Speaking in front of many people can induce nervousness. You worry about not saying the right things. Even if you practice, there’s still a chance that you will mess up. If public speaking is challenging, it can be worse when you do it virtually. You may not be in front of a crowd, but you know dozens of people on the call. Worse, you also don’t know what they look like or what their reactions are. They might not even feel interested in what you say anymore. Here’s how you can engage them during your presentation.
Use visual aids
You can’t have your face on their screen all the time. It’s boring and won’t interest anyone after you speak for a few minutes. Instead, use visual aids such as pictures and videos. Playing these media files will also give you sufficient time to relax and recover. If you wish to sustain people’s interests, find something easy to absorb and could strengthen your presentation. It’s the same when you present in a regular office environment where you use slides to prove your points with a projector ceiling mount holding the projector safely in place. Holding face-to-face meeting is now again becoming a reality.
Ask questions
Again, you can’t be the only person talking on the call. Try to ask questions to ensure everyone is listening. It also tells you that the attendees absorb what you’re saying. You may go faster or slower based on how things progress.
Keep the presentation short
Try your best not to drag the presentation. You must also realize that the attendees have other concerns. If you keep the presentation short, you can keep people’s attention until the end. Even if it’s not too long, it should still be meaningful. Find interesting topics to include in your presentation and let go of ideas people can easily research online.
Maintain your energy
You want everyone to listen to you, and it starts with your attitude towards the topic. The attendees can only see you virtually. They don’t see all your gestures. Hence, your voice must depict excitement. They must feel that you’re eager to share new ideas. You should also maintain such a positive attitude until the end. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been speaking for several minutes and feel exhausted.
Be grateful
Your presentation is probably not the last time you will speak to these attendees. There might be another event where your expertise is necessary. Hence, you should maintain a positive relationship with everyone. You want the same people to listen to you and stay engaged if given another chance. Finally, don’t forget to thank everyone for attending.
Practice how you say your thoughts
Just like any other public presentation, you must practice what to say. However, you will feel more confident if you try saying things aloud. You can also spot potential mistakes and edit them.
Hopefully, your presentation will be successful. Don’t be nervous and think about the people who will benefit from what you do. You will get better over time and find the process easier.
