Presenting at a Bristol Conference? Don't let technology steal the show!
Nowadays, it’s not just what you say or how you say it but the technology you use to say it with. Over the last few years there have been enormous advances in computer programmes which enable public speakers to impress their audiences with slick, multimedia presentations.
With 25 years of experience of hosting large scale Bristol conferences and meetings in Brunel’s Board Room and The Passenger Shed, we know that even the best presentation is in danger of becoming derailed by simple technological hic-ups.
Here are a few
top tips which we have picked up on over the years to ensure your presentation
is fool-proof:
· Check that there are no ‘pop-ups’, such as email alerts, anti-virus warnings or calendar reminders, set on your computer which might disturb your slides.
· Temporarily turn off your screen-saver to ensure that your presentation is uninterrupted however long you talk for.
· If you are planning on using a laser pointer or a remote slide-changer during your presentation, test it first so you’re not left waving futilely in mid-air.
· Make sure you have the correct lighting to make the projection as clear as possible and remember that the lighting in a room might change depending on the time of day.
· Sometimes colours and fonts look different when projected onto a screen; check that all your text is clearly visible when displayed.
· Remember to check that your volume is at the correct level for any sound you might need. If your presentation does not require sound mute your laptop to avoid bleeps or blips from other programmes.
· Last but not least, avoid feedback from the microphone. The all-too familiar squeak from a microphone is caused when it picks up sound from speakers and attempts to re-amplify it. It is easy to avoid this by being aware of your position in relation to speakers or other microphones, keeping good body posture when speaking and doing a sound check beforehand.
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