I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rolled my eyes at a boring Instagram Story or YouTube video that’s just unnecessarily long. Seriously, I won’t even watch a YouTube clip that’s more than 10 minutes. I know it’s sad, but we’re all inundated with media and content, you have to grab people’s attention. Immediately. And a 10-plus minute video shows me I can’t be bothered. Or if someone is wearing or doing something totally distracting? I can’t even focus on the message they’re trying to get across.

Appearance is everything. As superficial as that may sound, it’s true. We all judge a book by its cover and fashion is the language we speak before we even open our mouths.

So today’s post is going to be a little different than my typical “style” topics, but it still incorporates fashion.

This is specifically for you if you want to rep your brand and get in front of the camera {on television, Instagram Story, Instagram Live or YouTube} but you’re just not so confident and/or don’t want to bore your audience. And these same tips apply even if you just want to be a better public speaker.

It’s all about what to do and especially what you wear.

So I’ve got a few tips to put your best foot and face forward on air or when speaking in front of an audience.

Quick backstory: when I first started blogging, I simply just wanted to blog. I had no desire whatsoever to be in front of the camera. But one day a producer from the Nate Berkus Show came calling {well, it was an email!} and since then I’ve done on-air fashion and lifestyle segments. It’s been about six years since I first stepping in front of the camera and it ranges from a live studio audience {literally 200 people watching!} to a live morning show {millions at home watching} or a live digital show {thousands watching online and commenting in real time}.

I’ve increasingly seen other bloggers, influencers and business owners understand the power of being the face of their brand. Stepping from behind the desk and talking to the people can have major benefits.

But I’ve also seen some, hmm, how should I say this? I’ve seen some people get in front of the camera and it’s clear they weren’t ready. Below are a few tips to start your journey if you’re looking to get on-air.

Up Your Energy 
No one wants to watch or listen to a boring person. If your voice is naturally monotone, add some inflections. If you don’t sound excited about the topic you’re discussing, then why would your audience care? That doesn’t mean you have to fake it, but you know that happy mood you’re in or feeling when you meet up with friends you haven’t seen for a while? That’s what you should be channeling. Talking with a smile can also help. It’s hard to sound blah when you have a smile on your face {try it!}. It might feel a little weird at first, but it translates well through the screen.

Have a Purpose
You should have a point of view, an overall purpose to why you’re speaking. You should be able to clearly define that purpose in one sentence. My purpose right now: to help business owners and hosts convey an effective message and let their light shine while on air. See how simple that is? Whatever your purpose, it should be clearly mapped out and every word you speak needs to get you closer to that point. Also, when time is of the essence, it’s important to start off with the most important, attention grabbing info first. This ropes people in and if you run out of time, it’s no big deal because you’ve already hit your key talking points.

Wear Vibrant Colors
Everyone may not like dressing like a bag of Skittles {I do though!}, but when working in front of a camera, it’s really necessary to turn up the hues. Colors just pop and look vibrant on camera. Maybe dressing head to toe in fire engine red won’t work for you, but a colorful necklace or a bright top can anchor a neutral pair of pants or skirt. Find your go-to colors that make you look phenomenal. If you’re not sure what those colors are, ask friends what looks amazing on you and certain colors {like blush, red and teal} look great on everyone. Take photos of yourself in a variety of colors and see what really speaks to you.

[bctt tweet=”The do’s and don’ts of going live and repping your brand on air ” username=”PatriceJWill”]

Limit the Distractions
While bright colors attract your audience, distractions immediately turn them off. This can include loud jewelry that clinks against your mic, chipped nail polish if you’re doing close shots or chewing gum. For more relaxed settings (streaming on Facebook or Instagram), eliminate distractions like eating and drinking. Please, stop. No one wants to hear you sipping tea or gulping down a soda. Take a few sips of water, sure. But steadily eating and drinking is super distracting and sounds horrible for the viewer. Just think about it, do you like hearing someone eating or drinking when you’re talking to them on the phone? A distracted audience is a turned off and tuned out audience.

Show Your Face
This might seem pretty self explanatory, but you would be amazed at how many people don’t show their face when talking to an audience. This mostly applies to Facebook or Instagram. I once watched an IG Live where the business owner had the camera pointed at her computer screen the entire time. Literally, the 20 minute Live was a shot of her screen and in between answering questions from the audience, it was just radio silence. I muted her Stories asap. A face gives people something and someone to connect to. A human. You’re a human, right? And this can also apply with speaking in front of an audience. If there’s something that obstructs your face, particularly your eyes, your viewers will have a hard time connecting or even believing you. Make eye contact, get your hair out of your face, let them see you.

Whether you’re a blogger, business owner or executive, hopefully these tips were helpful and you’ll feel more comfortable on air or in front of a crowd.