We live in the age of video content, fueled mainly by advances in smartphone technology and the rise in popular video-related apps like Youtube, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok.
Video is now considered a crucial part of your digital marketing mix. It allows your growing business to increase brand awareness, attract and engage new customers, and connect with your audience until they become loyal customers and enthusiastic advocates.
But what if you have zero experience making videos or have resisted because you are uncomfortable doing Live videos?
How do you create video content? Where do you start?
What if you’re camera-shy? or scared to put yourself out there?
What if you don’t like how you sound? And what do you say?
In this episode of Help! My Business Is Growing; our guest Elaine Williams shares helpful tips on how to start doing live videos and to overcome your fear of the camera.
Timestamps for this week’s episode
- 03:14 What’s a good place to start if you want to begin creating videos?
- 14:58 Are there any specific things you can do besides breathing and standing to help you warm up?
- 23:39 What does “staying in a character” (not in the sense of acting a role) mean when speaking to a live audience or on video?
- 27:09 Are there specific steps to follow once you’ve decided to start doing videos? What would this process look like step by step?
- 37:50 If someone wants to start making videos, what is the one thing that they can do in the next week, a small, actionable step to get them closer to that goal?
“One person, one problem, and one solution” – just think you’re having a conversation with a good friend.” – Elaine Williams
What’s a good place to start if you want to begin creating videos?
You can start by making daily practice videos for a family member or best friend that you can designate as a “video buddy” just to see yourself on video and hear how you sound.
And if you are consistent in doing this once a day for 30 to 60 seconds, you will eventually get past how awkward and uncomfortable you feel, and it will get better if you keep doing it.
Are there any specific things you can do besides breathing and standing to help you warm up?
Just like each sport has a special warm-up routine, so does public speaking. You need to activate your vocal cords, mouth, and jaw so that by the time you speak, all these muscles are engaged and ready to make you sound good.
Besides breathing exercises and standing while speaking, here are two more warm-up examples you can use:
- Call a friend and let them know you are warming up, and speak to them for a little bit.
- Practice saying tongue twisters aloud. They are a great way to warm up and make you speak and enunciate more clearly.
What does “staying in a character” (not in the sense of acting a role) mean when speaking to a live audience or on video?
“Staying in character” in this context means that we stay present and fully committed to the process, of saying our lines, even if we make mistakes.
It means not being a “drama queen” or having mini-meltdowns with every error or forgotten line. Don’t break the momentum or energy, but stay in character and in the moment to complete the task faster.
“I encourage everybody listening: What’s the thing that makes you unique? What’s your superpower? What’s your special sauce? And it’s okay to share that in bits.” – Elaine Williams
Are there specific steps to follow once you’ve decided to start doing videos? What would this process look like step by step?
- Rehearse
- Warm up
- Fix your lighting and other tech-related aspects
- “Chunk” your content down
- Come up with bite-size content
- Think “one person, one problem, one solution” when talking to your audience
- Let the audience know who you are and how you help people
- Start recording!
Actionable Step
Work on your camera and your lighting, and find your best angles.
Once it’s set up, leave it in a designated “studio corner”, so you can start doing your videos.
Start with live videos for a select audience of family and friends, and keep practicing until you feel ready for a bigger audience.
Transcript
Read MoreSummary
- Find a video buddy and send them daily recorded practice videos until you get more comfortable and improve.
- Say tongue twisters and call a friend so that your vocal cords, mouth, and jaw are ready for you to speak on live video.
- While recording videos, don’t let a few fumbles derail your entire project. Stay in the moment and continue calmly despite any mistakes
- After rehearsing & warming up, ensure that your lighting is optimized and that your content is set before you start recording.
- Set your camera and lighting and start practicing live videos with friends until you gain confidence for a wider audience.
About guest – Elaine Williams
Performance Coach, Comedian, and Author
Captivate the Crowd
Elaine is an award-winning comedian and performance coach with credits like Saturday Night Live, America’s Got Talent, HBO, ABC, NBC, and FOX TV; been featured in The New York Times, Hay House Radio & the Huffington Post.
She combines her Debbie Ford/JFK University coaching certifications with her 30-plus years of performing professionally in theatre, film, TV, voice-over, radio, and standup comedy to transform her clients into “Captivating Speakers.”
Elaine has spoken on college campuses across the US. Recent colleges include Kent State, Notre Dame, UT Austin, SUNY Empire State, and U of Wisconsin, Green Bay. Her TV pilot, “Room for Improvement”, about her life as a landlord, comic, and speaker, was a finalist with Lifetime TV and A & E in the NY TV Festival; and Elaine has been voted the top “Up and Coming Comic” in the NY Underground Comedy Festival.
Her other training includes: Leadership Training with Landmark Education, EFT Training, and Meisner Acting Training, and has been honored for her work with the military and their families at Fort Drum in NY and Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. She did the NYC Marathon in 4:40 and raised thousands in charity bike rides for MS. Her degree is a BA in Drama from UT Austin with honors.
Website – https://captivatethecrowd.com/
Podcast – Still Human
Youtube – Captivate the Crowd
Elaine is the author of 3 books:
Stop the Madness: How to Identify Addiction Warning Signs in your Friends…and What To Do about it.
What Every Student Needs to Know Before They Leave for College: How to Stay Safe and Stay Smart.
Nothing but Net: Creating Your Customer’s Wow Experience with Humor!
About host – Kathy Svetina
Kathy Svetina is a Fractional CFO for growing women-owned businesses with $1M-$10M in annual revenue.
Clients hire her when they’re unsure about what’s going on in their finances, are stressed out by making financial decisions, or need to structure their finances to keep up with their growth.
She solves their nagging money mysteries and builds a financial structure with a tailored financial strategy. That way they can grow in a financially healthy and sustainable way.
Kathy is based in Chicago, IL and works with clients all over the US.
