Like it or not video and especially live streaming are popular, but for a number of people both are right up there with public speaking as a least favorite activity. The current podcast episode provides tools that can help make the experience a lot less frightening and maybe even fun.

Mentally preparing
Getting the “what not to do” image out of your head is the first thing to do. Keep a positive image in your head and mentally have a few bullet points you want to cover, even if it is off the cuff. Jumping on camera thinking you can wing it is putting way too much pressure on yourself unless you are skilled at public speaking. Mentally having a thought to present that you have at least rehearsed in your head buys you valuable time to get adjusted once you’re on. A quick Thank You to the host allows you to hear how your voice is coming through and adjust your posture. No one has to know you are doing your own personal green room, they will simply think you’re being nice.

Body language tricks
An expressive face tends to hold the attention of an audience. An occasional smile, a look of agreement or even surprise goes a long way in terms of increasing attention. It helps to practice some of your signature moves in front of a mirror so they become second nature to you. I’m not saying be fake but have an idea of how your expressions look on the other side of the camera.

Using your hands to make a point every now and then goes a long way in terms of creating a sense of confidence from your audience. Humans like to see a person’s hands because it is a safety signal. Arm raises are also a classic sign of happiness. Periodically combining the two creates a perfect storm of trust and engagement, just don’t get carried away doing it.

Torso movement is another area that you want to use. When looking to make a point or provide emphasis, move slightly toward the camera. That slight movement sends the message to your listener that they should pay attention because something important is about to be said. You’ve experienced this behavior before. Remember when your friend was about to tell you something in secret. She moved forward and so did you to make certain you could hear. This movement on camera creates a sense of emphasis and a personal feel for you viewers.

Lighting is your friend
You can’t control for everything but room lighting may not be enough to appear clearly. keep in mind that no matter how bright your overhead light, it may not be enough and you could appear in shadow. Try to be in a room with a lot of natural light. If that is not possible then set up another light behind your phone or computer screen. Your face is then bathed in as much light as possible. No matter how great your camera, it cannot make up for a loss of light. Do a few trial runs with your camera and place the light in different positions to see the difference it can make.

Remember what your mother told you about plaids
Going on camera you have to remember how the camera sees things. It only has one eye and having too much to focus on means there are a lot of distractions that come with plaids and any type of print. Everyone has a color that they think makes them look better so try to use yours on camera. At the very least it will make YOU feel a lot more confident.

More than anything remember that people watching live streaming are not expecting perfection because that is the beauty of it, that it is live and anything can happen. Now if you’re interested in seeing how I do it then by all means follow me on blab.im and I promise to take a deep breath