Learn strategies on how to strengthen your virtual presence, and tech tips on making more dynamic and engaging presentations.
During the pandemic, US businesses are reported to have more than 11 million virtual meetings a day! Zoom, WebEx, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams…the list goes on and the user counts are growing daily! Is this your “new normal” for meeting with prospects and clients? Making a presentation? Attending a meeting?
If so, you need to up your virtual game!
Experts Sue Golden and Dan Streety helped us learn:
- Strategies including tech tips on making more dynamic and engaging presentations.
- How to “Master the Machine”!
- How to strengthen your virtual presence, including eye contact, building interaction, sharing and speaking, and “reading the room”.
Sue and Dan provided a pdf with some of their key thoughts. They also describe the workshop for those who are interested in strengthening your skills further. (Their contact info is on the last page of the pdf .)
TruthStorySpectacle Virtual Workshop Overview PDF Download
Below are our key takeaways from the presentation:
- The PowerPoint is NOT your presentation, you are the presentation.
- Every presentation needs to be grounded in truth – but also needs spectacle. When planning the content, answer the question: What is the one thing I want to convey?
- Storytelling is a powerful vehicle to connect with the audience. NO matter what you are presenting, there is always a story to tell. Use a compelling beginning and end, and engaging content in between.
- Before the event, encourage your audience to turn on their video and to join on their laptop or tablet to ensure they see your presentation. And, before you start, take a moment to point out features such as how to mute, the chat button (for private and “everyone” messages) and reactions.
- To retain your audience throughout it’s essential to engage them, ask a question as you’re waiting for others to join. Suggest they use the chat button for questions. Use the polling feature. Create breakout groups to create real interaction – especially with a big group.
- Zoom fatigue is real: Best to have a meeting for no longer than blocks of 30 – 45 minutes.
- If you are co-presenting, confirm a backup plan with one another and with your host if you encounter technical issues.
About Our Speakers
Sue Golden is a certified executive coach and facilitator, bringing 30+ years of leadership experience in sales 
and marketing from a career working at both Nestle USA and The MARS Agency. Her career culminated as a General Manager at the independently owned managing a $9 MM portfolio and a team of 30.
Sue’s interest in mentoring also led her to complete The CTI / Co-Active Training Institute Executive Coaching Certification, as well as Hogan and CoreStrengths Assessment Certification. In her coaching, Sue works with her clients to help spot hidden opportunities, recognize blind spots, and connect the dots to accelerate their professional and personal growth. Sue believes that today’s employees need more than a skill assessment and self-awareness to navigate tomorrow’s challenges. That’s why she works with individuals to develop their adaptive thinking and social intelligence to grow and thrive while using her real-world experiences to help clients navigate their organizations and careers.
Dan Streety has been called a creative, leader, daydreamer, hard-worker, idealist, and strategist but at his core, 
he is a storyteller. With over 30 years’ experience in new business development, integrated marketing, new media, and brand-building, he’s produced work for leading CPG brands (including the entire Procter & Gamble portfolio consisting of Crest, Pantene, Iams, and Swiffer) and other Fortune 500 companies like Pepsi, Frito Lay, Hallmark, Power Bar, Walmart, BMW, and others.
Since then he’s obtained his MFA in visual narrative from the prestigious School of Visual Arts in New York which focuses on creating “story-back” narrative. He developed a presentation workshop that filled a void in the current offerings of being “practical and applicable” meaning training that helped individuals excel in their own unique way and situation. Dan believes the best presentations are at the crossroads of “Truth and Spectacle”. Every presentation needs to be grounded in facts and information but you must compel to connect with your audience.
Please let us know if you would like to have a conversation with us. Email the CAP STRAT Women’s Forum with any questions at womensforum@capstratig.com! Or call us at 630.320.5100.
