How to improve your digital presentations (pt. 2)

As you now present in your own, closed out and private area, you can really make use of all the screens you have available. It may be helpful to view your presentation on screen 1 and webcam on screen 2 (where you now also can have your speaker notes and attendee-list.

Make sure that the screen or computer with the webcam recording is at level with your eyes, so you will look directly into the eyes of everyone in the other end. In the digital era, you can finally have eye contact with everyone. Yeah!

Disclaimer; this tip depends on both the presenter and the presenter style. For some, and in some occasions, it is beneficial to get some kind of feedback from the audience, at least from some of them. This is especially so if this is your first digital presentation. Just a "mhmmm", or similar acknowledgements in between your slides can help a lot in making sure that the audience still is there and are able to hear you speak.

If you don't like, from the previous tip, people making small "audience-like" sounds in your presentations, just try to remember that the technology most likely is working well, that everyone can hear you, and are able to see you and your slides.

Even the long-reigning Queen Elizabeth experienced difficulties on her video call, and so can you! Don't be sad if you experience it too, we've all been there.

Everyone can see you in front of the camera. But. They can't really see what's going on behind the camera 😏 You might feel more at ease if you can have a family member, colleague, friend or loved ones in front of you while you speak.

You are (often) in your home when giving a digital Corona-presentation. Make sure to make good use of it! Take on your favourite slippers, enjoy your favourite cup of tea, and have the presentation in a room in your home where you feel at ease and comfortable.

Check that everything works. At least once. Well in before-hand. Do you have internet access? Or do you need a personal hot spot on the fly when your service provider decides to give you some good-ol downtime in the middle of the day? Is your preferred video stream service up-and-running today, or do you need to find an alternative? Check your screen-setup, video-recording and microphone. Some of us have also recorded ourselves in trial-runs to see what can be improved. Personally I find recording myself highly embarrassing, however this is something that's highly recommended!

This is important. If you ever have held a live digital presentation you know what I mean. You want to see an audience, and reaction! Everything helps. You may for example let them know in the beginning that you would appreciate to see some faces while presenting. If you are now comfortable with asking them, ask a colleague or friend to stay on video while you present.

Sitting down while presenting can actually affect you presentations negatively (if you are not very conscious about this), and many digital presentations tend to become somewhat monotonous. Give the next digital presentation while standing. Unconsciously, this will give your presentation new energy and action!

Others tips here also include; use your hands! Change facial expressions! Laugh! Change your tone of voice and pitch!

If you really want to read the chat underway and engage the audience in this way, be very careful as this may interrupt your whole speaker-flow (which is perhaps the most precious aspect of your presentation). If you still want to read the chat, set aside a specific time in your presentation to do so.

Another positive aspect by you broadcasting your presentation digitally is that it's a very short way to making it accessible to many, many others by merely clicking the record-button. However, be aware that if you edit the video too much afterwards, the presentation becomes increasingly hard to follow.

A big thank you to everyone that gave away these neat tips and tricks on digital presentations 💖 I'm sure that there is a lot more tips still out there. Please let me know on Twitter if anything comes to mind --> @nicolai_a_hagen.