Efficiency – Will It Harm Your Webinar?
We have all been there. You join a Web cast (aka webinar) to hear that the organizer is frantically trying to get something to work. They may not be panicking but it is getting close. You start to feel sorry for them.
It doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, it shouldn’t be this way. The problem is that the presenters try to be efficient. They want to maximize their time by arriving at the last minute. The excuse that you normally hear is “I had meeting xxxx that ran over.”
Here are some tips on how to get your next web cast off to a great start:
Get there early
You should be the first one who joins the web cast. No exceptions. You need to be there to create a relaxed, yet energetic, experience. Talk to people as they join the conference. How early should you be. If it is an important meeting or presentation then you should be ready to talk to early arrivers 15 minutes prior to the start. This means that you have your technical glitches fixed as well.
Arrange your schedule so that there is no chance that you will join your own meeting at the last minute or late.
Announce the topic of the presentation
When people join a web cast they want to know two things. The first is always “Am I in the right place?” Help them out by periodically stating the meeting topic. Here is how we did it when I was teaching, “welcome to the <course title> class … thank you for joining!”
If you are presenting to hundreds of people it is impossible to great everyone one. Periodically state the webinar title so they know they are in the right place.
Load your slides before anyone arrives
The second question your audience will have is “Can I see the slides?” Having a scrolling slide show is a great way to let them know that they are seeing the correct slides.
Always load your slides into the web presentation system. Don’t just share PowerPoint. I It makes for a more professional presentation. Plus, you can use the presentation tools to point and highlight things on the slides. Think of it as gesturing.
