Handling an emergency videoconference presentation

Generally speaking, we don’t see emergencies coming. And an emergency videoconference that requires our participation can be a genuinely stressful experience – even for skilled presenters. The sudden demand for your presence means that everyone involved in the call can see you just the way you are, having been caught off guard.

It can easily happen: you’re on vacation or asleep at the given moment. Or maybe you're dealing with something completely different when there appears an emergency message from work. It may be a video call involving the board or senior management team. The topic may be highly important.

Another example is if you are the contact person for media or business partners – either for the whole company or for specific matters.

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The emergency call comes unpredictably: this is the cautionary advice from presentationmagazine.com. However, while you perhaps cannot look your best, always try to avoid looking your worst.

Write down some notes

Even if you have virtually no time, take a moment and write down some notes. This will help you to navigate through your presentation without losing your bearings. Just a few post-it notes will suffice. You should write down three or four key points.

Minimise the impact of an unprofessional appearance

Your appearance may not be optimal – you are unshaven or have no make-up … In that case, be at the centre of your background, which should contain as many items as possible: that way you will shift attention away from yourself. So if you are in a room full of objects on the walls (such as a bookcase or some message boards), this will help. Also try to sit slightly further away from the camera. And if you have a baseball cap (ideally with the company logo), use it to conceal hair that might not be perfectly combed.

Check your audio

You need the sound to work as best as possible. Minimise all audio distractions in the vicinity. Shut the door so there is no noise from traffic outside or from the television in the next room. 

-jk-

Article source Presentation Magazine - free presentation resources
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