Mastering Hybrid Presentations: Tips for Engaging Online and On-Site Audiences (Full Transcript)

Speaker 1: Delivering an engaging presentation isn't easy. I've learned that it requires preparation and experience to get my message across well. That has been the case at physical events and perhaps even more so at virtual events. We're currently in the middle of the global pandemic, but presenting online is not going to go away once in-person events are allowed again. The future is hybrid and no doubt we will all be presenting online many more times. My name is Jelmer van Ast, founder and CEO of Conference Compass. In this video I would like to share four tips to deliver engaging online presentations. And for a hybrid event that means considering your audience to be partially online and partially on-site. So let's get started. Tip one, prepare your setup for a mindful and relaxed experience. This may sound like a no-brainer, but never underestimate the importance of this step. First of all, make sure your wi-fi connection is strong or you are on a wired network. Make sure distracting apps are closed, your notifications are off and your phone is on silent. Use a webcam on eye level and a good headset or in-ear headphones with microphone and preferably noise cancelling. Close your door, tell your kids or roommates not to enter and make sure you have a good light source shining at you from the front and not from the back. Tip two, join the session rehearsal. A good event planner will organize at least one session rehearsal prior to the event. Do yourself and your co-speakers a favor and join this rehearsal. The moderator will help you get familiarized with the platform and will introduce the session format and run through the different elements. Who will introduce you? Will there be time for Q&A and who will moderate that? Are you expected to join a panel discussion? When should you mute yourself and when not? Having those practicalities out of the way will help you to relax and focus on delivering your talk. Tip three, stimulate audience participation. It's not easy to keep the attention of your audience especially of those attending online so put in an effort to engage them to participate. Read the questions they post and address them in your talk. Prepare at least one poll for every five minutes of your talk to get audience feedback and use that in the story you are telling. That makes your message stick and connects your audience to you and to each other. Tip four, promote follow-up. Don't let the final slide of your talk be the end of the engagement. Tell that you're available for video meetings on the event platform to dive deeper into aspects of your talk and use chat to answer those questions that couldn't be addressed live. Realize that often your slides and recording of your presentation will be available on the platform for on-demand access. Check your messages also post event and follow up with anyone interested to learn more. Did you know that you can do all of that on our one community event platform? Did you know that your online and on-site attendees will be able to network, chat and have private video meetings on our platform throughout the year? Contact us and book a personalized demo so we can show you how to create your most inclusive and most engaging event to date.