Candidly, I hope I made the case last week for you using a teleprompter from time to time. I also promised that this week’s video would detail my favorite choices for the hardware and software.

The thing is, there are 4 completely different types of teleprompters, so it’s easier than ever to choose the wrong one. 🙂

So here’s my personal consumer report on how to choose one for the way you shoot, because life’s too short for making the wrong long-term investments.

Just watch this overview and you’ll learn how to save a whole lot of time, money and aggravation, and make your “Goldilocks” teleprompter choice.

    15 replies to "How to Choose The Right Teleprompter For Your Business"

    • Melinda

      Great suggestions. Thanks.

      • Steven

        #3 might be perfect for you guys 🙂

    • Shelley

      I’ve wondered about teleprompters for a long time. I so appreciate you posting this. Of course, I don’t think I’ve seen a video of yours that I didn’t appreciate or learn from. Be blessed!

      • Steven Washer

        Thank you, Shelly!

    • Gord Isman

      Great video Steve! I’ve been using the Caddie Buddy and PromptSmart Pro solution for quite a while now, and I absolutely love this solution! I’m going to soon try and do some videos with mobile and will check out Teleprompter 2 Plus for Android as you’ve mentioned.

      • Steven Washer

        Thanks, Gord! I’ll be interested in hearing about your experiences with it.

    • Stefan Drew

      Steve

      Some excellent advice here. Thanks.

      My problem isn’t the tech however. Its using it without sounding wooden.

      My natural habitat is to stand in front of an audience and speak with few prompts except maybe a single word or two on a screen .. or maybe even an image. I know my subject well enough to talk for hours about various marketing topics. This suits me also when I’m interviewed on radio and the BBC come back to me quite frequently because I manage to be succinct within the timeframes they work to. I can make the subject last for the full 20-30 minutes or pack it into a 5-10 second soundbite.

      And that is the dilemma. Talking without a script feels natural .. while reading from a teleprompter feels alien and I don’t come over naturally.

      I know that with practice there are times when I’d deliver a much much better video if I used a teleprompter.

      So, how do you use a prompter without sounding like you are reading a script? What’s the secret?

      • Steven Washer

        It’s not enough to say “be yourself”, is it? It’s a big question. I wish I could answer it in a mere comment reply.

        There is a STRONG element of how you use your energy, your hands, your body and voice. All contribute to or subtract from the overall effect. But the energy component can lead the way.

        So for now, just pretend you’re speaking to someone standing 15 feet away and project your energy as that would naturally lead you. This seems to help somewhat with the sense of awkwardness.

    • Richard Mowrey

      Excellent summary. As noted above, the transition to the teleprompter from “natural” speaking to an audience is a bigger challenge than expected. Adding the “fight” with the pad and software caused this beginner to question the wisdom of using a teleprompter at all. When I finally went to a hardwired 12″ monitor attached directly to my laptop, with better software and easier control, it made all the difference.

      The “gold standard” that Steve sets on screen, knowing he is masterfully using the teleprompter, was the x-factor in the extended search for this more personally useful screen/computer combo with the caddy buddy.

      • Steven Washer

        Great post, Richard. Many assume they will be able to navigate the vagaries of these less-complete solutions only to find them unworkable, but then lose the motivation to try again. Glad you did!

    • Jenny

      Hi thank you for the great video, is there anything I could use for the web cam on the computer please?

    • Neal

      I have been successfully using the parrot teleprompter with my iPhone for a while. It attaches directly to the lens of my DSLR camera with an adapter which uses the threads on the end of the lens.. It has an app for the iPhone as well . It has a lot of features (including a remote control). You can alter the size of the text and the speed of the scroll. The one thing I like is it allow the text to be mirrored or not. So I can rehearse with it in non-mirrored mode to see that what has been written works well.

      Just another option to consider.

      • Steven Washer

        Right you are, Neal! It didn’t quite make my cut just because it’s more of a niche product, but it does what it does quite well. Thanks for the review!

    • Paul Clifford

      I use PromptSmartPro on my iPad mini with a DIY solution that cost me about $20. The glass is just regular glass from a large picture frame that I bought at hobby lobby. I hinged it on one side with a couple of small hinges from Lowes, connected to a piece of plywood that holds the iPad. To shade the camera, I use a black t-shirt. Works great. Oh, and I leave it set up 24/7.

      Pro tip. I write on my mac and copy the text to Notes, then open that on the iPad and copy and paste into PromptSmart Pro. Easy peasy.

Leave a Reply to Steven Washer Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.