by Tricia Thompson, Volunteer Leader Training Manager, HandsOn Network

1. Be Prepared – There is nothing worse than getting online to attend a webinar and having the presenter not be prepared. Make sure you practice with the technology and understand how to use all the tools. Note the amount of time it takes to use tools and accommodate for this in your webinar.

2. Remember the Venue – Conducting or meeting in an online format has been commonly referred to as a “radio show.” Remember to avoid silence. When attendees/participants hear silence they tend to think that there is something wrong with the technology. Keep the webinar/meeting moving forward and always keep people in informed.

3. Set Timing Milestones – Always think about and prepare for time. Set those expectations with the participants by communicating how much time will be give to each topic and when you will cover what information.

4. Be Aware of Noise – Make sure you are in a quite setting. If you have a desk in an open area, relocate to a quiet space so that attendees/participants can better concentrate.

5. Be Mindful of Content and Frequency of Slides – When in an online environment you need to have frequent transition of slides and not have too much content on each slide. The content should be spread out and remember to use picture and images that are more appealing to the eye.

6. Expect the Unexpected – Always plan for something to go wrong and have a backup plan. Change your voicemail message and give people details for how to connect and whom to call if they have issues with technology or connecting to the webinar. Have generic responses prepared for frequently asked questions so that you can quickly respond to emails.

7. Get Support– It is best practice to have at least two people leading a webinar. You need one person to focus on presenting the content and one to focus on answering questions in the question and/or chat function, manage technology issues, etc.

8. Create an Interactive and Fun Environment – Smile and use humor whenever possible. Tell descriptive stories to illustrate points and make time for interactivity. Use tools like polling or the chat feature and incorporate social media whenever you can. See below for a list of social media tools.

9. Know Your Audience – Ask your audience questions that will help you better target your presentation. You can do this by asking questions during the registration process or making time in the first 5-10 minutes of the session to ask questions and get to know the audience.

10. Use Social Media Tools – Whenver possible before during and after your webinar, use the following tools to engage your audience and make sure they get the information they need in addition to providing a space for the learners to connect with each other The following are some tools to think about using:

• Wiki (wikispaces)
• Your Blog
• You Send It