I shared a  fantastic Saturday with a small group of amazing women in business.  Each of them had a story that was so intriguing and each possessed a passion for what they did that seemed to make them just shine when they had the opportunity to talk in length about what they did.  When it came time to give a concise definition of their unique business, however, I saw a problem across the board. 

Here was a group of fascinating, dedicated, and extremely professional women that were missing opportunities to increase their recognition and income!

We all can benefit from getting our message compressed into a great little “commercial”. You can call it the “elevator speech” or “30 second pitch’ (my least favorite title for this, by the way) but having a great one is crucial to career advancement, and having a repertoire of these little gems is invaluable. Makes sense, right?

What you may not realize is that perfecting your delivery of your “commercial” on camera can be a huge benefit to your growth.  It doesn’t matter if you think you are not yet ready for “prime time” TV because nothing can increase confidence in the delivery of your message faster than watching yourself in real time.

Here’s how it works:  develop a fabulous description of what you do think about what makes you different.  Examples; You may be the banker who really cares to see your clients succeed in their financial goals or a lawyer with integrity (insert favorite lawyer joke here), or maybe the bath product that you developed is the best because it’s your grandmother’s formula.

There is something different about you that the world would be better to know, and no one can benefit if you can’t deliver your message efficiently.  A good coach or media trainer can assist you by finding key points of your business that you most want to share. From that foundation it’s possible to create an initial ‘commercial” or two. 

Now, get in front of a camera and get interviewed about your business! If you don’t have a coach to interview you then grab a friend that is business-minded and who will ask you in-depth questions.  As they are playing reporter, make sure they ask “who, what, when why and how” questions and force you to talk at length. Practice using those “commercials” that you just developed when answering your interview questions. 

Now play it back and watch yourself.  It may be tough at first to see everything, so be prepared to sit for a while and re-watch your interview a few times. 

Look for the places where you are most fun to watch (being entertaining is charismatic!).  When are you most uncomfortable and why?  What can you do to relieve your discomfort in those areas?

By watching yourself as you discuss your business you will begin to understand where you share your message most strongly, and how you might improve in other areas.  Even if you think TV is not in your immediate future… you are already getting prepared: those little commercials can be great sound bites when you are being interviewed in the media!

If you feel that you might benefit from doing this exercise, and want to progress quickly by having a coach, contact Charisma on Camera, and we’ll find a program best suited to your needs.

Perception of behavior is innate, we have been evaluating behavior and movement since our cave dwelling ancestors relied upon discernment for survival.  Actually, in some ways we still rely on acumen for our well being on a daily basis, but now we may not even realize what we are doing.  Working with my clients on camera there are times when it may be hard for them to understand that   certain behavior or even part of their story may be the wrong thing for mainstream media.  It may be the wrong thing for the advancement of their brand, even though they feel they are just being the “way they are”.  Please understand that I love to have someone to work with who is comfortable in their own skin, it is a fantastic starting point for me as their media trainer to prepare them to handle the logistics of being on camera.  It may be difficult to understand that some behavior that is natural to that person may cause a negative perception when seen by an audience.

For example, ending a sentence with a closed-mouth smile can be interpreted as arrogant, or not trustworthy; While audience reaction may be completely incorrect, but studies show that an open mouthed smile evokes a much more positive reaction in viewers and encourages them to like the person.  Why not make the adjustment, right?

Another example: A high pitched voice may be a detriment to someone trying to establish credibility as an expert in their field of business; they may be seen as young or flighty based solely on a gutteral reaction and not necessarily true.  I recommend a series of vocal exercises to strengthen the diaphragm and deepen the voice resonance.

A most common behavior for people new to on camera work is the looking away ( usually down and to the left) when speaking into camera.  It evokes distrust because connection is lost to the viewer when the eyes go elsewhere, and it may seem “shifty”.  In reality, it is most likely a symptom of discomfort when looking into a black lens for the first few times.  There are acting exercises (some are pretty fun, too!) that I do to help increase comfort and create a friendly relationship with that black lens.  Treat it as if it’s a friend, and the audience will feel as if they are your friend.  Don’t’cha kinda feel like Oprah’s friend when she talks to you on TV?  It works.

Likeability is established initially on the way that you look (movement included) then on the way you sound and finally, what you are saying.  Fine tuning behavior and movement is step one is establishing your charisma on camera.

Promotions surface everyday for seminars that promise to show the easy way to become a media superstar… start a video blog… or pitch yourself to Oprah.  Ee gads!  One seminar’s landing page had video testimonials from past participants that had spent $5,000 to meet reporters and producers in hopes of becoming a guest expert.  Not one of these people could look comfortably at the camera, and I cringed at the money they had just dropped for the weekend. Without camera awareness, they don’t have a chance of being booked as a guest.
 
There is a certain camera savvy that must be in place before you put yourself in the vulnerable position of media exposure.
 
Still not sure if this media training is really what you need?
 
Here’s the experience of an unpolished guest on a TV interview show as seen

• through the eyes of the interviewer: They are struggling to keep the segment running at a smooth pace, the guest is running on, and falling off topic… they are tiring, and the guest will not be asked back if the host has anything to say about it.
• Through the eyes of the producer;  He sees the obvious struggle of his host, and wants the guest out of the chair asap.
• Through the eyes of the editor;  A guest that doesn’t know how to find camera and doesn’t speak in clear sound bites for him to edit easily, makes his job much more difficult.
• How about the audience?:  They will find they’ve lost interest, and may not be able to explain why, but they change the channel, or go get a snack. 

As a guest you have responsibilities!  Media wants you to be entertaining, high-energy, hold their audience and teach them something.  It is actually more important HOW you say what you do than WHAT you say.  Learning interview structure, camera awareness, story telling, sound bites are all crucial to maximizing your media opportunities.
 
That’s what media training does.  Good media exposure is powerful, and builds on itself… be ready out of the gate!  Your message is important, and the media wants you to be a star… it makes them look good!  Your job is to be ready!

I must admit, I have on more than one occasion, actually run my necessary errands while on a teleseminar. The cashier at the grocery store looked at me a bit concerned at first when she saw my distant expression, until I pointed to my ear piece, and then she realized that I was just rude.  Hmmm.
Ditto with the dry cleaners, and the horse supply store.
Yeeaaaaa. I do believe I have taken multitasking too far.
 
I am not alone in my desire to learn as I move my business forward.   That’s why we train in marketing, and social networking, sales pages and website building.  Our time is value as entrepreneurs and one more class has to really qualify.
 
So, is media training important?
 
Today I saw a video of a seminar where each participant paid close to $5,000 for the privilege of meeting TV show producers and reporters in hopes that they would be considered to be a guest expert. What frightened me was watching these same participants handle the video testimonial so badly!  I gasped, realizing that there is a misconception about TV opportunity that is surfacing within the entrepreneurial community.
 
Read this issues article to be aware and prepared!
 
As for my multitasking…   I didn’t like how that felt, so I now make a point to open a conversation with my sweet dry cleaner owner… I get a 10 percent discount now!  Bonus!

Several days ago I came across a quote by Leo Tolstoy, “There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness and truth are absent.”

The word “simplicity” struck me as I read it, and then, “truth”.
 
These are the two primary essentials that I strive to perfect when I am working with a passionate client that is sharing their talent, or message, or product with the world, and wants to prepare for major media exposure.
 
“What about ‘goodness’?” you might be asking; Let’s just say, that I assume that my client is well intentioned, and I believe man is fundamentally good.  Goodness is a given.
 
So then, about simplicity: it can be a challenge to simplify a message that strikes someone in such a passionate way.  While the history of the business, or the origin of the program that you might speaking about may very well be fascinating, the media needs it in a nutshell.  And I mean a very small, informative and entertaining nutshell.  We call these sound bites, and I recently wrote an article where I explain further the importance of speaking this way for interviews. It is important information, but too much to expand on right now.
 
A second thing about simplicity is the retelling of your brand…. Simply, and many times. I spend a significant amount of time with my clients clarifying their brand for media. Your brand in print may not translate the same way when you bring your personal flavor to it in conversation and appearance. But, ultimately it is your personal flavor, and your simple message that we will remember, so they must resonate with what you want to achieve, and attract.  This is true, not just in media, but really, in all aspects of your business. Want proof of a simple message that worked in the media?  Here are some:
 
The ultimate driving machine:  BMW
You can “Just do it” with these:  Nike
Country first: John McCain
Change and Hope:  President Obama
 
I am sure you can think of many more like this.  No matter what, every opportunity that these individuals, or companies are given to share their brand, it is a version of the ones stated above. They are simple.  You can do the same thing. When deciding what media-attended event to enter, which charity to endorse, which way to answer an interview question on a current topic… remember the simple message of your brand, and choose what best fits in every situation. You have probably done this with your print ads, and website already but with every media opportunity you must showcase your brand as you live it.
 
And that transitions us perfectly to “truth”.  We have been appreciating a simple message that is born of passion, evokes emotion and is purely based in truth.  One element (and there are many tangents that I could go off on about truth in all of it’s amazing philosophical levels) of truth that I strive to bring out in my clients is their humor.  Everyone has a sense of humor, and why, oh, why do so many people think that they need to hide their sense of humor from the camera?  The warmth of humor, whether you are a sarcastic wit (sarcasm is humor), or possess a charming giggle, or love a good guffaw (there’s a word from great grandpa’s day!) it begs to be seen if you are spending time in front of a device that is capturing your personality.  To hide your humor is to not be truthful.  
 
Obviously, there is a level of appropriateness, but if you are a jovial individual who regularly laughs at yourself in “real life” and that’s what your friends like about you, why stifle that in an interview? Add a bit of laughter to your website intro video!  Especially if you are a coach of some kind; your potential clients want to know what they are buying, and they are buying you. Trust me, great leaders laugh, too.
 
I learned the freedom of letting your humor when I was shooting a skin care commercial with a lot of dialogue, and I was looking straight into the camera.  The day was very long, and we all got a bit punchy.  That combination of silliness on set, and exhaustion left me unable to hold up the walls of serious pretense that I mistakenly had thought that I needed. I laughed, and had a few silly moments on camera! I thought for sure, I would never be hired again!  To my surprise, the producers loved it!  I had a great time; I enjoyed it!  I could have just been me, all along!  What a great day that was.
 
The best thing about sticking to the simple version of your brand, and allowing yourself to show your humor is, you will have fun! Hellooo?  Isn’t that why you want the media attention?  You enjoy what you do, so let us see you enjoying!  You will be so much more interesting, and you will find that this on camera stuff can be a blast!
 
The world will be a whole new playground.