Stepping in front of a camera for the first time can be intimidating. Add in the pressure of making a good first impression, and you’ve got a recipe for some pretty serious butterflies in your stomach. For many professionals who are getting started with video in their prospecting, marketing or team communications, this is what they’re up against – and the first video is usually the hardest.
Don’t Aim For Perfection But Do Prepare
We’re all human and no one is perfect in person, let alone on video – so don’t put that extra pressure on yourself. What you want to do is showcase your expertise and professionalism with your on-camera presence.
Lights, camera, audio, and background are all important, but the most important part of the video is you – so focus on that first! Preparation is the key to feeling great when you step in front of the camera. You’ll naturally feel more confident and that will translate to your presence – what I like to call “Your Video Brand.”
Developing Your Video Brand allows you to elevate your on-camera performance and make it easy for your viewers to recognize you. These are the elements you need to focus on to develop Your Video Brand: your look, your sound, and your expressions for a more impactful, professional on-camera presentation.
3 Tips for Professional On-Camera Presence
1. Your Look
Your hair, clothes, and any other personal details make a big impression. Wearing jewel tones helps you stand out against the background and look great on all skin tones, but if you don’t have any of those, at least avoid wearing all black and all white. These tones can leave you washed out as the camera looks for the darkest darks and the lightest lights. When in doubt keep it simple with solid colors and minimal accessories, as this minimizes distractions for your viewers.
2. Your Sound
You want to set your voice up for success by drinking water or tea before recording to help make it as clear as possible. A quick tip for conveying authority in your content is speaking slightly deeper than your natural voice to add a more serious tone to your videos. To keep things engaging, vary the volume, pacing, and tonality of your voice. An easy way to add some pacing to your videos is to pause after a sentence – this helps draw in more attention and build a little suspense for your next sentence.
3. Your Expressions
Everyone always wonders, what should they do with their hands? You’ll want to move your hands and face to gesture to feel natural and not look stiff. It’s important for your movements to match your message, such as pointing to an item you’re referencing in your space. Look directly into the camera if you’re addressing the viewer to create “virtual eye connection” to mimic an in-person conversation. Remember, you’re producing video to share and connect with people, so envision the person or people your video is meant for behind the camera.
Preparation Builds Confidence
By focusing on your look, your sound, and your expressions, you’ll not only feel more confident on camera, but your viewers will see and feel your confidence. If you’ve already been going on camera and producing videos, it’s important to evaluate your current skills and identify how you can grow and improve from there. Working with a Video Consultant can help you pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses quickly and effectively.
When you implement these tips you’ll notice your nerves with going on camera decrease and eventually you’ll actually have fun going on camera (if you don’t already). Embrace Your Video Brand and connect with the masses using video!
Meaghan Corson will be presenting the Association for Women in Communications June Know To Grow webinar on June 25, 2020. Learn more and register here.
About the Author
Meaghan Corson is truly passionate about storytelling, so it’s no surprise she started her career off as a CBS news reporter. You name it, she’s covered it from the county fair and government to shootings and train explosions. Her super power is helping people feel comfortable on camera and share their message.
She took these skills and built video programs for various industries including software, medical, and startups. Now Meaghan works with executives and professionals to map out their video strategy and to be great on camera so they can connect with the masses. Audiences describe her interactive presentations as “eye opening and inspiring” and say she has “a powerful inner light.”
Meaghan welcomes you to reach out for her Professional Speaking and Virtual Training Services or her Video Consulting Services to achieve your external and internal communications goals with video. If you want more content by Meaghan now, then check out her YouTube Channel and subscribe to get updates for her latest videos.
