Top 10 Tips for Taming the Teleprompter

1. REHEARSE before you get to the set. Make sure you rehearse out loud — words sound different in your head than they do spoken. Rehearse with the teleprompter to make sure all words are visible. Rehearse with the teleprompter operator to help them know your pace.
2. LEAD the pace of the prompter. Your read should control the speed of the scroll. If the operator is leading, pause to let them slow down or speed up.
3. SPEAK naturally — do not just read. Add interjections whenever it feels natural.
4. PAUSE for emphasis and drama. Using pauses makes your speech
sound more natural and gives you the ability to focus your audiences attention.
5. SEE the Teleprompter as a person. Invision a person you really like just behind the words. This will help humanize your voice and facial expressions.
6. DON’T MOVE your head side to side as you read. If you find yourself doing this, most likely the font size is wrong. Ask the Teleprompter Operator to make an adjustment.
7. DON’T STARE. Breathe naturally and blink naturally. Don’t be afraid to look off for a second — it can make you look like you are thinking rather of reading.
8. CHECK your eye contact on a monitor. Read off the center of screen. If you read too high, it may make you look condescending (your nose will be up in the air). If you read too low, you may look angry.
9. DON’T KEEP your hands in your pockets (especially if you have coins or keys in them). Use gestures naturally.
10. HAVE FUN. This is a great tool that can help you express yourself easily. If you are enjoying yourself, so will your audience.

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Laurie Brown is an international speaker, trainer and consultant who helps people improve their customer service and presentation skills. She is the author of The Greet Your Customer Manual and The Teleprompter Manual,  Laurie can be contacted through www.thedifference.net, or 1.248.761.7510, or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it