I'm OK, Jack 
because I got myself
a Ring Light!

It made me laugh, when half of all the people I know, ran out and bought a ring light to go and sail seas of the great online live video. While a ring light helps to achieve a better lighting effect overall – it does not a better online presentation make!

That’s what the other half of all the people I know, started to do immediately. They began to think more carefully about what it is they want to say, amidst the clutter of online messaging. And then they crafted those key messages well.

What’s the secret to “going digital”?


Less is definitely more, when it comes to online video. 

Remember, you’re competing for attention in a space that looks an awful lot like a popular YouTUBE video – or worse – is compared to a talk show or streaming series someone has watched.  

This “HD” frame, or “16 x 9” format as it is called, is synonymous with great entertainment that films, television and streaming companies such as Netflix, specialise in. They entertain. And your audience watches your video, wondering when it is going to end. Oh wait, they have a mouse in their hand or their finger on a track pad. They can click away in the next second! 

Sadly, that is what most online viewers do.

You can see the full range of the 10xToolkit on the FNB App for FREE!

Tune-out is inevitable 


So what can we think about doing, to avoid this diabolical tune-out that’s happening en masse? Well, for starters; be a little more entertaining. I like to use the phrase “performative”. It isn’t quite like a performance that Meryl Streep would give, when she becomes another character. But there is a sense of “larger-than-life” involved here. You want to step your personality up just a little.  

But don’t PERFORM. If you attempt to “act” and “become” a different personality, you will destroy every bit of confidence viewers have in you, when the authenticity is low. Leave that stuff for Meryl to do! 

5 THINGS TO FOCUS ON 


I’ve made a little list, and there are really only 5 THINGS we need to get right online.  

It sounds simple enough, and some of them you could introduce immediately and get great results. But as it is with Malcolm Gladwell’s 10 000 Hours Rule, it’s mostly going to take some work. (That’s the part where the Ring Light Gang go wrong!) 

  1. Make it GRIPPING: Think about the pace, the intrigue and the action during the first few minutes of any TV show you’ve loved. Those critical moments are designed to grab your attention. And that’s why people will WATCH. 
  2. Make it CONNECT: Early during any movie or TV show, you learn things about the main character that makes you care. Think about a story you can tell about your WHY, that’ll build connection and that’s how you will get them to STAY. 
  3. Make it ENGAGING: People need to do more than just watch. They want to feel something for the main character, get excited about the things that happen on the screen or how they think about this world that’s presented to them. You’ve got to move them. I believe that’s the secret to getting them to LEARN. 
  4. Make it IMPACTFUL: Once something becomes relevant to a viewer, there is something they “take home with them”. Think about a movie like Jaws; people didn’t go near the ocean for months after they saw that! You don’t necessarily want to scare your audience to death, but if the message has enough punch to make an impression, that’s probably the biggest secret to getting them to ACT. 
  5. Make it MEMORABLE: If there is a sequence of events someone could remember, just like a good joke, or a dance step, it is more likely they could tell someone about it. And ultimately, this delivers the most impart part, which is to get them to REPEAT your message. Because if it wasn’t REPEATABLE in the first place, just how will you get your message out in the world? 

IT SHOULD MATTER, EVERY TIME YOU GO ON CAMERA 


Many years ago I recall presenter, Manu Padayachee, tell me how he had butterflies – every single time he went on camera, even after many years of doing this work as a seasoned and talented presenter. You have to work to make it special, every time you talk to your audience.  

I do a lot of coaching from my little pop-up studio in Hyde Park, and if you’d like some advice and recommendations, I’m always happy to hop onto a Zoom call and have a quick discussion. Be sure to contact me.  

And if you’re in the area, come visit. We don’t have ring lights, but we sure can help you achieve an amazing LIVE webinar the next time you speak. 

Thanks for your time!