Many of us are now fully immersed in the practice of delivering virtual presentations. We have almost no choice. If we want to deliver an impactful presentation, this is the option we have right now. While many of the presentation skills that have served us well over the years continue to do so, delivering our message via technology instead of in-person has given us the chance to learn some new techniques.

Many of us present alongside a group of teammates from time to time. We might bring some key team members to a presentation to help with Q&A and participate in the roundtable discussion, such as subject matter experts, tech support, managers and executive sponsors. When presenting with colleagues in a virtual setting, we need to be careful. Picture the uncomfortable and almost inevitable situation that occurs when everyone tries to answer a customer's question at the same time (or no one does). There is an awkwardness that happens on a virtual presentation associated with cross talk and indecision. This can make a negative impression on the customer, and it can waste valuable time.

Here are a few things to consider when presenting virtually with a team:


Assign a leader. It is often the presenter, but doesn't have to be. Think of this person as a "ringleader", directing the appropriate individuals on the team to jump in and handle specific questions. This person can also be watching the body language of other teammates and can invite others into the conversation, "Susan, is there anything you would like to add?"
Coordinate and clarify ahead of time. As part of your preparation, identify which person will answer which types of questions so everyone's expectations are clear.
Rehearse. This step is easy to skip when doing virtual presentations, but don't do it. This is how we can master content, improve delivery, and enhance our teamwork.


These ideas will help us deliver better group presentations. We don't have to be perfect, and we shouldn't come across as overly scripted, but coordinating our presentation effort will help us make a stronger impression on the customer.