If you have been invited to speak on a webinar or a teleclass as a guest speaker, you’ll want to make a good impression so attendees will be eager to check out what else you have to offer. Here are ten tips that you should be aware of so you are well prepared and present the best possible content that you can.
Test the webinar platform with the organizers well ahead of the scheduled webinar. If there is a problem, you will have ample time to make any needed adjustments. Testing helps to minimize the potential for problems. Make sure you have an emergency phone contact in case you have trouble logging in to the webinar.
Make sure you have adequate technology to provide the content. A decent quality microphone is essential – a second microphone is ideal, just in case something happens to the first one. Some microphones have a background noise reduction feature, which can be helpful. A reliable internet connection is essential. There is nothing more embarrassing than having to reconnect in the middle of your presentation – and worse, what happens if you CAN’T reconnect? If you have to log in from another location to get a better connection, then do that instead of trusting your iffy connection.
Reduce or eliminate the background noise! If you have a door to your office, close it. If there is outside noise, close your window. If there are other people or pets nearby, make sure they are well occupied so they can stay quiet while you are speaking. If you have a squeaking chair, fix it or use a different one. Test your microphone to see what it picks up, and then try to remove any offending noise.
Once you have your content written and the PowerPoint presentation (or whatever it is you are using), write the FULL SCRIPT for what you want to say. This will help you to minimize the number of ‘umms’ and ‘ahhs’ that crop up so easily in our conversations.
Practice the script! Make sure that your timing is within the guidelines for the webinar. If you know the script well, you can pop back into it easily if you get sidelined by a question or comment. If you can, record your practice session(s) so you can hear whether there are quirks you would rather not have on the real life session!
Show up early on the webinar if possible. If the previous speaker finishes early, you’ll be there to fill in any gaps. It may allow for an extra chance to promote your own business.
Have your presentation carefully checked for typos and content. Make sure that everything is spelled right, that bullet points follow the same style throughout, and that the text is large enough to easily see on screen. Check for correct grammar too. If you are not great at proofing, ask someone else to do it for you.
Do whatever you can to ensure that your voice sounds cheerful and alert and happy while you are speaking. Make sure you are rested, fed, watered, and otherwise cared for, so your voice sounds good.
Market yourself carefully during your webinar. While you have a captive audience, it’s doubtful that they have taken this time to listen to a commercial. Make sure you have good content to offer to them, give them value whether they buy anything from you or not.
Remember to give your audience several ways to contact you afterwards. Do give them some incentives to visit your website or blog, or email you with questions. If you are able to get the email addresses of the attendees, you can follow up with a summary of your content, and make the most of another opportunity to market to them.