5 Tips for Giving a Video Conference Presentation to a Large Virtual Gathering

I led my first webinar with a large audience since the onset of coronavirus and learned a few things that I thought were worth sharing.

1. Engage your audience – Ask questions. Seek input and suggestions. Ask a colleague to run the chat board and feed you questions.

2. Use the ‘Share Screen’ function – Show a deck or a video clip. Ensure your slides are visually appealing and lighter on words than usual. Use photos and graphs for emphasis.

3. Slow. Your. Pace. – Internet speeds differ from person to person. Fast talking is hard to comprehend. Take a deep breath after each point. Silence is like white space in an advertisement—it allows the audience to focus on what is important.

4. Check your background – In traditional media training, we always say “Don’t wear anything more interesting than you are.” Extrapolate that to your chosen backdrop—no fancy paintings, random passers-by or interesting book collections unless you are prepared to bring them into the discussion.

5. Follow-up after the fact – Post your email on the final slide. Copy the comments and attendee list (or have your colleague do so). Connect with your audience via LinkedIn or email. Thank them and be a resource in the future.