How to Give an Effective Online Presentation From Home
Since the Covid 19 pandemic, humans have undergone massive changes in their respective life and work ethics. The way of carrying out tasks has been modified to best suit the need of the hour, ensuring proper health and life functions amidst the global pandemic. Yet amidst the worldwide pandemic, as human nature dictates, expressing oneself never stops as time and tide wait for none. As a result, new mediums of expression have become prevalent, and Online Presentations are one of them.
Online presentations have mostly replaced offline presentations both in work and personal spaces. The need of the hour is to ensure higher effectiveness in making a presentation online. As humans give importance to first impressions when presenting themselves in person, the same amount of seriousness and significance is given when the display is online. Thus to achieve a good reputation upfront while making a presentation online, there are certain aspects that one can look into and consider.
Ten tips to give a compelling online presentation at home
Online presentations are tricky. There are several factors that one has to count upon, some of which are beyond control. Yet, as giving up was never an option, here are ten real-life issues and their subsequent solutions that will make online expression easy, fun and effective.
Be in a positive mindset:
Being happy or optimistic almost always comes in handy. Confidence in an online presentation will enable one to focus on the right areas. This further helps in the proper exploration of regions that might facilitate effectiveness. This not only will keep the presenter invested but will also arrest the attention and thoughts of the ones who are receiving the information, leading to establishing a healthy and constructive conversation between the two parties.
On the other hand, going into a meeting or interview with a negative mindset never helps. Apart from ruining the chances of establishing a link between the parties, it gives out a bad image and a misjudged perception of events. Things go south, and a great opportunity is lost.
Fix computer errors:
It is always advisable to check before one leap. Unlike in the virtual world, actions cannot be undone in reality. So it is a must that all the errors related to the computer should be checked and rechecked thoroughly to avoid any mishap during an online presentation from home. This factor is crucial irrespective of your location.
Any accident during the presentation will create unwanted negativity and embarrassment. Imagine working hard and putting in labour behind some expression, and everything is proper except for the medium through which this exchange of thoughts occurs. It breaks the momentum, disrupts the concentration and flow of ideas, and creates an unnecessary pause. The need for information from the other party subdues as this pause irritates the listener. Apart from receiving humiliation, the opposite listener gets an idea of the incompetency of the speaker, and it creates a very unjust impression leading to failure. So it is advisable to check the computer’s performance several times before starting an online presentation. Also, several online video makers for presentations provide the chance to pre-record or save one’s progress with the presentation, thus minimizing the risk of errors created by computer issues.
Ensure proper internet connection:
A steady flow of a stable internet connection is crucial while conducting a seamless online presentation. The presenter must make sure that the internet is sound and should check the speed of the internet so that people can hear what the presenter has to say without any disruption or lags and vice versa. This ensures a healthy exchange and minimizes the chances of confusion. The focus will remain at the right spot (which is the presentation) and will not shift to everyone asking the same question :
“Can you hear me? Am I audible?”
Conduct rehearsals:
Conducting mock presentations or rehearsals of the meeting is an old yet effective way to ensure everything goes well when the main event occurs. Trials, both with the setup and without it, are helpful. These trials will make the presenter recognize and identify the mistakes and allow the person to rectify them. These modifications are vital as they add smoothness, clarity and meaning to their purpose, thus making the presentation as clear as water. These mock presentations also make the speaker more confident, allowing them to trust themselves and their expressions.
Appropriate dressing:
The dressing is essential. Wearing the right clothes for the right occasion always benefits one. It provides a healthy and positive outlook and does not create any emotion in the opposite person which might harm one’s prospects. Being outstanding by wearing something experimental works, but the sense of experiment and creativity in fashion is not to be judged here. The only thing to be considered is the effectiveness and charm, with the help of which one makes oneself vocal and heard. Dresses also help in giving out the right vibe and setting the right mood.
Minimize distractions:
At home, the greatest obstacle one can face are distractions. In an office, the purpose of everyone is the same, that is, to do and complete the given tasks efficiently. At home, on the other hand, everyone has different purposes. These different purposes or charges often create a distraction. These distractions, although one might find cute initially, later lead to a lack of communication. This lack of communication reduces efficiency and creates an unwanted atmosphere that is not conducive. So one should talk to their family members and, if needed, come to an arrangement that will not hamper the online presentation and also not disrupt others’ planning.
Use elements to make the presentation attractive and easy:
The presentation should be interesting. No matter what the cause is, the listeners cannot feel bored. Once they feel bored, they lose involvement in the entire pursuit, and the presentation becomes a disaster. To make an attractive presentation, one should use various templates, illustrations, statistical graphs and even a little animation to make the entire thing appealing. All these elements must be incorporated into the presentation to bring out the emotions in the listeners. When the listeners feel these feelings while watching the video, they are invested in the cause. All these attractive and cinematic elements and features can be added by using video maker for presentation websites that are available online.
Have questions and their solutions:
It is necessary to raise a lot of questions in the presentation. The presentation can be considered to have kicked off when constructive questions come from the opposite end, but all these questions will become futile if their answers or solutions are not ready. A successful presentation, be that offline or online, be that from the office or home, is one that raises questions only to bring forward the easy solutions in light. This requires a thorough study of the presentation and research of all the possible conclusions. This scientific approach is necessary. Apart from this, a presenter must keep in mind that the solutions to be presented must be in a layman’s language so that it is easily apprehensible by the people opposite.
A call to action:
A presentation reaches success when the presenter calls the other participants to action. This approach is fundamental to be undertaken by a presenter. A call to action is the step that makes a mere listener an active participant in the endeavour of the presenter. A presentation becomes valid when the idea is spread among others and does not remain entitled only to the presenter. In an online presentation from home, a call to action might be the trump card that makes the exchange successful. Still, on the other hand, it must be remembered that playing this card too often leads to unnecessary excitement (without any cause), resulting in a fallout.
Use of humor:
Humour works wonders when used right. In every space of life and work, a little humour has gone a long way to accomplishing things. As for an online presentation from home, where several in-hand and out-of-hand issues are plaguing the meeting constantly, humour can also work as an icebreaker. A little joke brings a smile to everyone’s face, and the tension removes. The lack of communication is also dealt with. If there are no issues, then ending a serious meeting with a joke also comes as a welcome relief and makes one confident in the eyes of others. So humour is a must.
Conclusion
As said in the beginning, online meetings and presentations are tricky. There are several online issues to be dealt with, and an added list of concerns comes up if they are from home. Yet the world is cruel and unforgiving, and a second chance is not often provided. So to use any given opportunity, the ten points above will act as a catalyst in making an online presentation effective enough.