10 Tips On How to Talk to The Camera  In a Natural Way

There’s no getting away from the fact that without presentation skills training , talking to the camera can be really scary. The prospect of speaking to a faceless audience can be so intimidating that it brings people out in a cold sweat, as all the weight of all those judging eyes can feel too heavy to bear.

Having a natural demeanour is an important part of effective presentation , as without it, your audience is likely to switch off from what you’ve got to say. The good news is that it’s something that can be worked on and that work starts right now, as we offer 10 tips on how to relax and be yourself.

Tip #1 – Be Fully Prepared

When learning how to talk to the camera  naturally, the first thing you need to do is prepare properly, but that doesn’t necessarily mean learning your script word for word. Your prep could simply involve bullet pointed cue cards to ensure you don’t miss anything – including that all-important call to action.

Tip #2 – Look Directly at the Lens

When you speak to someone in person, you look into their eyes when you want to show them how genuine you are. Effective presentation  to a camera requires you to look into the lens as if it were the eyes of the person you’re talking to. If you don’t, you’ll have trouble connecting with your audience.

Tip #3 – Speak As If The Camera is a Person

Something you’ll learn when taking presentation skills training  is the trick of speaking to the camera as if it were one person. That means not talking to the audience in the plural. For example, avoid phrases like “all you guys out there”, as this dilutes your ability to connect with people as individuals.

Tip #4 – Use Conversational Language

Another mistake presenters fall into is the overuse of jargon and terminology that their audience may not completely understand. Keep your tone light, conversational and aimed at the layman, as then you’ll know that there’s a much lower chance of you confusing or losing your viewers.

Tip #5 – Keep Your Presenting Pace Steady

If nerves are getting the better of you, then you might find yourself speeding up with a view to getting to the end faster. If you do this, then you’ll likely deliver a much less effective presentation  than you intended, as they might not get every word. Have this in your mind and consciously slow yourself down if you feel you might be rushing things.

Tip #6 – Vary the Tone of Your Voice

Your presentation skills training  will give you the knowledge of what to say and how to say it, but it also needs to be delivered with a varied tone of voice. It can be easy to drop into speaking in a monotone way if you’re not concentrating, so try and focus on using emphasis and a varied tone..

Tip #7 – Set Your Emotions Free

If you want your audience to become passionate about what you’re presenting to them, you also need to show passion and emotion. Engage with the topic yourself, avoid a boring tone and talk as if you really care about what you’re saying, as you’ll have a much better chance of connecting with people.

Tip #8 – The Power of Gesticulation!

What do you do with your hands when you speak normally? That’s right, you use hand gestures to emphasize what you’re saying – it’s a totally natural thing to do. So it stands to reason then that natural, effective presentation requires you to use your hands as you would usually. If you don’t, you’ll appear robotic and nervous.

Tip #9 – It’s Not All About You!

It’s important to say at this point that relaxation is crucial to good camera presenting and a way to feel calmer is to understand that they’re not watching to see you, rather what you have to say. The story is the focus, not the presenter, so put your efforts into delivering that story instead of feeling conscious about yourself.

Tip #10 – Review, Repeat & Rectify

Our last tip on how to talk to the camera  naturally is about practice. As they say, it’s what makes perfect, so make sure you record your presentations so you can review them later. There will be things you won’t be happy with and it gives you the insight you need to rectify them.

Present Naturally & You’re Half Way There!

Presenting to camera naturally really does represent half the battle when it comes to engaging with your viewers effectively. We hope the 10 tips we’ve given you provide you with at least some of the guidance you need to appear more like yourself in front of camera.

If you’re interested in learning more about being the best presenter you can be, we offer our 3 Tips For Perfect Presenting course that’s free just for subscribing! Alternatively, if you’re interested in top-notch presenter skills training , why not visit us at www.presenteracademy.com where you’ll find a range of compelling e-courses and 1-1 presenter training to take your ability to the next level.

Brian Naylor has just had a booked published a book Presenting for TV and Screen: The Essential Guide which will guide you through all the key principles, essential presenting skills, techniques and step-by-step career strategy. As well as an in-depth look at communication skills and body language. This practical guide is an essential tool for anyone who wants to become a natural, confident and engaging on-screen presenter or anyone who is looking to prepare for an effective presentation. You can pre-order your copy of Presenting for TV and Screen: The Essential Guide now on Amazon.

However, if you’d prefer to chat with us before enrolling in our training, you can do so by filling your personal details into our contact form. As soon as we have your inquiry, we’ll get back to you as soon as we possibly can with the answers you need.