CHAMPION STRATEGIES – PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – DECEMBER 16, 2021
Master the Skill of Virtual Presentations
Is there consideration for the screen size your audience is using? E.g., whether they are using phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, or even multiple monitors? Does your content need to be customized for each format?
Absolutely. The more you know about your audience and the environment in which they might be watching your presentation, the more you can design your slides to be most accessible on that type of device. But it can be hard to predict.
If you’re speaking to a mixed audience in different places, they might be using a wide range of devices from laptops to large screen TVs in conference rooms. If you’re presenting to an internal audience and you know that they’re all going to be sitting on site in a particular location like in the Town Hall for an all-hands meeting, it makes your job easier because you can just design for that one environment.
But in virtual presentations people are most likely watching on multiple kinds of devices. If your presentation is pre-recorded it’s even more likely that they could be watching it on a small device (like a phone or a tablet) after hours.
One way to deal with all those potential different formats is to design for the lowest common denominator: the smallest likely device and the slowest likely Internet speed. Your fonts also need to be large enough that they can be read on a small device (we’ve found font size 24-32 is accessible to most).
You’ll need to strip excess content off your slides to make the font that large, but you can put the additional information into a document like a Slidedoc™ that you send to your audience before or after your presentation. This way they don’t miss out on any of that awesome content you’ve worked so hard to create for them.
Can you recommend a camera, light, and microphone to have professional video quality when presenting online?
There are a lot of great cameras, lights, and microphones available for virtual presenters. But here are a few that presenters at Duarte use…
- Camera: Logitech C922 Pro HD Stream Webcam or Brio Ultra HD Pro Business Webcam
- Light: Lume Cube
- Microphone: Blue Yeti
Though, it’s possible to still achieve a professional look without all the fancy tech supplies. Here are a few quick tips to keep in mind:
- Camera: Grab a spare Amazon box or some books to prop up your laptop so its built-in camera is at eye-level.
- Light: Be naturally front lit by positioning yourself in front of a window or desk lamp. Never sit with a window or other bright light behind you, or your face will be hard to see.
- Microphone: Use your built-in computer microphone or a wired headset—avoid Bluetooth earbuds that are prone to cutting out.
