3 Reasons to Become a Master of Virtual Presentation Skills
By: Michael Davis
Tags: Virtual Presentation, Presentations, Public Speaking, Leadership Skills, Zoom Fatigue

A common refrain I’ve heard during the pandemic is, “COVID caused the big shift in speaking from in-person to virtual.”

And this has created stress and anxiety for most people.

But, the truth is, COVID only accelerated a change in presenting which was inevitable. Leading speakers and presenters were effectively using online presentations before the pandemic and Lockdown.

Because of a stroke of luck, I’ve been presenting and hosting online events since 2017. I’ve gained a lot of insights into this medium.

Here are three specific reasons for effective virtual presenting skills I’ve experienced which can also help you:

Reason 1 — You Stand Out

Meeting planners and organizations expect speakers to be equally effective online and in-person.

Because most speakers and leaders are still struggling with virtual presenting skills, the few who are comfortable and influential in front of a camera will stand out and have countless opportunities to speak.

Reason 2 — Global Reach

The Lockdown of 2020 taught companies of every size they weren’t limited to doing business in their immediate geographic location.

Unless your business is dependent on physical interaction with your clients or customers, you can now conduct business all over the planet.

This includes speaking opportunities. As long as you speak the language of the attendees, you can speak anywhere, at any time.

This creates exponential growth potential to influence people with your message.

Reason 3 — Virtual Presenting is Here To Stay

A popular mantra in 2021 was, “I can’t wait til we get back to normal.”

This is a valid thought, IF you have the correct definition of ‘normal.’ If with that word you mean, we’ll go back to speaking to audiences in person every time, you’re wrong.

Companies and organizations discovered the (sometimes) massive cost savings of virtual presentations — elimination of travel expenses, lodging and food costs, and the location fees for events.

This doesn’t mean all groups have permanently shifted to all-virtual events. It means that online events are on the table, and will frequently be used, especially if there are additional viruses, natural disasters, or other disruptive forces.

What this does mean is you have to be flexible and ready to pivot from in-person to online presentations, or vice versa, sometimes with little notice.

Even for in-person presentations cover you will have to adjust to speaking to cameras in the room as many events will be hybrid. You’ll have to be proficient at speaking to the people online to ensure they feel included in the event.

Bonus Reason

Virtual presenting is a terrific format for audience engagement. You have many tools at your disposal to include your audience in your presentation.

In a live presentation, it would be disruptive to continually ask questions and wait for audience responses. In an online event, you can frequently create interaction and give your audience a form to be heard.

Similarly, it’s not always practical to separate people into small discussion groups, either logistically or due to combating the noisiness of large groups.

Virtual Breakout rooms allow you to send attendees to small groups where they can have meaningful conversations without interruption.

These are just two of many tools you have at your disposal to be more effective online than you are in person.

WANT TO BE A MORE IMPACTFUL VIRTUAL PRESENTER?

Pick up 34 tips to help you confidently present to a camera and engage your audience every time you speak online.

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