Virtual presentations are quite vexing. This holds true if you're not really the outspoken type. Raise your hands if you were always the silent kid in class whenever your teacher asks the class for volunteers.

If you've always felt the blood rushing whenever you're tasked with presenting something to a group of people online, read on ahead.

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Why don't we like virtual presentations?

Well for one, they're inconvenient. Yes, they help us learn but we can't deny that for most people, there are other approaches that better help individuals improve themselves. Though today's setup is mostly virtual, most of us still experience stage fright. And that's really normal. If you feel a bit fidgety and sweaty during your virtual presentation, don't worry. You're often not alone.

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Virtual presentations: How to prepare

Here are some tips to lessen the anxiety brought by the fact that you're about to present in front of a (virtual) audience. It takes a bit of time getting used to, but with constant practice, anyone can certainly ace virtual presentations.

Prepare ahead of time

Have an agenda. Write a sort of guide where your discussion will go through. Some of us are blessed with the ability to discuss topics on the go. But for most people, having a "guide" about one's talking points significantly helps. This ensures there's an organized flow of ideas. Yes, nothing's stopping you from veering away from the main topic from time to time. But what if you get lost for good? It won't certainly look good in front of the camera if you're struggling for words on what to say next.

Invite people to participate in your discussion

Now this is not cheating by letting other people speak during your presentation. Having a good exchange of ideas really helps in having a good presentation. It makes yours natural-sounding and of course, highly interactive.

Use visual and verbal cues

Yes, it's an online presentation. Like any other presentation, save for the platform, you need to let the audience know what you're currently planning to do. If you plan to share your screen, let them know. Don't just go ahead with screensharing. The same especially goes when it comes to recording the presentation.

Keep it simple as much as possible

Online presentations require that your audience fully understands you. Do away with complicated sentence structures and jargons. The goal is not to appear as the most intelligent (at least in terms of word choice). Rather, it's about getting your points across.

With how the world is going right now, expect that online presentations will be more prevalent. Be it for work or study, they're here to stay. Whether we like it or not, we can't really just "call in sick" to avoid them.

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