Don’t fear the teleprompter…

Friends,

Have you ever used a teleprompter?

Here’s my advice, if you haven’t: don’t fear the teleprompter, but DO prepare.

Until recently, I didn’t have a lot of opportunities to use a teleprompter. But now that I’m president of my alma mater’s Alumni Association, I’ve been in front of one a LOT more.

What I’ve discovered is…they’re more tricky than you would expect.?

Here are my three tips for making your teleprompter experience as seamless as possible:

1. Two words: DRESS REHEARSAL.

This is my biggest piece of advice: do not walk into a teleprompter speech without practice!

A dress rehearsal is going to be your best friend—and you’ll see why once you’re up there.

Here’s why it’s so tough. Our eyes are used to moving across the page in order to read. But the whole point of a teleprompter is that the page moves for you, so your eyes stay static.

It’s a totally different skill than you’re expecting. And you can definitely get used to it, but practicing before a hundred or thousand eyeballs are on you is key. There’s nothing worse than being in front of an audience and realizing your brain is going, “Wait, what is happening?”?

If you’re not offered a dress rehearsal, I encourage you to ask for one. If you end up breezing through the rehearsal with no trouble, that’s great. Personally, I needed that rehearsal.

2. Ask what kind of teleprompter you’ll be using.

Unless you use teleprompters regularly, you might not realize there are different kinds.

Sometimes the teleprompter is a screen on the podium. Sometimes it’s a screen just in front of the camera lens. And sometimes, it’s on paddles to the left and right of the podium.?

No matter where the teleprompter is, it’s positioned so you can be engaged with the audience. Depending on the setup, you’ll have to make certain choices as you speak.?

For instance, when I used the side paddle format teleprompter, I found that it took my brain a nanosecond to catch up when I switched from the left to right paddle (and vice versa). I quickly realized that I shouldn’t switch my gaze mid-sentence, because I would lose my place.

If you know in advance what format you’ll be using, you can prepare a bit better. And again, the dress rehearsal is going to be your very best friend here.

3. Prepare to limit your body language a bit.

Listen, I’m Italian and like to talk with my hands and move my body as I speak. Gestures are an important aspect of how I communicate…and I’m limited in how I use them with a teleprompter.?

Know this: if you’re moving around too much, it’s easy to lose your place on the teleprompter. Or in the case of the paddles, if you move too far, you might not be able to see your speech at all.

In short: you actually have to stand still. Now, I’m not saying I pace around, but I found it unnatural to stand as still as was required by the teleprompter!?

What has your experience been like with teleprompters? Any tips to add?