I just saw this article on the PR Intelligence Blog run by our PR firm Tech Image and thought it was worth passing along. The post is on what businesspeople can learn from the Presidential candidates about being on-camera.
While the post is more oriented toward media interviews, the principles also apply to video on webcasts or in virtual environments. Video has a lot to offer in terms of engaging an audience and keeping them interested in a presentation. We all relate to people better than raw information or disembodied voices.
But many of us are not used to being on camera, and may not realize some of the things we do visually may be sending the opposite message of our words. That’s something Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are highly aware of, although even they don’t always get it right (as the post points out).
Give the story, and then tell us what you think. Is looking good/appropriate on-camera a natural ability, or is it a skill that can be acquired? How difficult is it to get your executives to practice and review their on-camera presence? What have you done to improve the way you or your executives come across in video? And by all means, please share any funny experiences about early video attempts.
Oh, and regardless of who you support, please take the time to vote tomorrow!
