Engaging Virtual Presentations: 12 Tips to Wow Remote Audiences
- Copywriter at McCann Health New Jersey, an IPG Health Company
- Published on April 11, 2022
- Updated on September 6, 2024
Table of Contents
Have you ever felt like you totally bombed a virtual presentation? You stammer so much that you lose your train of thought, an awkward silence fills the air after you ask a question, and you just know your audience is zoning out on the other end. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In fact, 96% of presenters admit to struggling with virtual presentations at some point. But don’t worry, this article will provide 12 tips to transform you into a polished, confident presenter that wows remote audiences. By implementing techniques to boost engagement, handle Q&A smoothly, and emit confidence through the screen, you’ll be able to connect with and captivate distributed attendees just as well as if you were all in the same room.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- The main challenge is the perceived judgment of the audience if you fail at conveying your message or speaking well. This can stir up anxiety.
- Remote work has led to more virtual presentations over video calls and pre-recorded videos. This requires new skills compared to in-person presenting.
- Two things are breathing evenly and blinking. It’s important to remember to breathe and blink naturally.
- A clean background minimizes distractions and keeps the focus on you and your message. An unprofessional background can give a bad impression.
- Being conversational, smiling, asking questions, and showing interest in the audience helps build rapport virtually.
- Pausing on visuals gives the audience time to digest the information. Visuals can communicate key points effectively.
- Dressing professionally boosts confidence and conveys respect for the audience. It creates a positive impression.
- Take a breath, consult your notes if needed, and continue on. For recorded videos, re-record the section.
- Practice is essential! Rehearsing builds confidence and mastery of the content and delivery.
- Pre-recorded video presentations allow flexible, scalable sharing of messages globally. They are trackable to see prospect engagement.
Presentation anxiety is closely related to the fear of public speaking
For most people, public speaking has always been an activity that can stir up anxiety. If you can relate, then keep reading our list of the most effective virtual presentation tips and tricks on how to nail any B2B sales presentation. We even have a bonus virtual presentation tip at the end of this guide too! The difficulty of presenting in person, in public or on a virtual meeting, lies not only in the need to know your message and speak well, but in the perceived judgment of the audience members if you even mildly fail at doing those two things. It can even be more difficult when you are just getting started in B2B sales and need to present to prospects and clients.
Not all public speaking is truly public — especially not in our increasingly virtual world. While virtual meeting services like Skype and Zoom have existed since long before the move to remote work, the last few years have proven how many of us can feel uncomfortable when it comes to presenting virtually to others on camera.
In order to effectively deliver virtual presentations, sales reps must tap into a different skill set than they would for an in person presentation. Remote teams also need to be aware of different virtual communication tools that are available, and how to use them effectively.
In person presentations have been replaced by virtual presentations for many remote teams
The remote work environment has forced organizations to reevaluate how they do business and has led to a greater focus on digital sales strategies. This shift has created a need for salespeople to learn new virtual presentation skills. While this may seem like a daunting task, there are a few simple presentation tips that can help you on your virtual meetings.
Though popular YouTubers might make speaking into computer’s camera lens look easy in their videos, most would admit that getting the best takes requires a lot of time and practice of the presentation skills.
We’ve put together a list of top ten tips and tricks that will help you deliver the most engaging and effective virtual presentation that will capture the attention of the audience members, and help you accelerate the B2B sales cycle, and close more deals.
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The most effective virtual presentation tricks and tips that will keep your audience engaged
It’s clear that ability to quickly prepare for a virtual presentation, live presentation or pre recorded video, is becoming a very important skill in B2B sales. But even those who feel more comfortable speaking in public may struggle to address a virtual Zoom gallery of participants with as much warmth and eloquence as they’re used to while doing an in person presentation.
Confidence goes a long way, and the ability to feel confident on camera can be developed similarly to how confidence in front of a major B2B client can be developed.
Did you know that according to Gartner, a typical buying group for a B2B solution involves 6 – 10 decision makers? And often times it is impossible to get all of them on a virtual presentation. One of the best ways to ensure that your product champion has the information they need to make a compelling case to decision makers is to provide them with a pre recorded video presentation. This way, you won’t have to worry about your pitch getting lost in translation. With a well-crafted video presentation in hand, your product champion will have everything they need to make a convincing case for your products and services.
Practicing your presentation skills is the key.
Practicing the presentation skills will help you effectively deliver your sales pitch and capture audience’s attention.
In this article, we’ll review some of the most effective virtual presentation tricks and tips that will help you present yourself better on camera. Whether you’re presenting in person, virtually presenting to your boss on a Zoom call or recording a video presentation for a prospect or a client using DeckLinks, these top ten tips tips and tricks can set you apart and make your virtual audience feel like you’re right there in the room connecting with them.
PDF Documents Tracking
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Virtual presentations tip #1:
Understand your physical and virtual environment.
The first tip on this list is first because it’s so important to recognize what the computer’s camera sees — this is what your audience will see!
B2B sales can be a difficult process, and one of the most challenging aspects is presenting virtually to potential clients. You want to make sure that the space around you look professional, the picture and sound quality is good, as this will help to create a favourable impression of you and your company. The last thing you want is for the client to see a cluttered or messy space. You need to minimize distractions to maintain audience engagement and help them stay focused. If you are in a hurry, you can hide the mess with a virtual background.
Take a few moments before you start your next virtual presentation to check out what your little video box looks like. How is your camera positioned? Is it a webcam at the top of your laptop screen? How is the sound quality? If not, you should consider investing in a decent external microphone to improve the sound quality of your video, and help with any background noise that you may experience.
The best thing to strive for in terms of “cinematography” for your video sales presentation is simplicity.
If you know you’ll be presenting alongside a sales deck, it’s even more important to not draw too much focus towards the space around your body on screen. Keep your head and shoulders clearly in view. Check if the natural light is sufficient to keep you visible, without awkward shadows or bright spots. Make sure your background is clean and presentable, there’s no background noise, and the video and audio quality is good.
Just as you wouldn’t show up to an in-person meeting wearing pajamas, you shouldn’t present yourself in virtual presentations without taking care of your virtual environment. If you are screen sharing, your virtual background (desktop and browser) should be clean and uncluttered, and you should make sure there is nothing in the frame that can take away from the audience’s attention. Minimize distractions!
By taking a few minutes to prepare your virtual environment, you’ll be able to create a powerful and professional sales presentation that will keep your audience engaged and help you close the deal.
Virtual presentations tip #2:
Be aware of your body language.
Once you’ve understood the space you have to work with, you should then remember to check your body language and facial expressions as you practice and execute your sales presentation.
B2B sales are all about developing relationships with clients. And while that can certainly be done over email or the phone, there’s no substitute for interactions that happen on an in person presentation. But in the age of remote teams and virtual communication tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, that interaction is often limited to a video call, pre-recorded virtual presentations or video emails. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to your body language when presenting to a B2B client over video.
Even though they can’t see you in person, your body language conveys a lot of information when you’re delivering virtual presentations.
Since you will typically remain seated during virtual presentations, be sure to comfortably sit up straight and try to maintain this posture through the entire presentation. As you speak, avoid any negative or constricting body language like crossed arms, slouching and turning your head away from the camera often. Two small things that many presenters forget to do as they get caught up in speaking are breathing evenly and blinking. Keep an eye contact with the camera lens, and remember to breathe through your nose during any pauses.
Whether you’re using video presentation software like Zoom or Microsoft Teams, or recording an async video presentation using DeckLinks, it’s important to be aware of your facial expressions. Just as in person presentations, they can convey confidence, engagement, and enthusiasm – or they can give the impression that you’re bored or disinterested.
When you’re presenting virtually, it’s easy for your audience to misinterpret your body language and facial expressions.
For example, if you tend to furrow your brow when you’re thinking hard, your audience might think you’re annoyed or upset. To avoid giving the wrong impression, it’s important to be conscious of your facial expressions and try to keep them neutral or positive. Try to maintain eye contact with the camera lens.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to use your hands! Hand motions can help emphasize key points of your sales pitch, make your speech look natural and help engage the audience members more deeply in your online presentation. Keep your hands lower in the camera view and below your face. Just remember not to overuse hand motions, as they can be distracting. Follow these simple virtual presentation tricks, practice your presentation skills, and you’ll feel more confident when doing a video presentation.
So next time you’re presenting to a B2B client over the video, remember to pay attention to your body language. It can make all the difference in establishing a strong relationship. Of course, virtual sales presentations have their own challenges – but with a little bit of awareness, you can ensure that your body language is conveying the right message to your audience!
Virtual presentations tip #3:
Talk to the camera.
When it comes to virtual presentations, talking to the camera and maintaining eye contact with your audience is very important. Your client wants to see your face, and you want to come across as professional and trustworthy. Looking directly into the camera shows that you’re confident and focused, and it helps to establish a connection with your viewer. It can be tempting to look at your notes and key points on a virtual presentation, but try to resist the urge and focus on the camera instead.
Remember to smile on your next virtual presentation – even if you’re feeling nervous, a smile can go a long way towards making a good impression on a B2B prospect or a client.
Make sure to look into the camera as if it was the eyes of your audience members. Trying to maintain eye contact with the the camera lens is much easier said than done! To make it a little easier, try imagining a face in place of the camera. There’s really no secret to doing this, it just takes practice (see #10). Speaking slowly and clearly will also help your audience easily follow your video presentation.
By following these simple presentation tips, you’ll be able to grab audience’s attention and deliver an effective virtual presentation.
Virtual presentations tip #4:
Be conversational.
Being conversational on virtual meetings is just as important as it is on in person presentations. This is because it helps to build rapport and trust, which are essential for making a sale. When you are conversational, you come across as genuine and relatable, which makes it easier for the client to see you as a partner rather than just another B2B salesperson. Additionally, being conversational, asking and answering questions, shows that you are interested in the client and their business, which can make them more likely to do business with you. If you notice any confusion, you should encourage participants to ask questions.
If you’re too formal or stick too closely to your powerpoint or google slides and key points, your virtual presentations can come off as dry and dull. Even though you’re speaking to a camera, you’re really speaking to another human. Try to remember what sort of tone and speed would keep you engaged as a listener. Treat it like any other in person presentation. Stay enthusiastic and involved in your message. Answer questions promptly. Pay attention to the chat feature. Smile as much as you can but keep your tone in line with your words.
So if you want to close the deal and shorten the B2B sales cycle, make sure to keep the conversation flowing during your next virtual presentation.
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Virtual presentations tip #5:
Know your message.
B2B sales can be a tough nut to crack. You’re constantly competing against other businesses that are going after the same clients. So, how do you maintain audience engagement and make sure that your message resonates? By knowing your message and key points inside and out. That way, when you’re presenting virtually to a prospect or a client, you can be confident that you’re conveying the right information.
A major part of this tip is founded in #10. However, another major part of knowing your message is to know how to rely on your notes when you need them.
It’s very difficult to get through an entire video presentation by heart while keeping it natural, engaging and free of stumbles.
If you have written your notes the right way, you should be able to peek at it for a second and be able to continue your sales presentation on track. This will be even more important when presenting live, but presenting from a script while recording yourself ahead of time can be just as difficult.
To avoid looking like you’re reading on your next virtual presentation, having the words just below your computer’s camera to maintain eye contact with the camera lens as you take cues from your script.
Video presentation maker tool – DeckLinks – makes this easy with a teleprompter at the top of your screen so you can present to the camera like a pro.
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Virtual presentations tip #6:
Allow your visuals to resonate.
When presenting a sales deck, it’s important to remember that your audience will not exclusively focus on your face and your speech. Much of the time, your words will simply be helping to direct their eyes and explain the key points and images that are present on the current slide.
B2B sales representatives are increasingly relying on virtual presentations to connect with clients, and it’s no wonder why. But while the video and images are very powerful, it’s important to use the right visuals when presenting to a client. Visuals that are relevant to the topic. Using the wrong visuals will only distract your audience from your main message.
According to the study by Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, people are more likely to retain information when it is presented in a visual format and 65% of the population is visual learners.
As you’re progressing through the information, remember to pause occasionally. Encourage participants to ask questions (if you’re presenting in person or on a live video call) and let the visuals sink in. This goes for prepared video presentations too – try to find the right flow for your sales presentation.
The next time you’re presenting to a client over the video, make sure to use charts, graphs, and other visuals to illustrate the key points. It is a simple tip but it could be the key to landing that big contract.
Virtual presentations tip #7:
Transition.
While transitioning can often be made more effective and natural through writing and practice ahead of time, figuring out how to transition in a pre recorded video presentation can be tricky. When you’re doing multiple takes, try to think ahead about what your next statement will be and then hit the ground running on the next take with a quick mention of how the last item of business may bleed into the next.
This won’t always be applicable, and it’s often defined by how your presentation is organized. Still, transitions can help you deliver effective virtual presentations and keep your audience engaged, and help them to stay focused.
For example, throwing out a random statistic that touches on a new topic after providing a lengthy anecdote previously can lead to some confusion. Try to make your transitions between topics seamless. An invisible transition is usually a good transition. Practice your presentation skills and transitions will come naturally.
Virtual presentations tip #8:
Dress for the occasion ... all the way!
High-performing B2B sales reps know that first impressions are important, even on virtual meetings with clients. Many sales reps can feel uncomfortable doing virtual presentations and lack virtual presentation skills. Dressing well for a video presentation conveys professionalism and respect for the client, and it can help to build trust. Additionally, dressing well can boost confidence, and help sales representatives to project a positive image.
This is pretty common advice at this point in our Zoom and Microsoft Teams based work lives, but it’s important to reiterate. Even if you’re not going to be physically in the room with your audience, you still want to look presentable both on camera and off.
Skipping the sweatpants in favor of dress pants that match the button down shirt you put on for the camera can provide a major boost to your confidence and set your mentality squarely in the professional place it needs to be. Plus, in the case of live virtual presentations, you never know if something will unexpectedly require you to stand up or move your camera around — it’s unlikely, but you’ll be glad your lower half is business-ready too!
By dressing well for an online presentation, you can make a positive impression and set the stage for successful virtual meetings.
Virtual presentations tip #9:
Roll with the mistakes.
As mentioned earlier, it’s unlikely you’ll make it through your whole sales presentation without a few missteps — don’t worry, that is very normal and very fixable. If you’re doing a live presentation and you stumble, just take a pause, take a breath, take a peak at your notes if needed and try again. If you’re recording a video presentation ahead of time, the same advice applies.
The beauty of recording presentations in advance is that you can always stop the recording and tape over it (digitally, of course). Recording async video presentations can also help you practice your presentation skills!
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Virtual presentations tip #10:
Practice your presentation skills!
Okay, you’ve finally made it to #10 on the list! This is easily the most important piece of advice when it comes to presenting — practice, practice, practice.
When you’re doing your next virtual presentation, it’s important to remember that your client is likely seeing you for the first time over video. This means that first impressions are more important than ever. You’ll want to make sure that you practice beforehand so that you can confidently deliver an effective virtual presentation.
The more you practice your online presentation skills, the better chance you will have at succeeding in everything else.
You will come to know your message front to back. You will be able to roll through any mistakes with ease and grace. You’ll be conversational and have your body language in check. Best of all, with much practice comes greater confidence — you’ve done this before and you can do it again.
By spending some time to prepare, you can make sure that you’ll be able to effectively deliver your sales presentation and that it’ll make a great impression on your client.
And last but not least:
Have a good internet connection!
It’s important to make sure that you have a good internet connection before jumping into your next virtual meeting! A bad internet connection can result in choppy video and audio quality, making it difficult to communicate effectively. If possible, use a wired internet connection rather than WiFi to avoid any potential hiccups with video and audio quality. Test your video conferencing and presentation software in advance to make sure it is updated and got no technical issues!
By ensuring that you have a strong and reliable internet connection, you can avoid any frustrating disruptions and make sure that your virtual meeting goes smoothly.
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BONUS tip: Try sharing a pre recorded video presentation to feel more confident than ever
There are many reasons why virtual presentations are important assets for businesses in all industries — they allows any B2B company to scale and get their virtual audience engaged across the globe, and connect with customers and partners anywhere. Sharing google slides in real time over a live video call is not always possible due to scheduling conflicts or different time zones.
That’s why we created DeckLinks — the powerful asynchronous video presentation sharing tool built to let your messages shine and keep your audience engaged.
Showcase your brand.
Create company profiles with custom banners and info-packages tailored to different industries.
Show your contact info easily accessible by your prospects and clients.
Add custom CTAs to drive prospects or clients to your calendar, sign up form, etc.
Collect feedback from prospects and clients. Feedback and reactions are not publicly visible.
Share any existing PDF presentations and documents.
You can narrate your sales decks and presentations using high-quality video using a built-in teleprompter. Share your sales decks using trackable links that you can quickly send to anyone anywhere. DeckLinks enables inside sales teams to track their marketing and sales collateral, sales decks and presentations. See useful analytics that show you how your audience engaged with each video presentation so you can identify the most engaged prospects and clients, and improve your sales presentations and marketing materials.
Interested? You can try DeckLinks today for free! Sign up to get started.
If you want to learn more about asynchronous video presentations and when to use them, check out our comprehensive guide here.
PDF Documents Tracking
Identify the most engaged viewers and understand how they interact with your PDF presentations and documents. Learn more.
If you are looking for more information on how to create and effectively deliver the best presentation and engage your prospects and clients, you should check our guide here
B2B sales success depends on building relationships with prospects and clients. By following our top ten tips and tricks, you can successfully give a virtual presentation that will help you build strong and lasting relationships, and close more deals!
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FAQs
How to keep your audience engaged from start to finish?
Facing the camera, minimizing distractions in your background, matching the energy of an in-person presentation, and using polling questions, chat, breakouts, and specific Q&A segments will keep your virtual audience focused. Check lighting, framing, audio, gestures, and slide design.
How to maintain eye contact with your audience during a virtual presentation?
Position your camera at eye level and look directly into it when speaking to make direct eye contact with your virtual audience members. This mimics in person eye contact more effectively than looking at faces on a screen.
How to avoid technical issues that disrupt or derail a virtual presentation or meeting?
Test your internet connection, computer audio, and video conferencing software ahead of time to catch issues early. Use a wired internet connection, close unnecessary programs, and have a backup plan like a phone number if video fails.
How to choose the best virtual background for a remote presentation?
A solid, neutral color background without creases or distracting details is best. Face a blank wall or use a subtle virtual background without too much visual interest that diverts focus from you.
How to create visual slides that effectively complement a virtual presentation?
Use large, easy to read fonts, relevant graphics and photos, minimal text, and consistent branding. Limit slides to one key idea. Make them visually appealing and high quality for your virtual audience.
How to handle audience questions during a live virtual presentation to keep things running smoothly?
Monitor chat continually for questions, pause for dedicated Q&A time, repeat or rephrase questions before answering, and enlist a co-host to help collate questions.
How to improve public speaking and presentation skills?
Practicing with your camera on, slowing your pace, limiting gestures, improving vocal variety, and getting viewer feedback will help tailor your skills for remote presentations.
How to improve body language during a virtual presentation?
To improve body language during a virtual presentation, maintain eye contact with the camera, use facial expressions, and incorporate hand gestures. Stand up if possible, and ensure your face and upper body are visible to the audience.
How to improve sound quality during a virtual presentation?
To improve sound quality, use a high-quality microphone, minimize background noise, and test your audio settings before the presentation. Speak clearly and project your voice to ensure your audience can hear you.
How to minimize distractions during a virtual presentation?
Minimize distractions by using a clean and professional virtual background, ensuring good lighting, and muting notifications on your devices. Encourage participants to stay focused and avoid multitasking.
How to effectively deliver key points during a virtual presentation?
Deliver key points by using clear and concise language, emphasizing important information, and using visual aids like slides or images. Repeat key points and provide examples to reinforce your message.
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