If the thought of going live or recording videos for your business makes your pits sweat and skin crawl I’m right there with you.
Video (and even audio) is something I’ve resisted doing for years because I hate hearing the sound of my voice. I’ve also been scared to death that I wouldn’t be able to clearly get ideas across without writing them down and editing them.
Last month, I hired a marketing coach to help me develop a sales funnel for my new financial coaching package. She said 4K video in the marketing sequence is non-negotiable. I won’t lie. As soon as she mentioned this a bunch of excuses were at the tip of my tongue. But I was so scared to disappoint her that I dipped my toes into the water anyway.
Now I’m actually enjoying video and excited about the opportunities that communicating this way will bring. Here are my tips if you’re also scared of video:
Don’t Be a Perfectionist
One of the main reasons I avoided video is because I had this grand idea of what my first video should be. I wanted a beautiful backdrop with luxurious staging that’s filmed by state of the art equipment. Essentially, I wanted all of the bells and whistles which is the kind of set up that other business owners have spent thousands of dollars on. This expectation is unrealistic.
Start now with what you have. It could be just your phone or a computer camera.
Plenty of business owners have started this way as well. The production doesn’t need to be perfect your first few times around. You can make an investment in staging and equipment when your content starts seeing results.
Get an Accountability Partner You’re Scared Of
I’ll be frank. Venturing into video would probably still be the last thing on my mind if it hadn’t been for the urging of my coach. Ask someone to hold you accountable if you know you’re unlikely to jump out of your comfort zone without a little push.
Don’t ask just anyone to be your accountability partner either. It has to be someone who you respect, who you may be a little scared of, and who will shame you for not following through. People who let you make excuses without speaking the truth about your behavior aren’t going to help you.
Record Before Going Live
Recording videos isn’t like public speaking. There’s a lot less pressure. You can edit to your heart’s desire. Dabble in recording to get more comfortable if the thought of going live makes you queazy. Think about how the content you’re creating will change lives instead of how nervous you are to be on camera. People are most interested in gaining value from what you have to offer.
Final Word
I’m still working through the kinks in my video strategy, but I can tell you there is something exhilarating about trying something new. For all my fellow business owners who are hiding behind your keyboard (writers specifically) — give video a try! What have you got to lose?
