Rick Altman, host of the Presentation Summit and multi-published author, has written his most challenging—and rewarding—book to date: CRUSH Your Next Virtual Presentation.

His idea for the book emerged during COVID lockdown. The training industry shifted to accommodate more virtual workshops. There was a “global upheaval that rewrote how we gather, teach, sell and persuade.” Altman views his book as a survival guide for trainers who are wrestling with virtual platforms. This book provides a blueprint for thriving when your audience consists of a digital grid.

We asked Altman to talk about writing his latest book. Plus, what he hoped readers will takeaway:

“It is both invigorating and just a bit soul-crushing to write deeply on a topic that is so challenging for so many, and I guess that is why writers write, isn’t it? Presenting in person is hard enough — add the vagaries of virtual to that, and no wonder that so many find it mystifying and frustrating.

I try to keep these challenges and the reader’s struggles top of mind through the journey. I also draw on many hundreds of hours spent in my own studio across the last five years, and take advantage of the fact that nobody is ever more than arm’s reach of their mobile phones. You will find dozens of QR codes that lead directly to relevant videos supporting the ideas across all 25 chapters.

Finally, it is the first book I’ve written in the AI era and that was just a bit disruptive to practically everything I did. I’m not shy about sharing those experiences.”

Lastly, Altman’s book gives practical advice on slide design, lighting, framing and vocal variety. He anchors this advice to the principle that human presence makes pixels matter.

Find more information on Altman’s book on his website.