No doubt, you did not enter the business world hoping to earn an Oscar or Emmy. The good news is—that's not the expectation.

However, being able to communicate through the camera is becoming an essential skill for everyone. If video hasn't fully invaded your professional space, rest assured it will.

Those who can effectively present on and to the camera raise their personal stock substantially. Becoming one of the faces of your company can lead to greater opportunities within your organization or even widen your career path beyond your current place of employment. With videoconferencing gaining popularity as a first-line hiring tool, your stellar skill on camera may end up landing you your next job.

Speaking on camera can be scary, and many people won't have the confidence to even try it unless they are forced into it. Hopefully, this book has helped to defeat the fear of the unknown and will inspire you to embrace any and every on-camera opportunity that comes your way.

It's lovely to think that simply reading a book will make you a flawless on-camera presenter. It certainly will make you better, but, as with almost anything, practice is key. Performance jitters decrease with familiarity, and your skills will become rusty if you don't use them on a regular basis.

If you are stumped on how to immediately flex your on-camera muscles, here are a few options:

• Suggest holding a videoconference rather than a teleconference for your next meeting. Your fellow participants may initially balk, but you can win them over by highlighting the benefits: you can get more done in a shorter period time if everyone is forced to stay visually accountable.
• Instead of writing a blog post, record one, using your smartphone. Keep it casual, in tone and production. It'll be refreshing and likely receive more attention than a written version.
• Propose a video series for your company's web site. You could talk about a customer success story or a new product being launched. Instead of having written bios on your team page, consider doing short on-camera versions. It'll be a differentiator and allow potential customers get to know you in a much deeper way.

Get creative. Rethink what's always been put in print and consider whether it might have more impact if it were presented via video. The ways you can leverage your on-camera skills will only grow in number as more and more media channels come on line.

Take the time to study presenters you admire. YouTube and the like provide hours and hours of case studies. Try out some of the techniques you observe, but don't be someone you're not. If it feels contrived, it'll appear fake to your audience. Authenticity is paramount.

Cameras as communication tools are game changers. They provide intimacy and immediacy that no other medium can match. The camera is not your enemy; it's your conduit that allows you to deeply connect with your audience—anywhere, any time. And in this video-driven world, that camera can be a conduit to your professional success.