7 signs you’re a pro virtual presenter

Am I doing this right?

It’s a fair question. But not the most helpful one to be wondering while you’re presenting.

It’s difficult to project passion for your content and confidence that it will help your learners… if you’re unsure whether you’re taking the right approach to begin with.

This blog will give you 7 signs that you’re about to deliver a virtual presentation that captivates and inspires your audience.

As we cover each one, feel free to rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 meaning you are awesome in that area!

1. Adapt slides to maximize engagement virtually.

Do you use the same slide deck for virtual presentations as you do for in-person?

If so, you might be missing opportunities to engage your learners with annotation tools.

Be sure to add in slides that allow learners to stamp, type and draw on the screen as a way to interact with your content.

2. Give a quick summary of the agenda toward the beginning of the talk.

This is a great way to tease the topics you’ll cover and build suspense and curiosity in your audience.

It’s also a great chance to invite your learners to tell you (via stamping, the chat box, etc.) what topics are most intriguing to them, so that you can allow more time for examples, stories and application activities during those segments.

3. Send learners a handout and resource box ahead of time.

Stamping, typing and drawing on the screen aren’t the only ways to engage your learners. Neither is the chat box. Or breakout rooms.

Pro virtual presenters create handouts with blanks, checklists and other visuals that allow your learners to stay involved.

Bonus points if you send them a resource box with various trinkets you can use to keep them engaged, such as dice, Play-Doh, etc.

4. Test all technology beforehand.

Videos. Polls. External gamification software. The list goes on.

Those tech elements can take your presentation to the next level and drastically boost engagement and retention during those activities. But they hinge on fickle technology.

So don’t leave those aspects to chance. Test them beforehand.

5. Start by asking what’s in it for the audience.

Your presentation isn’t about you.

It’s about your audience.

How do your ideas and application steps help set up your learners for success (if they apply them)?

How will your talk help them experience more financial health? Physical health? Relational health? Etc.?

Identify these things during the presentation planning process, and clarify them to your learners toward the beginning of your talk.

6. Tell stories.

Storytelling isn’t just about being entertaining.

It’s about knowing how and when to use stories to help your audience believe more deeply in what you’re teaching them.

Especially powerful stories will do a few key things. They’ll illustrate a pain that your audience might be experiencing (and that your content will help solve). They’ll illustrate misconceptions your audience might hold regarding the real solution to the problem. They’ll disprove objections your audience might have regarding your ideas. They’ll help your audience visualize how their lives will be better if they apply your teaching content. And more!

7. Use a strong closer that gets them thinking about next steps.

Forgettable presenters stay in theory-land.

But pro presenters are always taking those theories and getting down to the practical side.

What are the most critical and urgent next steps your listeners need to take in order to achieve the success that your content has promised them?

So how did you rate yourself in each of those areas on a scale of 1 to 10? Which one was your greatest strength worth celebrating? And which one stands out to you as your greatest opportunity for improvement?

You got this!