Introduction

Prepare, engage, and execute

Regardless of how good your content is, the success of your webinar ultimately lies in the quality of your speakers. Great presenters can make the difference between a mediocre webinar and an exciting and engaging conversation. Experienced speakers combine talent and preparation.

This Webinar Presenters Checklist will ensure you are rehearsed and prepared to execute great webinars.

Rehearsal

Rehearse like you are in front of an audience 

• Script out the first slide or two of your presentation to get you started
• Rehearse like you are in front of an audience
• Time your rehearsals and adjust as needed
• Have a dress rehearsal to determine the flow of the presentation
• Leverage interactive tools like polls and Q&A to engage your audience
• Prepare seed questions for Q&A session
• Have support staff help you manage Q&A queue
• Hosts: Script out intro and housekeeping

Preparation

Use this checklist to make sure everything is ready to go

• Print out a copy of slides
• Avoid presenting from large rooms or public places
• Turn off air or heating systems, your audience will hear the noise
• Put a “Do not disturb” sign on your door
• Review slides after they have been loaded into the webinar platform
• Turn cell phones off
• Plug computer into a charger
• Have a glass of water close by
• Present from headset or handset, no speakerphone or cell phones
• Have all speakers log into event 30 minutes before your webinar to run sound checks and make sure everything is working properly

Execution

Remember to make your webinar conversational

• Speak TO your audience, not AT them. Don’t give a presentation, have a conversation.
• Keep an eye on the time
• Sneezes, coughs, throat clearing, or even the occasional mistakes are ok.  They simply remind people that you are real.
• Leave at least ten minutes for Q&A
• Don’t extend the length of the webinar beyond the advertised time
• Don’t forget to breathe
• Have fun. If you have fun, your audience will too

Connecting

First Time Presenter Access:

When presenter’s first access Elite Studio, they will be prompted to grant access to their webcam and microphone:

Presenters MUST click Allow in order to successfully connect to Elite Studio.
After clicking Allow, Elite Studio will automatically attempt to connect to the presenter’s default camera and microphone. If the presenter has multiple webcams and/or microphones available, they will be able to change the device that is used after the initial connection has been established.

After selecting the desired webcam and microphone, clicking Join Now will connect the presenter to the event.

Best Practice

• Unneeded browser tabs/windows and applications should be closed prior to accessing Elite Studio as a presenter or producer. This will free up resources/bandwidth and result in an overall better experience during the presentation.
• Clearing the browser’s cache prior to accessing is advised.
• Ensuring the browser is up to date.
• Restarting the computer prior to the presentation is advised.
• A wired connection is encouraged. Strong Wi-Fi connections are acceptable if they are stable. Unstable Wi-Fi due to congestion or other causes can result in connectivity drops adversely impacting a live event.
• Presenters with lower bandwidth can lower the Data Rate of their connection in Elite Studio by clicking on Settings from the Connection Panel (three vertical dots icon), and adjusting their Data Rate to Low or Medium