Author: Kellie Steed

Whether you’re new to working from home or a seasoned professional, it can be difficult to host an online presentation that both engages your audience and stands out from all the others they’ve sat through that week. The good news is that there are plenty of ways you can enhance your online presence to ensure you’re giving your audience a quality and memorable experience. In this blog, we will offer some tips to help you to create the best presentations possible.

Setting the scene

It doesn’t matter who your audience is, in order to offer them a quality online presentation experience, there are a few rules that should be applied as you set up. And, though you’ll probably want to step up your professionalism a notch for presenting to clients as opposed to colleagues, it’s important to maintain some basic standards at all times.

Background photographs and mess may be acceptable when you video chat with your parents and friends but your colleagues are likely to find these to be distracting. Solve this common problem by positioning your camera towards a plain clutter-free wall or adding a virtual background. You can even use XSplit Presenter to add your own green screen. This allows you to add your webcam on top of the presentation, enabling you to connect with your audience eye to eye, whilst you talk through your slides.

Another obvious, but incredibly important, point is to ensure you have the most stable internet connection possible. The most outstanding online presentation can quickly lose an audience when the connection drops. You may manage to continue successfully following an outage, but it’s possible that you’ll be flustered and have lost your momentum. If your ethernet cable is long enough, plugging your computer directly into the router is your best option. It’s a minor hassle for much better end results. You could also look at wired solutions, like those from TP Link that use your in-home wiring to send a wired internet connection from your router to your PC, saving on the long wire going upstairs!

Hold their focus

The best presentations are those that are delivered with enthusiasm, integrity, and direction. Writing things out word for word can work for some people, but the last thing you want to do is give the impression that you are reading from a script. Having a list of key points available can be more helpful, as it provides structure and keeps you on track to deliver your message, but the words will be spontaneous. It can be a good idea to think of it as an audition (in some ways, it might be, as many people will need to give online presentations as part of a job interview). This can help you to breathe life into your subject, even if it isn’t something particularly groundbreaking.

That covers enthusiasm but what about direction? Though many presentations can benefit from having a number of sources of information on screen at a time, this may mean that your audience could be looking at ‘graph A’ when you’re discussing ‘graph B’. An excellent remedy to this is XSplit Presenter‘s virtual pointer. This customizable tool allows you to direct the focus of your audience to where you want it by annotating over your slides, as you go. This way your audience will find it easier to follow the intended flow.

Variety is the spice of a good presentation

Presentations can tend to be boring when they focus too heavily on one aspect of a particular subject. People lose focus when there’s too much talking with no visual aids. On the other hand, too many Google slides stuffed full of statistics can be a tough watch. Whilst balance is the key, in order to really stand out from the crowd, the trick is to offer something just a little bit different.

With XSplit Presenter there are so many options available, from incorporating videos and audio, scene transitions, and adding single application windows without the need to share your screen entirely. You can choose to appear alongside or over the top of your online presentation either throughout the duration or at key points. You retain full control of each of the different media aspects involved in real-time, allowing you to adjust volumes or pause videos, if necessary.

Encourage audience participation

Another key way to engage with and retain the attention of your audience throughout your presentation is to involve them. Talking endlessly at your audience is never a good thing and injecting a little conversation helps them to feel involved. Provide an opportunity to ask questions or try having a few questions planned to ask instead. Nobody likes to be put on the spot, but providing an open-ended platform for anyone who wishes to participate can be beneficial for all.

XSplit Presenter allows you to switch easily between remote guests’ and the host’s webcams so that those participating in the conversation can be both seen and heard. You could even plan to have guest speakers present a section, perhaps an area that they specialize in. You can easily add additional presenters part-way through via the integrations for Skype or similar NDIs, so if you only need guest speakers for a short time, they can be added at the appropriate time instead of waiting around for their slot. Both audience and guest participation can enhance how well your presentation is received, adding variety, as well as inclusivity.

Outside of the technical changes, there are a number of other improvements you can make to ensure your presentation stands out in all the right ways, from more detailed planning and organization to rehearsing and recording (something you can do with XSplit Presenter!) your ‘performance’ beforehand. You can read more great presentation tips here.

The last year has seen some enormous changes in how we work. Working from home has become the norm for a huge number of people and those who started jobs may not have even met their colleagues in person yet. So, now that things are starting to return to normal, what are the lessons we’ve learned, and what benefits of working from home would we like to keep?

Getting into the zone

One of the big benefits of working from home is the chance to get away from all the sounds and distractions of the office. If you can set your Teams or Slack to silent then there’s a chance to properly focus and get “into the zone” without having your concentration shattered by a colleague asking a question. It can typically take a developer or writer 15 to 30 minutes to get properly focussed on their project, and mere seconds to pop that focus and leave you floundering for your thoughts.

Back in the office, this protection of “the zone” could be continued through a culture of focus times where you can signal that you want to avoid interruptions or by having a meeting-free afternoon once or twice a week. Of course, communication with colleagues is important, too, so this shouldn’t be applied all the time, but trying to set aside some focused time every day can lead to a major productivity boost which has been a benefit of working from home.

Powered up presentations

With all meetings becoming remote and therefore having to be done online, there has been a push for better use of media in presentations. Whether that means including a video, slides, or a demonstration of a website or product, these can all add a bit of extra interest to the meeting and help keep people’s attention. With the move back to the office looming, there are no reasons to change this – more interesting meetings will help with productivity and engagement which is absolutely one of the benefits of working from home that we here at XSplit wanted to keep.

We recommend using XSplit Presenter to make controlling your media and your meeting a breeze. This will help you avoid awkward pauses while you try to find the next Powerpoint file or that webpage that you were sure you had bookmarked as XSplit Presenter will have them ready for you. Another handy feature allows you to superimpose yourself over your presentation while broadcasting to keep your audience’s engagement. While this is ideal for online meetings, XSplit Presenter works offline by connecting to a projector or monitor in your office to still deliver the same media-rich, informative and engaging presentation!

Freedom and flexibility

For employees, one of the biggest benefits of working from home is the added flexibility. Whether that’s simply eliminating their commute time, or having the opportunity to load the dishwasher, mow the lawn or do the school run during quiet periods, it feels like a major perk that people will be reluctant to lose.

If companies want to have their employees back in the office without damaging morale, they could consider allowing a hybrid working system (perhaps 2 or 3 days in the office per week), or allowing flexible working hours so that people can avoid rush hour traffic or fit their work around their personal life. Some thought is required to ensure that colleagues can get hold of each other when they need to, but the boost in morale and less obvious advantages like having more of the day covered to make it more than worthwhile.

It’s tempting to want post-pandemic life to go back to how it was before, but this would be a waste of the lessons learned. Working from home has shown us a different way to do things and has come with its own benefits. For more on this topic, check out our blog on creating routine while working from home.

Whether you run your own business from home or are one of the many employees whose usual premises are closed at the moment, the chances are you’ll need to give an online presentation at some stage. Perhaps you have been asked to train some colleagues remotely or you may even have to give a fully-fledged business pitch online. Whatever the circumstances, the tips below will help you make the process less stressful and deliver a more professional result.

The Benefits of Remote Presentation

Regardless of whether you’re pitching your idea remotely or face to face, one of the key elements to a successful business pitch is human connection. Even the most amazing idea can suffer if the delivery is cold and disingenuous. It might feel as though the human touch is lost through a remote business setup. There’s no opportunity to offer drinks or make small talk in the lobby and as normal as video chat has become over the past year or so, screens can still be seen as a barrier by some.

A well-planned introduction can make almost as strong an impression virtually as in real life. Rather than diving headlong into your presentation, take time to establish a rapport with your target audience. A brief, but warm informal chat will put everyone involved at ease. Those who are a little more shy can benefit from both planning and the presence of a screen. Even the most seasoned presenter can be intimidated by an important business pitch, so why not take advantage of the slight disconnect from the real world and star in the performance of your lifetime?

Take full advantage of available technology

Particularly when you’re making an important business pitch online, it’s best to ensure you take full advantage of the technology available. Utilizing the newest tech tools will show you in a capable and professional light. Investing in a fast and stable internet connection should be a priority, particularly if this type of presentation is a regular task. Whilst it sometimes can’t be helped, patchy unstable video calls can, unfortunately, put a dampener on business meetings.

Most laptops have a reasonable quality webcam as standard these days, and desktop machines can be fitted with an external webcam very inexpensively. There are some amazing software packages available specifically aimed at making your remote pitch go more smoothly. XSplit Presenter is an excellent tool for presentations that allows you to have full control of your presentation! Its handy annotation function can also be a great way to interact with clients, rather than just talking at them. The ability to import Google Slides is ideal for showing a visual presentation alongside yourself, meaning that you don’t need to click between screens, losing eye contact with your clients, or potentially clicking the wrong link mid-pitch.

The world is your oyster

Gone are the days of international travel to pitch businesses overseas. Forget the fact that it’s not really possible for most of the world to travel at the moment – there’s also really no need to! Long-haul trips to negotiate business deals are not cost-efficient for most small businesses, but it’s so easy to give a remote pitch to anyone in the world. This opens up a plethora of new opportunities to SMEs. Don’t let superficial map-drawn boundaries narrow your opportunities for success! Always do your research first, but consider the possibility that you can pitch your ideas worldwide.

It can certainly take time to adjust to our new virtual approach to historically face-to-face tasks. Armed with the right knowledge, preparation and attitude, however, you can take full advantage of the new world of working from home. Whether you present regularly or have a big one-off business pitch online, use these tips to improve your chances of winning your clients over. You can check out some additional info about XSplit Presenter here.

If you’ve experienced the frustration of your laptop trying to run five different databases at the same time or patchy video calls that leave you frozen on the screen, we hear you! Read on for our recommendations of some top work from home equipment to improve your work from home setup.

Ergonomics vs Economics

A great option for an adjustable standing desk is the Uplift V2, which was voted the best standing desk of 2020 by Tech Radar. Its dual motor means that adjusting to the perfect height for you is easy. Once you find the optimum height, its strong stability feature comes into play. This really sets it apart from many standing desks, which can tend to be wobbly. If you’re reluctant to part with your current desk, then the Ergodesk Kangaroo Pro Junior Desk Converter adjusts to offer a standing option to those of up to six feet one inch tall.

Using the wrong chair for long periods can have a detrimental effect on joints and muscles so it’s important to ensure that yours supports your spine whilst also being comfortable. The Hermann Miller Aeron chair has been deemed the cream of the crop when it comes to ergonomic office chairs, but comes with a high-end price tag. If you’re looking to upgrade without breaking the bank, the Modway EEI-757 Articulate Mesh Office Chair is a great alternative. It features many of the same benefits as the Aeron, such as breathable fabric, tilt and lock, and recline functions.

Kit upgrades: worth their weight in gold

Though upgrading your PC or Laptop can be the priciest improvement to your work from home setup, it can also be the one that makes the biggest overall difference to your performance. If you start out with a strong basic setup, such as the HP Envy Desktop (TE01-014), which offers powerful performance in its basic form but has plenty of space for a better graphics card or additional memory, you can upgrade as and when you can afford to.

Split keyboards, such as the Kinesis Freestyle Edge, are a solid option for those who spend a lot of time at their computer desk as their detachable palm supports and cushioned pads reduce the incidence of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). The Microsoft Sculpt is a great option for jobs involving a large amount of typing as its negative slope attachment is perfect for obtaining the optimum typing position.

In terms of upgrading your mouse, you can’t go wrong with the Logitech MX Vertical Ergonomic mouse, which is angled at 57% to improve wrist posture. Advanced optical tracking also means that four-times less hand movement is required. Another option is the Amazon Basics Full-Size Ergonomic Wireless Mouse, which has adjustable DPI, metallic scroll wheel and rubberized sides.

Better data connections make for better social connections

Though working from home has definite benefits, it can also be quite isolating. Let’s now have a look at how we can improve those video calls to ensure you stay connected. A top-notch background tool, such as XSplit VCam, works as an embedded camera on Windows 10 – so as well as adding it to Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Skype, you can use it with pretty much any program you like, allowing you total control of your video background.

To ensure optimum stability for your video calls and streaming, the Asus RT-AC66U B1 Dual-Band Gigabit Wi-Fi router won’t break the bank. It has a wide range of features, such as a USB 3.0 port, AIProtection and allows for the creation of mesh networks. It’s powered by a 1GHz dual-core CPU, 128MB of flash memory, and 256MB of RAM and has the ability to reach maximum speeds of up to 450Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and up to 1,300Mbps on the 5GHz band.

It’s worth investing some time and energy into improving your work from home setup in order to enjoy the long-term benefits of a more comfortable and functional environment. Though upgrading your workspace can have many pluses, don’t forget just how beneficial maintaining strong connections with your colleagues whilst working from home can be. Find some top tips on how to bond with your team remotely here.