Want to Know My Secrets for a Successful Virtual Presentation?

Want to Know My Secrets for a Successful Virtual Presentation / Webinar? 

Here's the checklist of items I run through PRIOR to a virtual presentation, virtual team training, zoom call, etc.

These tips help me to ensure a successful presentation, as well as to anticipate tech issues and possible hiccups. 

• DO NOT DISTURB - IRL. Put a sign on my front door "DO NOT KNOCK - LIVE WEBINAR RECORDING IN PROGRESS" so the UPS and Amazon drivers don't knock. 
  
  
• Internet access. Make sure my laptop is hard-wired for internet, not using the Wi-Fi.
  
  
• Backup Wi-Fi. Make sure my hotspot is charged and ready to go, just in case I lose home internet
  
  
• Content Review. Review the presentation deck for any last minute edits, run spell check, convert it to PDF and email it to myself (and perhaps my co-host / client), then print a copy in 6-up just in case I lose internet or my laptop dies.
  
  
• Attendees. Print a copy of the attendee list so I can check off names as attendees arrive, and reference their names as I'm presenting / using examples.
  
  
• Zoom. Open the zoom 5-10 minutes prior to when my client will arrive or 20-25 minutes prior to the start of the event, so I'm ready to go on Zoom by 15 minutes prior to the start time. I use the same link that is in the meeting reminder to make sure I'm joining the same link as my attendees. 
  
  
• In Zoom Settings. Turn on video and unmute myself. Turn on my lighting and adjust camera angle. Test audio and make sure the zoom mic is showing the green inside the mic as I'm talking. Enable transcriptions in zoom but then turn them off from my view. I get distracted reading them. And enabling them allows me to share a transcript of the discussion with attendees afterward. 
  
  
• Music / Ambience. Sometimes / not always: Find and play instrumental, royalty-free music from YouTube link

• Pre-session Loop. Sometimes / not always: If I have a looping slideshow, start the loop, rotating slides every 10 seconds.
  
  
• Slideshow. Share my screen and show my PDF slides. I've found PDF is better than PowerPoint so I don't have to toggle back and forth from presenter view to slideshow view. I also keep the PDF menu on right side of the screen so my video panel isn't blocking anything on my slides. 
  
  
• Second Screen. Pull up the PowerPoint deck in a second screen so I can copy / paste text or links as needed into the chat. 
  
  
• Participant Reminder. Email meeting participants to let them know the zoom is open, in case anyone wants to join early for Q&A. Remind them that we'll start promptly at the designated start time. 
  
  
• DND - Family. Text my husband / tell my family members I'm going online and won't be available until the end time. Then, put my phone on Do Not Disturb.
  
  
• Printouts? Grab my printouts of the slides (if they are still in the printer tray). 
  
  
• Hydration. Grab a glass of water.
  
  
• Quick mirror check. I run a brush through my hair and apply lipstick last minute to make sure I look my camera best. 
  
  
• Sound notification. Turn on Zoom notification to "Play sound when someone joins or leaves" which I keep on until the firs person arrives, so I can hear if someone does enter the zoom. Then, I turn it off.
  
  
• Tech check. When a few people join, ask them to chat YES if they can hear you to make sure audio is working. Note: as a backup, you can switch to phone audio if your sound isn't working, to make sure participants can hear you and you can hear them. 
  
  
• Tech reminders. If the weather is bad or if I see a participant having a shaky Wi-Fi, I remind everyone that if your WiFi seems unpredictable, you can switch to phone audio. I also remind them the session.
  
  
• Recording reminder / start recording (check system storage first!). Once you are ready 
  
  
• Remind participants about any webinar / session "housekeeping items" such as:
  
  • Participants are in listen-only mode and won't be able to unmute
  • Use Chat to communicate with each other and with the panelists
  • We'll be periodically loading polls
  • Use the Q&A to submit questions, which we'll answer at the end 
    
    
• Load your prize wheel, if applicable. I use "Wheel of Names" https://wheelofnames.com/ 

 Find this helpful? Email me at [email protected] or share this in a social media post and tag me!  I hope you have a successful virtual presentation. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/brendameller/