We’re all video stars these days, aren’t we?  Before covid, some of the most common reasons people would give for not appearing on video was – "I don’t like the way I look, I don’t know what to say, I am worried about looking foolish."

Having been forced to sit in those little zoom and teams boxes for over a year some of those concerns have weakened, and now it’s more often a case of people being okay about appearing on camera, but just feeling they’re maybe not quite getting it right.

 

 

So a few tips to enhance your video experience:

1. Be yourself - the camera picks up things that are not genuine, so be genuine and be who you are. You don't need to be word perfect, a supermodel or an Oxford Don. You are an expert in your own business sector and your target audience is looking for expertise and someone they feel they can connect with. You are perfect just as you are.

 

2. Consider your audience – it's vital that you understand where and when your audience is watching, who are they and what is it that they want to know. They really don't want to know how wonderful you are at your job, or how amazing your product or service is. They do want to know how you will help them, so spend some time thinking about the sort of frequently asked questions that you get about your business and answer them;  this will make you a valued and trusted resource.

 

3. Don’t say too much - when considering what you are going say, and writing your 'script' only allow a maximum of 3 words per second of recording.  More than that is too much for people to take on board and it will start to feel as if you are selling and/or just hitting them with information, rather than having a conversation.

 

4. Practice looking at yourself - it sounds strange, but if you take time to watch yourself in a mirror when you speak, you will start to recognise odd habits but also you will learn how to smile without it feeling forced.  It's important to train the facial muscles and brain to recognise what smiling feels like so that it becomes genuine and spreads to the eyes as well as the mouth.

 

5. Wear what is appropriate – think about what you would normally wear when meeting a meeting, in most cases that is exactly what you need to wear on camera as you want the viewers to recognise you in what is a normal business meeting.  Just be aware of not wearing anything with too busy a pattern as that can cause issues with resolution on video and be uncomfortable for the viewer.

 

6. Get started, and don’t stop - once you get started, don't be tempted to keep stopping when things go slightly wrong, keep going to the end and then retake if necessary.  Remember, we don't speak in sentences and it is quite normal to pause, or make a minor mistake;  it isn't the end of the world, in fact, it may well make you more human and therefore more approachable.

 

Your clients and potential clients, no matter how you feel about appearing on camera, are preferring to receive information in a visual way.  Given the choice, most people will choose to watch a short video over reading several paragraphs of text. They also want to feel in control of things so don’t try and put too much into each video, it’s better to do several short pieces than one long one. Also rather than a one-off big corporate header, consider good quality but simpler and more regular pieces – Google loves fresh content and your audience will soon start to become your tribe as you talk to them regularly.

 

 

And finally some stats for those who need them:

 

• 92% of marketers who use video say it is an important part of their marketing strategy
• 88% reported that video gives them a positive return on investment
• 87% say it has increased traffic to their website

 

What have you got to lose, give video a go;  if you'd like to talk in more detail about how video can help your business, please give us a call or drop us an email and we'll arrange a complimentary discovery session on zoom.