Technical Considerations When Presenting Face-to-Face

Abstract

Face-to-face (hereafter referred to as F2F) is amongst the most effective of all ways to present and provide information to an audience. The reason for the high degree of communicative efficacy of this mode of presentation is that it involves simultaneous transmission of multiple cues to the intended meaning, unlike many other modes of communication. The principal mass media used in broadcasting, such as television, have the advantage that they can replicate many of the features of F2F, so that the audience can attend to non-verbal signals or cues, such as posture, body language, tone of voice and the expression on the presenter’s face. A further advantage of F2F is the ease with which visual aids can be incorporated into a presentation and the way it facilitates use of rhetorical techniques (emphasis, pathos, mnemonics, etc.). These factors all come together to mean F2F presentations are often more memorable and convincing than other types. F2F presentations may occur in a variety of settings, ranging from presentations to an individual or small group through to a large public lecture. The venue for the presentation and the number of attendees will, of course, vary depending on the purpose for which the presentation was arranged. There have been profound alterations in everyday communication which have come about through digitalization. These changes affect personal as well as healthcare marketing communication. It might be tempting to assume that the plethora or technologies which support virtual communication, such as e-mail, WhatsApp or Zoom, have put F2F communication in second place.