14 Tips for Effective Remote Presentations

Setting the scene at the top of the meeting is essential. Audience members are less likely to step in and interrupt or ask questions during a remote presentation, so setting expectations ahead of time is essential. Always take the time to set the tone and the ground rules for your time together. What can your audience expect to leave with? What are your goals? Will there be time for questions at the end, or would you prefer that they continue throughout the day?2. Report early and oftenSignage is a communication technique used to give an audience an indication of progress through a story. For example, this is tip 2 of 14 in this blog post. You know how far into the post you are and when it will end. If you're presenting 3 opportunities to an audience in a set of slides, let them know there are 3 opportunities at the start and repeat the point you emphasize as you go. This avoids the dreaded "when will this be over?" ".3. Pause and play the pieceWithout a doubt, reading the play is much more difficult virtually. At the same time, it is also easier for your audience to get distracted and completely ignore your presentation. Encourage a "camera culture" and be sure to pause for questions and watch for facial expressions. If the cameras start to go out, it's a sign that you are losing the audience.4. Don't embarrass peopleIn remote meetings, it can be tempting to ask people direct questions or to refer questions to others. If you're asked a question and you need to pass it on to a teammate, don't toss a hot potato at them.

Mention their name and provide some context in case they're not paying attention. For example, instead of “Ryan, what do you think? Try "Ryan, we look at the advantages of X over Y in the context of Z, what do you think?" ".5. Take notes in a physical notebookIf you are sharing your screen, consider taking notes in a physical notebook. Chances are you want to take notes and actions, but you don't want your audience to see your internal scrap sheet. Instead of showing your notes on the screen, or worse yet, not taking any notes at all, have a physical notebook handy Egypt Phone Numbers List for jotting down important items. It's also evident if you're writing physical notes on a webcam, which avoids the ever-awkward ambiguous pause while you look at your screen and type notes.6. Record the meetingIf possible, record the meeting. This allows the audience to be more present and not focus on taking notes. Recording can be provided for those who were unable to make it live. Watching your game movie isn't always fun, but it's an important exercise you can use to improve your presentation skills.7.

Watch the clockMake sure you stay within the time constraints of the meeting. While your audience may be distant and not have to cross the office to get to their next meeting, it's always courteous to provide a buffer for people to take a break before their next engagement. For a real mastery of the presentation, you can combine the signage with the pointing, that is to say: "we are at half of our hour, so I will continue to move forward so that we can get through everything". Make sure you end your presentation with enough time at the end for questions and a recap of next steps.8. Have a wingerSometimes you'll have to present solo, but having a winger on a call can be hugely beneficial. Designate them as the note taker and room keeper. Make sure you empower them to ask you clarifying questions on the fly if they detect audience confusion. They can also be used as a watchmaker and technical QA. Just be sure to communicate your expectations of them up front.Visual and technical advice9. Hide and organize browser bookmarksOne of the most common unprofessional mistakes I see during remote presentations is not hiding disorganized and potentially incriminating browser bookmarks. You need to proactively organize your bookmarks to make sure they represent you correctly. If you are working with multiple clients or on sensitive projects, you should nest them in a generic folder so that they are never present on your screen at a glance. Your seemingly harmless client bookmark could violate an NDA if seen. U