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Giving online presentations is essentially the same as delivering an in-person lecture or speech. However, the major difference is that in virtual presentations you will be talking in front of a computer with your image displayed to your audience through a web camera. This can be quite challenging since you might be prevented from reading audience reactions and determining if they are amused or bored by your presentation and making the necessary adjustments to reel them in. As such, if you truly want to deliver a virtual presentation that rocks, then you need to avoid a few common problems associated with online presentations. Common Virtual Presentation Problems Limited Eye Contact Not seeing your audience in person does not mean that you should not to look at them. Eye contact is as important in virtual lectures as it is in live presentations. Treat your camera as if it were a real person. Talk to it and engage with it. Supportive Gestures Many lecturers feel confident that since they are not presenting in front of a live audience it is okay for them to avoid gesturing, as they would naturally do in person. Remember, your movements and facial expressions are part of the natural communications process. As such, make sure to incorporate appropriate gestures throughout your lecture but avoid fidgeting in the process. This will distract your audience from your message. Not Dressing Appropriately Because you are virtual, do not look like a bum. If you want to be respected as a lecturer and taken seriously, then dress appropriately even if only half of your body will be seen by your audience. Also, make sure that your clothes are in contrast with your background. For instance, if your background is white, then do not wear something white. You will look like a floating head with an invisible body. Use of Visual Aids Many online lecturers fall into the trap of simply reading their presentations. Furthermore, they turn down the excitement meter by avoiding visual aids. But just like in live presentations, you need to command the attention and interest of listeners. How do you do that? By performing your story and not just reading it and visual aids such as graphs, photos, cartoons, and charts are great performance tools. One effective way you can learn to avoid these kinds of online virtual presentation hiccups is by attending leadership training courses. A well-developed leadership training course will help you improve your speaking skills and avoid many of the common mistakes that most amateur speakers make. Preparing for Your Virtual Presentation Now that you understand the common mistakes you need to avoid when giving online presentations, it is time for you to learn how to prepare for a virtual speaking engagement. Identify Your Audience You need to know whom you will be presenting to. This will greatly help you craft your presentation in a way that resonates with your target group. Identify the Purpose of Your Lecture Is your lecture intended for people who know nothing about SEO? Is your presentation about helping people overcome depression? Is your discussion more business-like or personal in nature? Answering questions such as these will help you create and deliver a focused message. Deliver Your Presentation Like a Story Everyone loves to hear a good story. By delivering your presentation more like a story than a lecture, you will be able to engage the audience’s emotions and effectively grab their attention. As such, make sure that your “story” has an introduction, introduces a problem, and of course contains a resolution. Distribute Lecture Materials Beforehand Getting your audience acquainted with your subject in advance will help facilitate a clearer, smoother presentation. As such, make sure that you provide important materials beforehand via email or link to a web page. This will also allow your audience to formulate meaningful questions that they could ask you during your presentation, making your lecture more engaging and less yawn-inducing. If you truly want to improve not only your virtual presentation skills but your speaking acumen in general, then you should definitely consider taking communication training courses. By attending communication skills training, you will be able to bring out the great presenter hiding inside of you and become a successful speaker whether you are delivering a virtual or face-to-face presentation.
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communication skills training, leadership training course,
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