk for one minute about a particular slide, break that one slide into several slides that can make several mini points.
Stage the Setting. Take a lesson from Broadway. Staging is important to your brand image, your message, and the mood. Consider the backdrop. If you don’t have a professional conference room you can get a green screen to project your desired image or background. Don’t sit in front of a window as it will cast you in shadow. Experiment with light. You can purchase a lamp or portable light for video presentations. Good lighting will enhance the quality of the video.
Sound is King. An audience will forgive mediocre lighting but not poor sound quality. When broadcasting from a laptop, avoid earbuds. Invest in a good headset. It will make a tremendous difference in the sound. Do a test right before the presentation to make sure your listeners can hear you. Check for background noise including heating and air conditioning vents. Many digital presentations are posted for replay. Not everybody will watch the video but they will listen to the audio. So make sure it’s loud and clear.
It may be more nerve-racking to stand in front of a live audience but the stakes can be just as high when you present digitally. Don’t shrink behind the video screen. Deliver digitally and let your brilliance shine.
To bring your digital presentation to the next level, contact me here.