What are some tips to increase confidence when rehearsing for an online presentation?

As someone who routinely does presentations from my home office, I've found a few simple "cheats": - A green screen does wonders! Mine is cheap and hangs in two hooks from my ceiling, so it can be unfurled when needed. - Using your smartphone as a camera is a great way to get much better picture quality than normal. My iPhone 12+, for example is lengths better than my webcam. - There is software that lets you do fun things like bring in a second camera, share your screen without needing to "share screen" and so on. I recommend mmhmm. Finally, if you're not using a green screen, remember that your background is a bit like your extra clothes; you don't have to care about them, but they'll be a factor in how you're perceived. Good luck!

1 - Practice looking at the camera. As odd as it feels, that's how the audience members will each feel like you're making eye contact and talking directly to them. A sticky note with arrow or smiley face by the camera can be a reminder. 2- Make sure virtual set up is good - camera at eye level, background not too distracting and good lighting. Great audio is also really important since we can't squint to listen. 3 - Practice out loud so you get used to hearing your own voice. Even practice saying things differently every time so that you don't get stumped. 4 - Remember that the audience has no idea what you're planning to say so if you say it even differently than you did in practice but still get the main idea across, you're good!

I recommend turning off self-view, because it is distracting and can make one feel more self-conscious. You don't have a mirror in front of you when presenting in person! I speak slower than usual, to compensate for any internet lag as well as for any listeners who are not fluent in your language. Any slides should be clean and simple in design, and make sure to spend enough time explaining any data or figures you show.

Instead of focussing on yourself and what you are going to present, focus on the audience and what it is that they need from you to address a need or gap in information. This moves your focus away from yourself and towards the audience and helps to reduce performance anxiety.

For me, the key thing is always to remember that any presentation is a performance, and that whatever you want to communicate is filtered through that performance - the person presenting does not have to be the 'authentic' you, it can be the right version of you to reach your audience and get them to pay attention.

Most of us will find that delivering a presentation a tenth time is much slicker than the first. In fact the idea that the first time will be good is quite far fetched. When I worked at Google I was always dazzled with how good the product leads were at delivering their demos to employees. “How do you do it?” I asked. “We rehearse 12 times” I was told. By the 11th and 12th time of doing something you know the words so intimately that you can improvise with them a little. You might even spot the space for a joke. If you don’t have time for 12 rehearsals I’ve always benefited from recording the audio of my presentation onto my phone and playing it back to myself (while cooking, commuting etc). It seeps in and your comfort surges.

Treat online presentations just as you do in person presentations. Know it well - memorize what you can and use slides if that helps you. Practice your energy and enthusiasm in delivery just as you do for in person presentation. Sometimes online presentations or clips are shared after the event, so you want to show your best presentation.

You should know your slide deck and content so well that the slides are supportive to you versus your main source of information. As an example, many people are able to present information with just images behind them to give "vision" to their words, instead of bullet pointed slides. Be passionate, concise, and keep your audience engaged by being an SME of the presentation content.

I suggest writing your speech out like an article and then read it 10 times over a series of days. Internalize it, not memorize it, where you practice every single inflection and pose. If you know your material well enough, the audience will overlook a few stumbles and brainfarts. They will not forgive ignorance, especially when they are there to learn from you.

Recent advice I was given was not to be afraid to write out your presentation in long-form and it gave me the permission I needed to speak publicly in the best/most comfortable way for me. Not everyone CAN memorise and/or speak off the cuff from bullet points. Public speaking comes in many forms and well rehearsed, strong content can be delivered brilliantly from long-form notes/scripts.

You can use PowerPoint "Rehearse with Coach" (found under the Slide Show tab) to help polish your presentation. The AI Coach gives feedback on pacing, tone, use of filler words, and culturally appropriate language. There are live feature prompts along with a summary document at the end. Microsoft Teams also has a Speaker Coach feature that analyzes your diction during a meeting. The icon only appears during a live meeting. Look under the "More" ellipse on the toolbar, then "Language and Speech" to [Turn on Speaker Coach]. At the end of the meeting, a summary document is produced.

Practicing out loud is definitely the key. I would even add, practice in front of a mirror with your timer on. That will give you an idea about your body language, and eye contact, and thanks to the timer you will be able to manage your speed as well. Practicing out loud will also help you to understand better how to adapt the tone of your voice and recording yourself will give you a 360 experience of yourself. What is also recommendable is to have a person of reference (or several) in the audience whom you can make eye contact with and who can break the ice and ask the first question in case there is a Q&A session.

I'd emphasize recording yourself with a camera AND with just audio. This allows you to drill into both your body language and verbal language. 1. With audio > track your filler words, uhms, any hesitations that take away from your message, and focus on your enunciation -- that is your verbal punctuation! 2. With the camera > track how often you move, what gestures you use. Ask yourself if you're distracting in any way, if you're fidgeting or if there is a way to add more to a point through body language. Relax and have fun even with practicing!

Agree with all the great tips to practice out loud, practice timing, and tape it so you can watch yourself. It’s painful but helps so much! I’ve found that if there’s a specific talking point that I keep forgetting or stumbling over, it’s got to go. Either rework it or get rid of it altogether. You need to feel comfortable in making the content your own so confidence comes through. Most people will only remember one thing from your presentation, usually just the feeling they had during (boredom, humor, etc). So don’t try to teach them a bunch of stuff; focus on your message they want to retain and use that as your through line.

Hack: you can join in on a Zoom room alone and record yourself for practice/reflection and always practice clicking on your links in this recording to ensure it flows seamlessly!

Testing the online setting is critical. Sometimes an online platform may skew the perspective of your slides or images, for example. In addition, know your presentation nearly inside and out- technology has a high propensity for glitching, especially with large audiences and bandwith issues. Lastly, let the technology help with engagement- polls, for example are great "breaks" during a presentation to elevate engagement.

The more lifelike the practice, the more confident you'll be. Strive to make rehearsals indistinguishable from the actual event. Thorough preparation builds self-assurance. Use the exact platform you'll present on - whether Zoom, Teams, Webex etc. Familiarity builds comfort. Set up lighting and background to match the real event. Look professional and minimize distractions. Practice with the tools you'll use - slides, sharing screen, whiteboard etc. Master the tech. Wear the same attire you plan to present in. Look sharp and feel the part. Use the same equipment - webcam, mic, headphones. Check audio and video quality. Practice your pacing and transitions. Mimic the real timings.

I listen to hundreds of different online presentations a year and these are my top 3 tips. 1. Know your slides, when it's online people often think they can read their notes but it's always super obvious and disengages the audience. 2. Have a strong start. Research shows that you only have 2 mins to impress the audience before they start browsing their emails, so use data, polling and a clear agenda which shows the value you can gain from the session. A strong start will help you build your confidence. 3. Use your radio voice. You need to sound at least 10% more enthusiastic for it to carry over online so be prepared to be tired by the end of the session!

For any online presentation make sure you have a chance to test out the tool before the session. Most will come with a rehearsal mode, or you can just run it as a solo session. Test everything you are planning to use - any interaction tools, slide sharing, camera switches, background blurring, webcam, microphone, and so on. The last thing you want is to find out that one of these tools won't work on the day.

Dress rehearsals, practice, dress rehearsals. Go through all the steps to including your entire presentation. Even if you call yourself, do the entire presentation, record it and watch it. Look for ways to improve your delivery, confirm your slides add value, are easy to understand and you are concise in your delivery.

When it comes to relaxing and having fun with a speech or presentation, it may be easier said than done. While breathing exercises may help, or telling yourself it will all be okay, ultimately there is likely a deeper root cause issue to address. Spend time on self development and understanding where the source of your anxiety may come from, and most importantly, don't blame yourself for how you feel. The best speaker I know routinely struggled with confidence in public speaking. To the point where he explained that he would have a nervous breakdown just ordering a bagel at a local stand. But, he did what many didn't, he went and asked for help to address the confidence. He worked on it and overcame his fear and now leads a global team.

Have a glass of water on hand. Just as much as in-person presentations, water is a great way to buy yourself a few seconds to catch up without feeling awkward about the silence. While silence is a powerful thing many people when presenting feel awkward about it. Especially with online where there's little to no real-time feedback there's an urge to fill the silence with words. Taking a sip of water gives you something to do instead, and prevents you from nervously filling the silence.

Another vital tip is to hydrate yourself before you begin. Having a glass of water nearby during the presentation is also a smart move. It serves a dual purpose – it helps you avoid feeling thirsty, and it can be your secret weapon when you need a moment to gather your thoughts or recall a specific statement. Simply pause, reach for the water bottle, take a sip, and then smoothly resume. This simple yet effective trick has personally been a great asset to me in many presentations. It not only keeps your throat comfortable but also provides a subtle pause to maintain a smooth flow.

1. Remember that the audience doesn't want you to fail, they want you to succeed 2. Tell a story not a presentation 3. Minimise your slides, if you use them, the audience is listening to you not reading And relax, be spontaneous.

Just be genuine. If you know your subject, you should have no issues talking through them. The best presentations I've seen were almost improv. Having 4-5 bullet point topics and just talking through them the same way you would with a friend.

I think of it like this: - Message - Method - Planning - Practice At the root I focus on the message, getting it as clear, crisp, relevant and appealing as possible for the target audience. I then consider the method. If virtual, I make sure I’m squared away with the selected technology (reliably connected; reasonably capable) so that using it doesn’t become a distraction from the message. I build and execute a plan (doesn’t have to be fancy/formal) to close any message or method gaps. And then I practice…as much as time allow…to get familiar with delivering the message and using the technology. I sometimes engage colleagues for these practices, learning and improving based on their feed back and experience.

One way I combat nerves before speaking: When I am getting nervous about public speaking, I make sure to remember my "Why." Why your work and the topic you're speaking on are important to you can instill you with boldness and confidence. In my example, my "Why" is who I am doing this for. My work and speaking generally revolve around Indigenous reconciliation in Canada, so when I am feeling nerves, I remind myself who I am doing this for. I am doing this for my daughter, my mother, my grandmother, my elders, and my ancestors that didn't have someone like me to speak for them. Once I remember my Why, or in this instance my Who, I find it a lot easier to put my best foot forward.

Here’s something you might not hear everywhere. Do not over-rehearse. It comes off stiff and un-relatable. I make sure I know the material well and have a solid outline that flows for each subtopic, including a relevant story to illustrate each. This is how to draw folks into the narrative and allow them to apply it to themselves. Be flexible to your group and surroundings so you can adapt to their needs and what would be most useful and valuable to your audience.

Even if it's an online presentation, you can still effectively use body language and non-verbal communication approaches to make yourself more confident, and make the audience more engaged. Smiling, some eye contact, and using hand gestures can help emphasize particular points in the presentation you want to make. Also - the majority of communication is non-verbal, so don't worry too much if you trip over some words or a sentence.

There's a few thing I always do: - Make sure I'm comfortable: it may sound trivial, but you want to make sure nothing distracts you. Wear comfortable clothes, and ones you will feel good looking into. Make sure your set up allows you to feel good. If you want to feel grounded take a seat, if you want to feel dynamic, stand up. Have your notes nearby. All the good speakers I know prepare extensively, there's noone who just wings it. Have your notes, printed in a way you can read them with just a glance. You probably won't need them, but they're here to reassure you. And remember to breath. This is not as trivial as it sounds, this is a theatre trick. Breath slowly and regularly, it will help focusing