You can see James chairing Day 3 at Europe’s foremost gathering of value creators on Wednesday 7th October, 2021 (9:55 London / 4:55 New York / 4:55pm Hong Kong)

In addition moderating a superb panel on

“Managing the CFO-CEO relationship at portfolio companies” (10:30 London / 5:30 New York / 5:30pm Hong Kong))

alongside

• Steven Dunne, Senior Partner, Frog Capital
• Krzystof Drozd, Senior Managing Director, Varde Partners
• Victor Vadaneaux, Operating Partner, Cairngorm Capital

Here is a collection of best practices for those embarking on a digital presentation, workshop, speech or event:

1. Would you benefit from a producer (morphing as a videographer)?
2. What is the best location – home, office or an alternative venue?
3. Would a Livestream vs. Zoom event be more appropriate? Livestream giving you the freedom to move around, take questions, refer to whiteboards or illustrations and interact more intimately with your audience. At $10,000 for annual subscription, this should be serious considered if you a frequent event host, speaker and so on. If Zoom, are you better served with the interaction of a live video call or the webinar setting?
4. Are you using a wired headphone or earbuds? What looks more professional and suitable for the event?
5. Who is controlling the microphones on/off and and the speakers on/off? What settings make sense for your event? Is it picking up ambient noise or excessive volume?
6. If you wear glasses have you considered distortions picked up by your reflecting glasses?
7. Lighting – natural or interior lighting that softens and flattens your image? O-rings or other staged lighting?
8. Background – what precisely do you want to project? Bookcases are they ideal or not? If not, what will add to the professional image?
9. Think of you digital backdrop as a picture frame. Does it distract or enhance what you plan to say and how you convey it?
10. Image – is it the professional or home environment you want to convey? Why?
11. Movement – how important is movement to your audience? Is it distracting or does it actually project a “live” natural conversation?
12. Camera positioned at eye-level – 80% of Zoom and other video calls are incorrectly used. If you need height use a book under the device.
13. Dress – is it appropriate for the audience and the image you want to project? Do the colours and “cut” reflect who you are and wish to be seen as?
14. Looking down the lens – you are always taught in broadcast media to keep your eyes looking down the lens for 5-10 secs after the talking stops. Are you doing that or cutting away too soon?
15. Is the tone/pitch of your voice natural and varying to emphasise words or questions? Does it fall away softly such that the microphone loses the last word or two?
16. Do I hear high energy and enthusiasm for the subject that is deliberately maintained throughout the segment to excite the audience or indifference? Is it false or natural?
17. Is humour used intelligently and appropriately to engage the audience or purely for the speaker’s amusement? Would it be described as well-developed or crass?
18. Content – are you telling people what they need to know, not everything? Is it each point clear, concise and supported by facts, hard evidence, anecdotes, stories? In 30 mins,
    opening (3-5 minutes preferably with a story), 4 key learning points (4×4=16 minutes), questions and answers (5-7 minutes), closing (2 minutes).
19. Call to action – if you want this to lead to further follow up, are you using directional points at the appropriate time (“please drop me a note for my recent survey results at this email address”, “please sign up for my next event by doing this…..”)
20. No “happy sheets” – avoid sending out “did you find this helpful surveys” (waste of time), do review with one or two trusted sources for improvements.
21. You are after success, not perfection. The more you do these virtual events the better you will get it. Have fun!