How can you improve your public speaking skills in a virtual setting?

Technology is one of the most easiest yet difficult tool to use for any setting, at first it’s difficult to use and later as you practice it becomes easy. Public speaking even through virtual technology requires propose training, etiquette, physical posture and gestures play an important role in how you win your audience and keep them captivated. Voice projections and body movements also ensures that your virtual audience respect your trade.

Addressing the public in a virtual meeting can be a bit difficult and challenging task , as some of us are camera shy and some of us have a fear of public speaking. To overcome this we can practice what we are going to present in front of a camera and record it. Trying this a few times will make us feel more confident and we can improve ourselves each time we see our own recorded video. And one must definitely check all the technology that one is going to use. Also try to sit in a room with no background noises and disturbances as it will help in staying focused. Remain calm and be positive before the presentation and prepare well as mentioned above as this will definitely be helpful and you will feel less nervous.

First, try to understand the skill level of your audience, as they could be a mixed bag. You can do this in a virtual setting, by conducting polls through tools like slido, mentimeter.etc., and gauge their current expertise. Ask question about their expectations from the session and tailor it to suit the majority of the population. For the outliers, you could share offline resources.

Practicing in front of the camera and recording it will be the most effective way as we can see ourselves how we are looking, how our voice is while giving the presentation and what more can be done to make it better. The voice, facial expressions, lighting and the proper use of technology while giving a presentation is very crucial. If any one of it is not in co-ordination then it will drop our confidence and we may not be able to give a good presentation. One must practice it again and again in front of the screen and check everything well in advance as it will not only help in boosting one's confidence but it will also guarantee that the presentation will be done smoothly and perfectly.

Keeping the audience engaged is very important and it is more challenging in a virtual setup as the presenter is not able to see the reaction and facial expressions of the audience. But to keep them engaged there are many ways that the presenter can try like he can use polls, quizzes or ask the audience to write in the chat box about their queries or may be their opinion and perspective on the topic on which the presentation is being given. And the presenter can later read it so that the meeting gets more real, interactive and interesting.

Being flexible and adaptable will help us overcome any unforseen situation or technical issue in a better way. One must always keep a second device ready or must have a backup plan to deal with any such issues. If still something happens in between the presentation then one must try to remain calm and try to deal with it without panicking as only a relaxed mind will be able to think properly. One can also try some alternatives as mentioned above until the problem is solved.