Communication choices are everywhere both online and offline however, the fastest growing medium is on screen.
You’ve all seen those video ads, Facebook live clips and vlog posts coming up in your news feeds. Increasingly video and being able to convey influence and authority in just a few short minutes is also a requirement of people working in a corporate environment.
Small business or big business, on screen activity for interviews, sales presentations, coaching, meetings and of course marketing your products and services, has come of age.
Now you need to be able to communicate effectively at a distance, whether that includes Zoom, Skype or GoToWebinar, you need to step into your personal power and demonstrate leadership presence on screen.
Here are my tops tips to create screen impact.
Make an entrance. the first impression you make should match the credibility you want to build. If you're presenting for only a few minutes, you don't have as long to build authority with people. You need to rely on your image more. Whether that is relaxed or formal of colourful or monochromatic, what you wear and your overall look will have an impact.
What’s your mood? Think about the mood you want to create with your video. Do you want your audience to feel interactive and warm? Do you want to establish your expertise? How much authority do you really want to express?
Style choice. The clothes you choose to wear and your colour choices convey messages. Dark colours are more authoritative and lighter shades are relaxed. Florals say feminine and friendly, busy patterns are confusing and happy colours are yellows, oranges and light blues.
The styling of your stage is all part of the visual impact. Whether it’s an office space, kitchen or outside in a park, look at the backdrop and make sure it works. You don’t need a pole sticking out of your head or a messy open cupboard, too much celling or anything that will distract from you and your message. Picture how your image will appear across various devices of different sizes.
Prepare. It is worth the effort to prepare the content you want to deliver and run through it a couple of times. Write down just a few bullet points of what you want to say and rehearse it. Use a timer so you are not just wafting on and be as succinct as possible.
Keep your notes handy as it is perfectly okay to refer to them from time to time. You are far better off just talking to the camera rather than from an autocue as it looks far more natural and relaxed. This take practise.
Content. In crafting the content for your message, the main principle is to educate an online audience. They simply want to know WIFT. What is in it for them, what is their problem and how are you going to solve it? Why would they watch? You must show love to your audience and your clients and answer their fears and what it is they want to overcome.
As an example, the role of an image consultant is more than just dressing people. It’s how the consultant makes people feel. What they have helped the client with. It could be self-esteem issues or confidence to spend money on themselves.
Online is quite intimate, you are building a relationship with your audience and they want to know the answers to their questions.
Put your strongest point across first and repeat if you can. Focus on getting those main points across and focus on what your audience want to hear.
Include a short story, an anecdote or an example of how your service helps and any points you’d like get across and stay on track. Remember what you’re there for.
Finally have a closing statement or call to action prepared and if need be, refer to it. It could simply be, call me on 1300 723 713 to find out more – or we will be touch next Thursday or a short summary of the discussion points.
Body language. Media is entertainment so there’s a sense of performance about your online delivery. You need to be slightly more animated and larger than life, but at the same time natural with the way you talk, gesture and how you smile.
People say relax, but you don’t want to sit back in your chair and slouch. Sit slightly forward, not too stiff – the way you are in normal conversation. You don’t want to sit there very still and keep your head still and your eyes still that would be too boring.
Be bright and buoyant in your delivery but also don’t use wide gestures, fling your arms around or fidget with touching your face or hair as that would be too distracting.
Your overall physical presence of gestures, how you look and sound all add to your authority. At the end of the day though it is about creating engagement and building rapport.
Don’t worry about weight, size, unusual voice or accent. You might think you look too old or too young/girly and not credible enough. Many television and movie stars, video influencers and politicians fit into these categories. The winning factor is your confidence and credibility with your message and that you know what you are talking about.
Image is not just outer – it’s the inner you and your personality and likability that will reflect your own personal power, the unique you that we want to see shine.
Learn more about personal branding with my free video series, NOOK, LOOK, HOOK, 3 Steps to Build a Stand Out Personal Brand.
Sue Currie is a speaker and the author of IMPRESSario, Present and Promote the Star Within You. She is recognised as a leading authority on personal branding to boost image, profile, brand and business. Through her image management and profile building programs, workshops, consulting and keynote presentations, Sue helps businesses and entrepreneurs position and present an influential professional brand.