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Any time a presentation calls for the delivery of pre-written, detailed information within specific time frames, it’s time to use a teleprompter. Also referred to as prompters or auto-cues, teleprompters are widely employed on television to deliver news or weather reports, in entertainment such as game shows or advertising and also for documentaries and life style programming. Teleprompters also find use in non-broadcast video work. Many professionals find a pre-recorded message the most effective method to get their message across to associates, work force or even for prospective clients.

Auto-cues are fairly simple in use and the end result highly effective, making them customary for live events such as award ceremonies, conferences, launches and even as tools for keynote speakers. Anyone new to using a teleprompter might be a bit apprehensive. New users might experience discomfort, the onset of nerves or even sleepiness. Some new presenters can even come across as looking dishonest. The information in this article is designed to give you a summary of what to expect on a video production and how to get the best results from using a teleprompter on your next production.

Word Smithing

All the information for your presentation is contained in the script. More than just written words, a script should be designed to be delivered, rather than simply read. Scripts usually go to a production company who pass these to their auto-cue operators for formatting. Most production companies can accept almost any word-processing formats on PC’s or Mac’s. Just be sure not to leave it to the last second. Use the contracted form of words whenever applicable. This gives your script a more flowing delivery and better reflects how people speak. Concise sentences will get your message across more accurately. Your auto cue script should only contain the text to be read. No formatting, tables, indents, charts, borders, scene directions . . . just your monologue. If your presentation relies on visual aids, confine these to graphics that can be displayed to your audience. Once the teleprompter operator receives your script, this will typically undergo some pretty basic formatting to make sure the script flows well and the words are clear on the auto-cue monitor. Making your script too complicated by using images or storyboards for example could well incur expensive editing. Stick to the basics…just the script!

Clothes Maketh the Man

After your script is completed, it’s time to take a look at some of the visual elements of your presentation, namely, how you will look on video. A script is usually written with a particular audience in mind, so dress accordingly. Theatrical aspects not withstanding, presenters would do well to wear comfortable clothing, reflecting the mood and general tone of the message they are trying to get across. Avoid striking reds wherever possible and steer clear of bright white clothes. These don’t reproduce well on video and are usually less than flattering to your skin tones. Patterned fabrics with fine lines such as pinstripes or hounds-tooth should be avoided as these can look distracting on camera. Makeup is used for both cosmetic and technical reasons . . . covering up spots is one thing but lights used in both video and stage environments are bright, harsh and hot, so makeup is often used to cover up the shiny spots on the T of the face caused by the heat (and sometimes by nerves). Stage and video shoots are strange environments to get used to. The end result is what counts. A video shoot might look and feel wrong in the making, but if the end result looks good, that’s essentially all that counts. Don’t feel too badly if you have makeup applied or your clothing rearranged. The producer of the project will be the best source of information and advice regarding your wardrobe and general appearance, in order to better mesh with the overall tone of the project.

Location, Location, Location

Productions can take place in studios, offices, houses or even streets. The most basic rule of any shoot, regardless of the location is simple. Safety first. Be aware of stray cables, low slung overhead rigging, light stands and any other props in dangerous spots. Not only are the lights intense, they often burn very hot . . . so don’t touch them! Upon arrival, the Director will fill you in with all the details on how the set is actually set up and make all the necessary introductions with the crew. For a shoot involving the use of a teleprompter, the crew will usually consist of at least four people. The teleprompter operator, the sound operator, the camera operator and the Director.

You probably won’t play a part in any of the technical matters and most of the tricky stuff will be for before you arrive and after the shoot is finished. Your first stop will be makeup and wardrobe, but if you do have any last minute additions to the script, get these to the teleprompter operator these as soon as possible. Most of the teleprompter’s function is turning computer output into smooth scrolling TV output for your monitor. It usually has very basic text editing functions, so the more lead time the operator has, the better the output. Word changes are easy, but if you want to add a whole page of text, that will take as much time as it takes to enter or copy it from one file to another. When the script is finalized in the teleprompter, it’s your time to act. A glass of water and when the Director says “3-2-1″… it’s action time.

3-2-1 ACTION!

When you step in front of the camera, people may seem to be fussing over you . . . just let them. Unless alterations need to be made during your pre-read, you probably won’t hear very much from the teleprompter operator. Your first glance into the monitor will soon tell you why formatting and highlighting are a bad idea. The space they take up would leave little space for anything else on the screen. The Director is in charge of directing your delivery during the rehearsals and the actual shoot. If time permits however, the teleprompter operator will often provide a general outline of the cue. Be sure to check out part 2 of this series, where I outline the 5 main points to think about for your presentation.

Advancements in technology have opened up a whole new way for people to do business. Now, it is possible to launch an international business with just the click of a mouse. The word eCommerce is becoming more and more popular. You may have already heard this word but you are not really sure what it means.

eCommerce is a word that simply refers to doing business online. There are many ways that people do business. What are some business transactions that you do in the physical world? You go to the bank to deposit money, you visit stores to purchase items, you eat at a restaurant and pay for your food. These are just some of the things that represent business transactions.

One business may transact with another business. They can either exchange services or purchase items from each other. Businesses usually send invoices which indicate the amount that they need to collect. However, they do not expect to be paid upfront. They usually set dates when payments have to be made.

For online businesses, transactions are done pretty much the same way as they are done in the physical world. Various technologies are used to bring everything together. eCommerce is becoming very popular because it offers convenience and speed, and a large network of individuals and businesses are using this method.

The more customers a business attracts, the more successful it can become. Now that people use the Internet not just for searching information but making purchases as well, a lot of businesses are using this avenue for improving their sales. However, new businesses have to gain their customer’s trust first. This can only be done by carefully studying the intricacies of starting an online business.

eCommerce is the main source of income for businesses that are purely online. However, for offline businesses, eCommerce is another way to expand their customer base. This method allows businesses to offer their products globally. The Internet offers businesses a wide range of potential customers coming different various niches.

The benefits that eCommerce can offer is sure to make you rush in on the trend. But before you do anything, make sure that you understand that doing business online is simple in theory. The actual implementation is harder than most people think it is. If you want to be successful, make sure that you do as much research as you can about eCommerce.

You need to have a good plan and strategy before you start an online business. Joining the eCommerce trend entails making a lot of important decisions. But do not despair as there are many resources available that can help you get started.

Do not take these resources for granted. Utilize them wisely as they can greatly help you as you do your online business. Resources range from those that will tell you how to set up your site to those that will help you successfully market your products.

Because of your anxiety, you’ve missed everyone else’s introduction. You are focused on your own sense of incompetence regarding speaking in front of a crowd. You have three choices when faced with the daunting task of introducing yourself in front of forty people at a business luncheon:

· Escape to the restroom

· Think of something clever say so you’ll be remembered

· Make it simple: state your name and your company name

After that you’ll network for half an hour and make small talk, however you only get to meet the ones who happen to sit at your table. You’ve just missed six opportunities to connect with other business people because you don’t know how to take advantage of the ten-minute break. Here are some tips in presentation skills that can be applied to networking situations:

Interesting Introductions.

If your intro isn’t memorable, neither will you be. You need a great introduction for yourself in networking situations, whether it is at a business-to-business event in front of forty people, or meeting someone in the hallway. Your introduction needs to be clear and succinct so that the people listening to you understand what clients you serve and what your business is about. Introductions can be customized depending on your situation.

For example, I was working with a beginning realtor and knowing how difficult this business is in the first few years, we came up with something that would make her stand out at networking events: “Hi my name is Jayne Samples and I work with first time home buyers looking for their dream home and I work with home owners who are ready to sell their first home.” This quick introduction clarifies what kind of clients she serves best, and the words “dream home” also creates a visual and memorable effect. It’s also conversational and warm. Once you’ve created your interesting introduction you can focus on the introductions of everyone else, jot down key information and double your contacts by having icebreakers to meet those who won’t be at your table of six.

Know your audience

If you’re speaking to artists, better not talk about facts and statistics, they’ll only be bored. In other words, know your audience if you want to create rapport. The same is true in networking. Before any networking event do a quick audience analysis. Ask yourself these questions whether meeting one on one or going to a business-to-business mixer. What is the general age of the audience? What kinds of professions are represented? What is the purpose of this event? Is there any significant event that affects this person or this audience? It’s important to find something in common that you have with this person or audience.

One strategy is to visit websites of those who will be there, but you haven’t yet met. Learn a little about their business. When you meet them for the first time, you can comment on their website. You now have an icebreaker to go with your introduction of yourself and it’s a technique to gear the conversation toward them. You will be known as an interesting conversationalist.

Don’t be a bore/Be entertaining

Don’t take up too much air. Notice the amount of time you spend talking versus listening. I knew one businessman that had to tell a story to make every point. Every time he opened his mouth, people would let out a big sigh, because they knew they were getting ready for a ten-minute rendition of some parable or story. A boring speaker doesn’t know how to engage the audience and a boring net worker makes the same mistakes: They talk too much about themselves and fail to notice the body language of the person in front of them. When you are purposefully focused on the other person’s interests, you gain knowledge about their business and engage them at the same time. The best way to stop worrying about impressing others is to become interested rather than trying too hard to be interesting. Do your research, and then ask open-ended questions to draw the other person out.

Have an outline or an agenda

A good presentation takes preparation and so does effective networking. If you are networking one-on-one, know why you are meeting, what you want to accomplish and how much time you have allotted. If it’s at a business-to-business connection, find out who’s going to be there, whom you want to meet, and what you are going to talk about at when you get your five minutes. Keep in mind that you can’t cover much in 5-7 minutes, so focus on one or two areas of interest and keep a couple of minutes open to answer questions. Major mistakes include giving too much information in the time allotted which overwhelms your audience, not being organized, thereby being hard to follow, getting off track, and making assumptions that your audience knows the jargon of your business. Have your handouts ready and create a simple outline and stick to it.