Submitted by Sabina Hitchen on | 0 Comments
I recently had a chat with a friend who is also an entrepreneur, and much of our conversation was centered around the ways we each used video within our own businesses. It soon emerged that we both had similar questions for each other. You see, though we both were completely comfortable in front of the camera in the ways we'd been doing it regularly, (for me this is teaching live Tin Shingle #TuneUp webinars every week on camera and for my friend it is creating regular, short YouTube tips), we were each a bit fearful and frozen about making the transition to the other style of video delivery.
After laughing about the fact that each of us had arrived at our coffee date armed with nearly the same desire - to get what we assumed was the information that would set us free, let us press record and share our message, teaching and brands in a new and powerful way - we both actually had the solution to each of our roadblocks within us the entire time.
You see, we knew that we had all the physical tools needed to record an awesome video class or YouTube video at our fingertips - more or less any business can begin to do it with the tools they already have in their own homes or offices. What we needed to do instead was to take a dose of our own medicine, or "mental medicine" if you will. By this I mean, the mindset that allows me to be filled with excitement and not dread when it's "showtime" every week at Tin Shingle, and her to fearlessly record herself talking into a camera and sharing tips that thousands of people on YouTube will then use to better their lives.
I'm sure that if we were experiencing a temporary "analysis paralysis" moment on our ends - even though we use video weekly - we're not alone. If you know you need to find ways to add video to your buzz building but you're just feeling frozen, use our collective advice down below and break through those obstacles once and for all!
Get Inspired By the Videos You Love & Their Creators
Like millions of people every day, I turn to YouTube and subscribe to the channels of experts and brands in order to learn from them, get inspired from them or get to know their business more. I also love watching live or recorded webinars to learn in the most visual way possible. Watching these things as a "customer" not a creator inspires me to keep creating my own video content. It reminds me that great video content doesn't have to be accompanied by fancy production, expensive sets and fancy people. If I don't need it to fall in love with content, I don't need it to create it either! I turn to these webinar creators and YouTube videos again and again for their quality content, addictive enthusiasm and interesting information, and as long as I can see and hear them and their message, the rest is pretty much irrelevant. Sure, videos that are well edited or look nice are an extra bonus, but at the end of the day it's the person (or business) and the information they are giving me that really matters.
Everyone Starts Somewhere: Study the Journeys of YouTube Superstars (Especially Their Beginnings)
As inspiring as it can be to watch pros delivery information about their business or expertise on video, it can also be daunting. Watching them rattle off content with ease or teach on camera for an entire hour long course without wavering can intimidate you, because you know you're not there yet. Well guess what? They weren't there yet when they began either. Guess what else? You can see exactly what I mean. Try this next time you're hesitant about creating and sharing your first videos or hosting your first webinar: Go to one of your favorite YouTube channels or experts and click on their video lists. Now change the viewing selection from "Newest to Oldest" into an "Oldest to Newest" view. BAM! Behold the first YouTube videos this pro ever created (if they still have them up there that is). It's an eye-opening and reassuring experience. If you want a couple to check out in order to see what I mean, check out these two MAJOR YouTube stars who turned their videos into major money-making enterprises: Bethany Mota (YouTube celebrity turned Dancing with the Stars cast member) and the Tone It Up girls (whose YouTube fitness videos have led them to a major national business and television show on Bravo). Each of them has their first videos from years ago up and each clearly started as a complete novice. Because we all do.
Practice Before You Hit Play
Talking into a computer screen, cell phone or camera isn't always easy because it just isn't natural. But the more you do it the easier it becomes. Before you shoot your first video just shoot a couple of "dry runs" while talking into your preferred recording device. Get used to it a bit, get your nervous energy out and watch yourself to see if there are any little ticks you may want to fix before trying your first live run. It will feel funny at first, but that's just fine - so did riding a bike. When I began doing webinars on camera I resisted and avoided it for weeks, preferring to do them podcast style, off camera. The thought of being live on air made me nervous, I'm not going to lie and say it didn't. Fast forward to #TuneUps these days, and it's just the opposite! I can't wait to flip the "record" button on and tend to forget that I'm staring at my computer screen or a visual of myself!
Realize You Don’t Have to be Like Anyone Else - Just be Yourself
When studying and preparing for your first webinar or video you may begin to worry that you're not doing it "right". Maybe someone you admire does all their videos in one take, another one put a preview of their business products to a music soundtrack and you're not sure how to do it that way, or maybe you want to use notecards while teaching but no one else seems to do it that way...What's a guy or gal to do? Just do you. Do what feels right, do your style, don't tell yourself that because one person did it a certain way you have to as well. People become addicted to businesses and video content creators who are authentic, and again, who deliver good content. Worrying too much about how everyone else is doing it isn't worth it and doesn't serve you. The energy that it takes to try to be like everyone else - especially when on camera - is not something you should be spending.
Just Dive in and Get Started
The only way to get better at something is to get started in the first place. Dive into your video or webinar production while remembering that: You’ll get better, you can always scrap it or edit it, and you can and will improve with every video your create. The only way to improve your video creation, execution and producing skills is by beginning!
There are people out there who want to watch and learn more about your business, product, service or expertise. Give them what they want, press record!
