How to Use Comfort Monitors to Enhance Your Presentations

In today’s Broadly Speaking blog post, we want to share information on a fantastic tool that you can use for your next large-group presentation. Comfort monitors can make you look prepared as a speaker, while literally putting your mind at ease. They are called comfort monitors for a reason. Read on, and be sure to share this tip with your colleagues who can benefit from this article. 

What is a comfort monitor? 

A comfort monitor is a video display that a presenter can easily read from, typically from a stage. Unlike a traditional podium teleprompter, one or more flat screen monitors are positioned at the foot of the stage in such a way that they are mostly hidden from the audience’s view. The positioning and angle permits you to take easy glances at your slides or talking points, while being able to maintain strong eye contact with your audience. Comfort monitors offer the convenience and benefit of having notes at your disposal, minus the need to place notes at a podium, or worse, to keep notes in your hands.

As an audience member, you’ve probably seen comfort monitors on the floor, near the stage, typically covered in a black drape to keep them more hidden from view and to hide the wires, thereby making the environment aesthetically pleasing.

Politicians often use teleprompters, as you can see in this image of President Obama:

However, comfort monitors can be more effective for engaging with your audience. 

Who uses comfort monitors? 

Comfort monitors are frequently utilized on TED Talks, as you can see in this screenshot of Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk on Body Language below:

You do not need to be on the TED circuit to utilize comfort monitors! CEOs, business heads, just about anyone speaking at a corporate conference or industry event, and anyone moderating a panel or hosting an important company town hall will find comfort monitors to be an essential component of a successful public speaking engagement.

When are comfort monitors appropriate? 

More and more speakers today enjoy the freedom to move around on a stage. Business leaders are recognizing that they need to be more interactive with audiences, and many audiences are looking for signs of leadership though relaxed on-stage presence. A speaker who is not tied to a podium, who can move freely, and who does not keep notes in hand is highly rated by discerning audiences. Podiums are still appropriate for many formal events, but for day-to-day presentations, and even large shareholder events, staying locked behind a podium can signal too much rigidity. And think carefully about your “staging” choices, to ensure that you are conveying the desired tone for your event.

If you are thinking of leaving the podium behind, there is no reason to leave your notes behind and panic. That’s when a comfort monitor comes into play. You can see an exact representation of what your audience is seeing (no need to turn your back to the audience to check that you are on the correct slide), or, you can set up your PowerPoint to help you in other ways (more on those tips in our next post!). You will be able to put much more of your attention on the quality of the delivery of your message and connecting with your audience.

Using a comfort monitor for the first time takes a little bit of practice. Giving a live presentation with unfamiliar technology can create unnecessary stress and also creates the potential for a negative experience. Request that your IT/AV team set up a comfort monitor during your rehearsals so that you can become accustomed to using it.

Our next blog will cover one of our favorite features within PowerPoint that you can use the next time you present on stage, with or without comfort monitors.

Franchetti Communications delivers accelerated results by designing power-packed media interview and presentation training sessions around your unique goals, in person and via teleconference. Franchetti Communications works with corporations and business leaders to develop communication strategy, messaging, and PR strategy. Follow Franchetti Communications on LinkedIn, and be sure to download our special report: 6 Ways to Guarantee Your Message Cuts Through the Clutter.