Computers that have been on far awhile can do funny things. Schedule your time so you can restart your machine about a half-hour prior to your presentation. The restart will clear your memory, close any hidden apps and give you as fresh and fast performance as your machine can handle.

Your machine just had a fresh start so don’t open any other unneeded programs. Have your Powerpoint or Prezi file loaded but that’s it. The less clutter the less likely that you’ll encounter issues.

Good sound is frequently underestimated but it’s the key to having the best presentation. Participants may be annoyed with poor video but they will turn off a presentation with bad audio. Get yourself a good USB microphone instead of using the built-in mic on your laptop. Even the cheap ones will usually do better than an internal mic but you do get what you pay for. The $125 Blue Yeti mic’s are my favorite with volume, pause and other options built-in – well worth the investment even in this economy.

If you’re going to go for a headset, make sure it’s not one of the big, bulky ones. Use as discrete a set as you can find with simple ear buds as a mic. This is an especially excellent option if you know your setup is prone to feedback (that high screeching or eternally echoing effect that drives everyone crazy).

All laptop and web cams are not created equal. If you think you might do a lot desktop presentations then, yes, invest in a decent camera or even look into using a digital camera or DSLR. Setup with vary depending on make and model but some can be used directly with PC’s while other need an accessory like the CAM Link 4k. They can give clearer pictures and more viewing options – almost any option available to your camera.

The Sony RX100 v5 is an excellent choice. Paired with the CAM Link you get zooming options, a flip screen for viewing you and your setup and other neat features.

Not ready for that type of investment? Don’t worry, see the next item for how to get the most out of whatever camera you have.

This isn’t necessarily a “tech” item. Depending on where you are and when you’ll be doing your presentation you can use readily available sources for lighting. It’s free but it is so important.

Most modern laptop / tablet cameras have pretty good image quality as long as the main subject (that’s you) have plenty of light. So whenever possible, position yourself with a large source of indirect light (a daytime, north facing window) or even a nice shaded lamp as close to in front of you as you can manage. This will brighten your face enough for the camera to do its job as well as possible.

Feeling fancy? Get a ring light! These photography aids have become cheaper and cheaper and provide flattering light for almost every face, young and old. There are many sizes, styles and prices  but just make sure the specs allow the light to sit comfortably on your desktop in your space without any objects between the light source itself and your face.

Here’s a decent model for desktop use.

Get rid of all distracting noises you can. Turn off your background jam. Put the dog in the bedroom across the hall. Give the kids headphones to watch their online program. As noted above, good sound is imperative for a good presentation.

If you’re presenting as part of a panel and can’t control your ambient noises as well as might be hoped then absolutely get used to using the “mute” option. It’s a two-edged sword – you want to avoid the “hey! you’re on mute!” cliche – so be sure you pay attention and use the mute option smoothly.

This is funny and simple but its a winning proposition. As far as possible practice your entire presentation using the same conditions that you’ll be presenting in: computer, mic, camera, applications, websites, presentation app, sharing app (Zoom, etc.). Be as comfortable as you can with the setup and the options. The more you practice the more you learn about what could go wrong and how those issues might be remedied.

We all love seeing ourselves in the Zoom grid but to really connect with your audience look directly at the your camera lens. That will draw your viewers in and make them feel like you’re really talking to them instead of some object in their lap or off to left.

Unless you are a school teacher most of your participants will be able to do plenty of reading by themselves. Avoid reading your slides verbatim. Either summarize or simply refer to them. Besides, most people prefer graphical communication anyway.

The only thing worse than bad Powerpoint in person is bad Powerpoint remotely.

The worst presentation slides have too much info on them. Limit each slide to one or two major ideas. If it requires a long speech or deep explanation then hey, you’re the presenter, YOU give the explanation! Trust me, it will be much more engaging coming from you than having people feeling pressured to simultaneously listen to you AND read eight paragraphs of 8pt text off of the screen.

If you’re giving a traditional hour long presentation then be sure to break up your information into manageable bites. Physicists are still working out why but screen shared meetings seem at least 20% longer than “regular” in person meetings. So be sure to give your users a mental break with a clear summation about every 15 minutes. They’ll remember you AND your content much more favorably if you do.

If you want to maximize attention and retention then make sure your “talk” includes quizzes, surveys and other interactive methods to further pull in your audience. This additional attention will drive the point home while giving all the feels.

There are going to be a lot of space oriented individuals at your presentation. They will be checking out not just you but what’s around you.

Ditch as much clutter as possible but don’t go steril – make sure you’ve got interesting artwork, fine photography or even another LCD screen with interesting, but non-distracting visuals.

This goes for everyone and is harder for some than purchasing the $1,000 camera I noted above:

SMILE!

That’s right, despite your PhD., eight books in print and AIA awards lining the shelves people will be much more comfortable if you look like you’re enjoying the presentation as much as you’d like them to. Charisma goes a long way and will probably make your excellent content stand out even more.