Avoid These 5 Body Language Mistakes on Camera (Episode 151)

Delivering a virtual presentation is more common now than ever before. And when it comes to a new set of challenges like this, your body language is so important on camera, you've gotta be able to have a significant impact on how your message is received, and unfortunately, many of us make mistakes that can undermine our credibility and distract the audience.

[00:00:28] Whether you are delivering a pitch or a speech, you're conducting a webinar, or simply pitching an idea to your team. In this episode, we're gonna cover the dos and don'ts of body language on camera, so you can avoid these pitfalls and deliver a more engaging and effective virtual presentation. I'm your host, Chris Schwager, welcome to Video Made Simple.

[00:00:50] So why do you need to move while presenting? Christine writes, yeah, that's my script writer, by the way.

[00:00:58] Did you know that 90% of communication is nonverbal? That's why using body language and movement during virtual presentations is critical for connecting with your audience, but winging it won't cut it. Conscious movement makes all the difference in appearing confident, engaging, and unforgettable. Without it, you risk coming across as robotic and stiff and uninteresting, as people watch you look like paint and dry. So, Let's avoid these bad body language habits during virtual presentation. And here are my five top tips to steer clear of bad body language.

[00:01:47] Here are the five bad body languages practices, people do and how to avoid it, right? Firstly, poor posture. Now, as I do this and read this, I'm so keen on understanding whether I'm, I should cut to my side cam here to make sure my back's straight while I read this. Slouching can make you appear unprofessional and a lack of interest and confidence, not to mention it can also affect your breathing. Hmm, which can impact the tone and clarity of your voice. So to, uh, sit up straight with your shoulders back, and your feet flat on the ground, this can help you appear confident and professional.

[00:02:30] Two, lack of eye contact. Now I'm fortunate, I've got the DIY Desktop Studio with my teleprompter, and I'm giving you a hundred percent of my eye contact right now. But not making eye contact or having the side of your head in a video call is incredibly distracting. You dunno what they're looking at. All you're seeing is their ear hole and that's no good. So making eye contact can be perceived as a sign of disinterest or incen insincerity, or a lack of confidence if you don't give the right amount of eye contact. On the other hand, maintaining eye contact is key to creating a connection with your audience. When you're speaking, make sure to look directly into the camera lens.

[00:03:13] Lack of expression is number three. Facial expressions can convey a lot of information. If you hear my voice right now, what you'll also be hearing is me force smiling. Now it makes a big difference and to the way that I'm delivering this message. And if you are in your car right now, flick over to a radio ad and you can hear when presenters are actually using smiling as a tactic to make things sound slightly different. It's really, really interesting to to listen out for, and a lack of expression can make you appear unengaged and disinterested. So make sure to smile when appropriate and use facial expressions to help convey your message.

[00:03:55] Four over gesturing. Ooh. This is interesting because over gesturing, particularly when you've got a frame that's around your chest and you know it's fairly tight. Lots of people are a bit unsure about what to do with their hands.

[00:04:07] They're like, oh, well if the frame's above my chest here and you're not seeing my hands, should I compensate? Like Talladega Nights, the Will Ferrell film, you know, they get their hands above, above the frame so they can be seen in the shot. And the answer is no. Alex are ridiculous. But your body language, even while it's out of shot still, is a big important part of communicating because your body, upper body, your head, your shoulders is still moving and going along for the ride, and that's still really important for people to see that you're not stiff and rigid, that you are loose as a goose, as we say in the business. While gesturing can be an effective way to emphasize key points, too much gesturing can be distracting, and take away from the message. Make sure your gestures are intentional and used sparingly. An example is using too many hand movements or exaggerating body language, such as constantly flailing your arms, pointing excessively, repetitive hand movements, or using big movements that are not in line with your message you are conveying. Instead, be conscious about your gestures. Make sure they're intentional and not distracting. Pointing or using an open palm can be effective to emphasize a point. And if anyone's received a enquiry to a, sorry, a reply to an enquiry video from me, could see in the first couple of seconds me gesturing to the Desktop Studio. Uh, and that is my first point of body language that I'm typically consciously doing in those, in those videos.

[00:05:44] And number five is fidgeting. Yeah. Good point. Imagine you are giving a virtual presentation to a group of potential clients. You're trying to explain the benefits and look professional and the expert with authority. You're trying to explain the benefits of a product, but you're feeling a little nervous, which we all do, from time to time. You start to fidget with the pen in your hand, tapping in on the table or spinning it around. You're also, you also keep adjusting your clothing, pulling out your sleeves, and tugging out your collar.

[00:06:15] All this movement is distracting. It's taking away from the message you're trying to convey, okay? And that's no good because the focus is on your eyes, face, mouth. These are all the hero elements of the image. Potential clients might start to wonder if you're really prepared for this presentation or if you are just nervous and not confident in your product. Either way, there's uncertainty and there's doubt, and you wanna avoid that. So it's important to keep your movements to a minimum and avoid fidgeting with objects or your clothing. Take deep breaths and try to relax your body before you start your presentation and focus on using intentional purposeful movements to emphasize your key points.

[00:06:58] Remember, your body language should match the tone and the message that you're trying to present. Paying attention to your body language and making adjustments as needed can help you deliver a more effective and engaging virtual presentation. Let's make sure your next virtual presentation is a success, uh, looking to improve your virtual presentations and get rid of those bad body language habits.

[00:07:21] Well, our expert of team. Our expert of team, wow. Our team of experts maybe can help. And we offer personalized coaching and feedback to help you present like a pro, including tips on posture, eye contact, facial expressions, and more. You gotta go ahead. Subscribe to this channel. Use the comments in the in the area below, or contact us to learn more.

[00:07:43] Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more valuable Video Made Simple ideas. Thank you so much for listening. That's all for this episode, and see you next week. That's my hand gesture.