Seven Ways to Improve Your Confidence at Virtual Events

Presenting at virtual events can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. Whether this is your first presentation at a virtual event or you’ve been in the game for a while, improving your confidence is guaranteed to lead to a better presentation if you:

• Increase audience engagement
• Limit word whiskers and fillers
• Decrease distractions (like nervous tics, adjusting glasses, avoiding eye contact, etc.)

How can you boost your confidence during virtual events? It comes down to two things:

1. Feeling confident about your presentation.
2. Using body language to display that confidence to your audience.

Here we will discuss 7 practical ways you can do both.

Virtual presentations require just as much practice as in-person ones. If you don’t know your material it’s going to negatively show in your presentation.

 How to do it:

Research, practice, and rehearse until you are COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE with every aspect of your presentation. Knowing your material inside and out will give you a sense of authority and help you navigate any unexpected challenges during the virtual event.

Run through your presentation multiple times, recording yourself if possible. This will help you identify areas that need improvement, such as adjusting your pace, and refining your delivery.

Utilize visually appealing multimedia elements to enhance your presentation. Some options include:

• Slide presentations
• Charts
• Photos
• Videos
• Any other project-related material

A well-designed visual aid can captivate your audience and provide cues and prompts to keep you on track during the presentation. It also gives you a moment to breathe and reset, knowing all eyes are on the visual aid, not on you.

It’s difficult to keep your thoughts straight when surrounded by chaos. A clean, well-lit, and quiet setup will automatically make you feel more calm and increase your confidence.

What to Prep:

 Get to know the technology you’re working with. Technology surprises are still likely to pop up along the way. Still, you will be better prepared to tackle them by familiarizing yourself with the event platform and tech aspects beforehand.

Visualization can be a VERY powerful tool for building confidence. Before the virtual event, take a moment to visualize yourself delivering a successful presentation.

Try this: Imagine yourself speaking confidently, engaging the audience, and receiving positive feedback. This mental exercise can help reduce anxiety and create a positive, confident outlook.

Remember that you are speaking to real people even if you can’t see them in person.

Address your audience directly by focusing on friendly faces or even pinning a specific person or group you are presenting to.

This technique will make your presentation more personable and will help you feel more at ease.

If you feel nervous before your presentation, take a few minutes to practice these relaxation techniques:

• Deep breathing
• Stretching
• Grounding techniques
• Or other relaxation methods

This approach can help calm your nerves and center your focus before you start speaking.

After the virtual event, take time to evaluate your performance. Acknowledge your strengths and identify areas for improvement.

Constructive feedback, whether from colleagues or self-assessment, will help you refine your skills for future presentations.

A bad setup can cast a negative shadow over any presentation, no matter how confident you are feeling.

There are a few practical measures you can take to display your confidence when facing the camera in order to leave a positive impression on your audience and ensure that they are focused throughout your presentation.

Follow good ergonomics when setting up your workspace.

This includes raising your camera to eye level and sitting in a chair with solid back support and your feet flat on the ground. Following these suggestions will help you ensure two major confidence-boosting components:

Good Posture

Good posture helps you not only exude confidence but also enhances your presence on camera. Sit (or stand) straight with your shoulders back. Avoid slouching or leaning too far back as sloppy posture conveys a lack of self-assurance.

Appropriate Eye Contact

Look directly into the camera lens as if you are making eye contact with your audience. This establishes a connection and shows you are engaged and confident in your message. Avoid staring at your image on the screen, as it might come across as distracting or self-conscious.

Even though you might be nervous, try to act as naturally as possible. You want your audience to feel like you are having a casual conversation with them, not like they are being preached to by a robot.

How to do it:                         

• Smile – A genuine smile (not a creepy smile) can instantly make you appear more approachable and confident. Practice smiling naturally in a mirror before going on camera. That’s right. We said to practice smiling.

When rehearsing your part, practice smiling appropriately throughout it. Remember, a warm and authentic smile can help you connect with your viewers and create a positive impression.

• Use Gestures Thoughtfully – Appropriate hand gestures can add emphasis and expressiveness to your message. Be mindful not to overuse gestures or make them too distracting. Again, practice gesturing in a mirror before the event.

• Breathe – There’s nothing more natural than breathing. But if you’re not careful anxiety can lead to an unnatural and awkward breathing pattern.

Be mindful not to hold your breath during the presentation. Deep breaths through the nose can calm nerves and lead to a feeling of confidence that is sure to come across to listeners.

Bonus Tip: Your dress greatly affects your confidence. Choose colors and styles that not only suit your personality but fit the message you want to convey. Dressing well can have a significant impact on your confidence and can completely change how you are perceived by the audience.

Confidence when presenting at virtual events doesn’t always come naturally. But by following a few simple steps you can greatly boost how you look and feel during your next presentation.

Of course feeling confident is one thing, but BEING confident is another. Nothing will give you true confidence during your next virtual event like knowing you have a solid support team watching your back.

The team here at Virtual Velocity is made of experts designed to do just that. From choosing the right platform to handling technical issues behind the scenes, we’re here to take care of every part of the production so that you can focus on the most important part of the event – delivering your message.

Curious what we can do for your next event? Shoot us a message today and we’ll make sure that you can walk the walk and not just talk the talk.