It’s not second nature to any of us. Giving a presentation to an audience face-to-face is challenging enough. Going virtual presents a new set of rules. The following 5 points (following the acronym V-O-C-A-L) help you know what to keep in mind when going virtual.
- Visible: Rather than look like you’re in the witness protection program, remember that humans look best when they’re lit from the front. Use a light and shine it in front of you. Remember how you got your picture taken by a photographer? Same idea. Dress professionally, wear makeup (ladies), use gestures, and adjust your camera to include not just your head, but your head and shoulders.
- Organized: Have a non-distracting background. Virtual backgrounds might be fun, but they are not always professional and appropriate. Take down distracting pictures on the wall behind you, put a stack of books on your bed to make it look like it’s a credenza if there’s where you need to be when presenting, and add a plant behind you to show depth. Organized also means that you give your listeners any virtual meeting protocols (I call them “ground rules”). That might be to unmute your video (I tell my audiences, “If I can’t see you, you’re not here”), tell them to be prepared to participate in breakout rooms, polls, and use the chat feature if you’re building that into your presentation.
