As work becomes more remote, we’re accomplishing so much through the technology that we use and the resilience we demonstrate in the face of chaos and confusion. Just because our environment has changed doesn’t mean we have to lack in our productivity and communication. In fact, studies prove that working from home can increase productivity by up to 77%. More people are also happier working from home with improved mental and physical health, as well as maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Remote work brings so many benefits, but as remote work becomes more normalized with work-from-home positions opening up every day, we have to adapt to our new workspaces and refine the way we communicate and maintain business relationships.
When it comes to business, pitches are a large part of building partnerships and networks of communication. Most of the time, you will use a pitch to convince your audience that what you are presenting and selling is something that they shouldn’t miss out on. With remote work, people are convinced that video conferencing will create obstacles that hinder them from presenting a convincing pitch. But in reality, that is not the case at all. Video conferencing is our new normal and with normalcy, advancement in technology will help you sell your pitch–you just need to come prepared with the information to do so.
In this article, you will learn five important steps to successfully deliver a business pitch through video conferencing technology.
1. Understand and get your equipment ready
Technology is a huge part of your everyday life now and in order to successfully deliver a business pitch, you have to know how to use it well. Before your presentation, you always want to prepare your surroundings by removing distractions and moving to a place that allows you to be in full view of your camera. Additionally, you should be able to smoothly access and use the necessary digital tools you need to sell your pitch. Nothing speaks professionalism more than competency so ensure that you are well-versed in maneuvering between slideshows, the video conferencing system and its tools, and other necessary digital equipment you may need such as visuals and videos. Being prepared leaves a strong first impression and demonstrates your level of professionalism and capability.
2. Learn how to talk on camera
You know how to deliver a pitch, but most likely you’ve done them in a boardroom or in-person meeting. The great thing about being in person is that you can be interactive and use compelling body language to persuade your audience to believe in what you are saying and pitching. Sadly, video conferencing doesn’t allow that same type of interaction that in-person does. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be just as persuasive–you just need to learn how to speak on camera. Know how you look on camera, the physical parameters around your space that will be seen on camera, and add vibrancy to your voice when speaking. Come prepared and practiced in addition to learning new body language in front of your camera and you will be just as convincing pitching on camera.
3. Use visuals and video to elevate your pitch
One of the greatest things about video conferencing systems is that they allow you to use creative digital tools that elevate your pitch. Get creative by employing the use of images and even videos to present your pitch. ProVideoMeeting provides users with tools such as screen share and YouTube Group View to add excitement and pathos to your pitch. This does two things. Having visuals and video keep your audience’s attention on your presentation and adds a level of creative credibility to your presentation. Pitches are made better with ancillary content that is compelling and emotive, and video conferencing systems help make that happen easier.
4. Check in with your audience
It’s the ugly truth but it has to be said. Attending video conferencing meetings gets boring fast. It gets difficult to pay attention when you’re looking at a screen. But that can be easily fixed when you pay extra care to how you deliver your pitch. The best thing to do is to guide your audience by outlining the content of your pitch from the beginning. This way your audience will know what to expect and will be consistently clued in on what you will say. Additionally, you want to make things personable and interactive so slip in phrases that make the presentation relatable and fun and even tell a story. You want to tug at their emotions here in order to engage your listeners and keep things interesting.
5. Keep things succinct but compelling
When you deliver a business pitch, you always want to keep things clear and concise, while communicating something that is also compelling. For instance, if there is a difficult concept to understand, make it simple by breaking it down. Short and sweet is the best approach here and will keep your audience listening.
Deliver a pitch with confidence
Presenting a business pitch over video conferencing does not have to get difficult. You can successfully sell your pitch if you come prepared with the necessary tools and information that support and elevate your presentation.
