Tips for an Effective Online Presentation from Home

It has been more than a year since people have been working from home. At the very beginning, working from home seemed quite difficult, but time helped people to deal with the new way of working, and slowly, everything is going normal. Since people are working from home, platforms like Google Meet and Zoom have become their new offices, such that from report submission to presentations, everything is online. Though it was assumed that meetings in a presentation hall have the most impact, working from home has changed some rules for them too. It has been more than a year since people have been working from home. At the very beginning, working from home seemed quite difficult, but time helped people to deal with the new way of working, and slowly, everything is going normal. Since people are working from home, platforms like Google Meet and Zoom have become their new offices, such that from report submission to presentations, everything is online. Though it was assumed that meetings in a presentation hall have the most impact, working from home has changed some rules for them too.

Though people are aware of the situation, still people are learning the art of online presentations, to make them look like normal presentations and show professionalism towards the clients. Here are some tips on how one can give an effective presentation online while working from home:

1. The Presentation: First thing first, you need to prepare an effective presentation as you would do for a normal conference hall presentation. Make sure you make a simple yet entertaining/engaging presentation, which is easy to understand and fulfills the goal of the presentation. A messy and complex presentation can confuse the clients and make them lose their interest too. So prepare the presentation wisely and practice multiple times before you go live with the presentation. Choose the right tools and true information to make the presentation. Also, you must be ready with all the questions your client may ask you during or after the presentation.

2. Choose the Right Place: Though people are now habitual of working from home and have made a separate workplace for themselves, still while doing an online presentation, one needs to choose a quiet place with no outside disturbance. There has to be a place with good lighting, sitting arrangement, and proper internet connectivity, and nobody should be allowed to come to that place/room while the presentation is on. One can also choose to have a virtual background for the presentation such that the clients are not distracted by the room situation and concentrate on what the presenter is saying.

3. Be Prepared: Being prepared is not only about knowing everything about the presentation, but it is also about having all the tools ready and pre-checked. Your internet has to be working properly, make multiple cameras as well as microphone Checks, you must have checked your meeting apps (Zoom, Skype, Google Meet, etc), your sitting position has to be in the way that you don’t get tired easily and also the camera is in your eye-level covering your face, shoulders, and hands properly. Also, you must ensure that there are no upcoming power cuts, or you must be prepared with an alternate for your power supply. Talking about alternatives, keep multiple copies of the presentation with you and with your co-host, such that in case one copy isn’t working properly, you have the backup. Being prepared also helps you to be on time, which is another sign of professionalism.

4. The Dress Up: Here too, you need to be prepared for the presentation like a professional. The dressing sense plays a very important role in the success of a presentation, whether it is in a conference hall or at your home through an online medium. You can’t be doing your presentation wearing lounge pants. You must wear suitable attire, which you would in case of a normal presentation. Make sure your clothes are ironed, and you do a neat hair doo. Take time to groom yourself so that you look presentable. Your dressing sense also shows your professionalism and how serious you take your clients.

5. The Connection: Don’t make your presentation a task, but be more open and encourage conversation with the client. Take little breaks in between and ask questions to involve the other party in the discussion, so that the presentation is more interactive. This will make the clients more comfortable and engaged throughout the presentation.

6. Wrapping up and Feedback: Last but not the least, summing up the presentation must include all the important points of the presentation at the end so that your clients can clear out all the doubts they have about it. Also, prepare a feedback quiz for the attendees (kept for the end), so that you can analyze your performance and the effectiveness of the presentation.

Online or offline, presentations have always been tricky and the success of a presentation always depends on how prepared you are. Following the given tips can help you to a great extent and fill you with confidence. You can also scroll through the presentations uploaded on the Presentation sharing website SharePresentation for inspiration for your next presentation. The platform includes presentations from different authors and on different genres.