Virtual event to-do list
When planning a virtual event, the to-do list can appear endless and there are a million things to remember, to figure out, to organize.
But of course you want to hit the “go live” button being in a calm, stress-free, and relaxed state of mind.
Are you wondering now, how to get there? Look no further, we will take you there!
We have created a concise but thorough list of 5 things that you should remember to do or prepare during the day and hours leading up to your big moment.
Leaving you with nothing to worry or stress about. Instead, your mind will be confident and calm. The ideal outset for delivering a great performance.
You should have everything related to the content of your talk or presentation prepared and finalized (and ideally practiced a few times) at least 24 hours before. This will significantly help you be calm and confident when entering the virtual event space.
But what about the practical side of things?
1. Your space tells a story
Pay attention to what your background will look like when you are on camera.
The key is: make your space interesting but not distracting.
So, choose a rather simple background. Think about the mood that you want to portray. Should it be a professional, warm or welcoming atmosphere?
Take a virtual conference as an example. Maybe you can tune into the event from a meeting room at your office? Or spruce up your home office space – make it look clean, professional, and inviting.
Imagine you are an event attendee and you can see the speaker in a meeting room or an inviting office space, doesn’t this immediately make you feel you are having a 1:1 meeting with them?
And isn’t this what everyone involved in the event is ultimately looking for? A real human connection?
Therefore, try to avoid virtual backgrounds. It would be detrimental to your efforts in creating a “real” experience.
2. Do not (get) disturb(ed)
Think about any disturbances that can potentially arise in the place you are going to tune in from. Will there be other people around? Colleagues? Or when working from home: other family members, kids?
If so, then make sure that anyone who could potentially disturb your virtual (live) event knows when and for how long they should not enter your space.
That way, you can avoid any unpleasant interruptions and others can be more mindful in the space around you.
Tell them well in advance to coordinate, but don’t forget to remind them on the day before the event and maybe have a “do not disturb” sign on the outside of the door while you’re live – just to make sure!
It is impossible to anticipate any kind of distraction or interferences, and that’s okay and perfectly normal. But what you can do is, minimizing their potential, thereby setting out for the smoothest experience possible.
3. Level up lighting and sound
For a smooth attendee experience, you want to make sure that they can hear and see you clearly.
Choose a good video camera, place a ring light right behind your computer screen so that your face can clearly be seen and use an external clip on microphone that you can attach to your shirt for good sound quality.
Production value is absolutely crucial. Nobody wants to watch a live video over an extended period of time with poor picture quality and annoying background noises.
If possible, set everything up on the day before the event. Get your space ready, so that you know how to place the camera and lighting.
You will most likely also have some natural light coming into your room during the event. So if your event starts at 10am the next day, why not have a testrun at 10am the day before? It gives you ideal conditions to check if your lighting is sufficient or if there’s anything else you could improve in your space.
4. Prepare yourself for the occasion
The technical preparation is a big part of the virtual event. But another thing to carefully prepare is: yourself!
You want to come across professionally and confident? Dress like it.
Throw on your full stage outfit, despite knowing that you will be alone in a room and not on an actual stage presenting in front of a physically present audience.
Dress for the occasion. It helps getting into your role, putting you in the right mood and mindset.
Plus, when speaking to a (virtual) audience, your voice is your most crucial tool. Make sure that it is in good shape for your presentation, it highly influences your delivery and presence on (the virtual) stage.
Stay hydrated (ideally drink water at room temperature) or try hot tea with lemon and honey. Your vocal cords will appreciate it and presenting with a well prepared voice will keep your remote audience even more engaged.
5. Energize yourself before going live
During a virtual event, all eyes are on the speaker.
His or her virtual speaking skills can make or break the entire experience (but don’t panic, our 12-step guide on how to become a better virtual event speaker has your back).
In order to captivate your audience, to engage them and keep their attention throughout the virtual event, it is absolutely essential to have a speaker exuding high levels of energy!
Some people become more immersed in the event experience by feeling the energy of the crowd, the people on stage and the audience around them. Obviously, this only happens during in-person events.
So at a virtual event, you as the speaker need to make sure that your high energy and excitement is transmitted to your audience through the screen.
Drink a coffee, do some (light) exercise before your presentation or do anything else that you know energizes your mind and body.
Keep this energy high throughout the event!
That’s it! If you have acted upon all 5 tips, then you can confidently hit that “go live” button – the (virtual) stage is yours!
Read more
Want to learn more about the different types of speaking skills?
Check out this article from Harappa:
https://harappa.education/harappa-diaries/speaking-skills-and-its-importance/
