Well, it’s official, we have a ‘global pandemic’ on our hands.
Aside from the world-wide health implications, economic confidence has nose-dived. Retailers are shutting their doors, billions of dollars wiped from stock markets, conferences and events have shifted online, including Microsoft, Salesforce, AWS and Cisco, and thousands of people are working from home. Oh, and did I mention the rugby?!
While the impacts are life-changing, when it comes to business communication, there are many positives to focus on. While face-to-face meetings are fast becoming a thing of the past, this virus is proving it’s high time we embraced the future of communicating.
The future of online collaboration and presenting is now.
What are the advantages of the shift online?
For the past couple of years, our studio has been using Microsoft O365 to communicate and collaborate online. Predominantly Microsoft Teams to channel conversations, host meetings and share files This is what we’ve learnt:
Quality control:
Sharing your presentation online (direct from PowerPoint) ensures real-time communications are matched by the ability to control and maintain consistency over interactivity and impressive animations. Attendees can also download copies of the file if you wish. Zoom is another great alternative for sharing presentations online.
Maintain presence:
By offering your presentation online, you allow multiple stakeholders to ‘attend’ and collaborate; people who might otherwise be physically unable to attend in person.
Cost savings:
Keep it short and to the point. Save peoples time – plus money by allowing your audience to attend from wherever they are in the world – eliminating the costs associated with travel, catering and accommodation.
Call to action:
Presenting online means sharing your point of view with clear insights. Keep the slides simple and avoid animations that might lag with internet speed. Follow up by sending ‘white paper/ report pdfs’ with technical details in an email repeating your call to action with links to make it easy.
So how does one maximise the benefits of online?
You’re the voice:
Without being able to rely on your physical presence, your voice needs to dictate the highs and lows, emphasising points throughout your presentation. Your tone and pitch will keep your audience tuned into you – rather than being distracted by their inbox.
Practice to perfection:
Practising your content goes without saying, but asking a colleague to answer chat questions while you speak is a great way to keep up the flow and interactivity.
Be of Value:
More than ever, your audience needs a reason to tune in to what you are saying. Your invitation needs to be clear on the value of your presentation and why you are giving it. Then ‘Get to the point’ address their needs and how you are helping them.
Create an Experience:
Maximise features like zoom (for navigation), morph (for animation) or subtitle (for translation). All are adding to the experience of your audience, keeping your presentation engaging and ultimately successfully delivery on your key objectives.
Presentation Studio offers training in all aspects of online and in-person presentations.
And already, thanks to an ever-evolving business landscape, we see more and more interest in our online offerings. While there is no denying the fact that globally we are experiencing a severe health event, we don’t need to cease all forms of communications. When it comes to presentations, in particular, the future is well and truly here.
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