We have all seen the cringe-worthy videos of politicians giving speeches. Many people tend to shy away from on-camera presentations, but it doesn't have to be that way.

Over all the years I’ve filmed interviews I had quite some politicians in front of the camera from all across Europe. Be it Werner Hoyer, the president of the European Investment Bank, Phil Hogan, former Commissioner for Agriculture, Xavier Bettel, Luxembourg Prime Minister and many others. I usually enjoyed these moments as politicians are usually quite easygoing in front of the camera: they know how to play by the rules, are trained to speak fluently and are often more relaxed than less experienced people. There are quite some take-aways how to polish your appearance in front of a camera.

In this blog post, we will discuss seven techniques that politicians use to ace on-camera presentations. By following these tips, you will be able to give powerful and persuasive speeches that will leave a lasting impression on your audience!

The most important: Confidence is king

One of the most important things to remember when giving a speech is to be confident. This means speaking clearly and confidently, without stuttering or hesitating. It's also important to make eye contact with your audience, as this will help to keep them engaged with what you're saying.

Interestingly confident speakers are often able to keep their speeches relatively short. Long speeches can often lose people's attention, so it's important to get your point across quickly and efficiently. However, this doesn't mean that you should cut out all emotion from your speech - in fact, adding in a few personal stories can actually help to engage your audience and make them more likely to remember what you're saying.

Finally, it's important to practice, practice, practice! This will help you to feel more confident when it comes time to give your actual speech. You can practice in front of a mirror, or even better, videotape yourself so that you can see how you come across on camera. By taking the time to perfect your delivery, you'll be sure to wow your audience when it really matters.

1. Know your audience

This is arguably the most important tip for giving any kind of speech, on-camera or otherwise. Knowing your audience means understanding their needs, wants, and expectations. What are they looking to gain from your speech? What kind of language will they best respond to? Answering these questions will help you tailor your speech to your specific audience, making it more likely to resonate with them.

Quite often politicians ask me before the interview who will watch so that they can perfectly align their message. At the same time, politicians know very well that recorded interviews are usually publicly available and therefore they will always address a larger audience.

2. Keep it short

While it's important to tailor your speech to your audience, you also don't want to overwhelm them with information. On-camera speeches are typically shorter than traditional speeches, so aim for around 3-5 minutes, often even less. This may seem like a short amount of time, but if you focus on one main point and use strong language, you'll be able to deliver a powerful message in a short amount of time.

Politicians are very skilled in promoting their message. Sometimes even by only half answering a given question and using it only as a path to deliver their own message.

3. Start strong

You only have a few minutes to make an impact, so you need to start strong! Grab the attention of your audience from the very beginning by opening with a strong hook. Whether it's a shocking statistic or a personal story, make sure your opening is something that will immediately grab the attention of your viewers and make them want to keep watching.

Quite often we used these strong openings as a teaser to advertise the entire interview on social media. Therefore it’s always a good idea to provide some strong bite-sized snippets that can be used in an isolated environment.

4. Use strong language

When it comes to on-camera speeches, words matter! Use strong, powerful language throughout your speech to really drive home your points. Avoid using filler words like "um" or "like," and instead focus on using language that is direct and to the point. This will not only make your points clear but will also make you seem more confident on camera.

The best interviews I have made had been those where the politicians went straight to the point and used a language that everybody understood. Also, strong language will show your compassion for the topic.

5. Make eye contact with the camera

It can be tempting to look at the teleprompter or off-camera when giving an on-camera speech, but resist the urge! Instead, focus on making eye contact with the camera lens in case you are being asked to speak directly to the camera. This will help create a connection with your viewers and make it seem like you're speaking directly to them. Remember to smile too – it'll help put your viewers at ease and make them more likely to listen to what you have to say.

Quite often as well you may have to speak to an interviewer placed next to the camera. In this case, keep eye contact with the interviewer and fully focus on that person. Less experienced people have their eyes wandering between the interviewer and the camera which is confusing for the audience.

6. Use gestures sparingly

Avoid the windmill. Gestures are important to underline what you say but gesticulating too much in front of the camera will make your speech look nervous and distracting. The politicians I had in front of the camera usually impressed me by being calm and rock-solid. This gave their speech credibility and the needed authority. Of course, everyone is different and you should never imitate someone else, instead, you should be yourself.

Prime Minister Xavier Bettel is usually quite dynamic in front of the camera which perfectly reflects his personality. In stark contrast former Commissioner of the European Commission Phil Hogan is rock-solid and usually very calm and rooted in front of the camera.

Bottom line

When giving an on-camera speech, it is important to follow some key tips in order to make a lasting impression on your audience. These tips include starting with a strong opening, using strong body language, speaking with confidence, using persuasive language, and supporting your claims with evidence. Additionally, you should conclude your speech with a call to action in order to inspire your audience to take action on the issue you're discussing. By following these seven tips, you can give an amazing on-camera speech that will leave a lasting impression on your audience!

‍