Who would have thought that billions of hours of video content would be uploaded to YouTube and other online sites each month? The growth of video is astonishing and will continue to grow in the years to come. With mobile technology and smartphones, we have a powerful tool in our hands which you must use for marketing and growing your personal brand. Why is using video so critical now? How can you get started?
The purpose of my #FocusFriday series is to provoke thought and encourage people to take control of their personal marketing and business. Focus on the important time saving, business development, marketing and fun aspects of business. Yes, business activities should not be painful every minute of the day. Hard work is necessary and to be successful you have to hustle, try new approaches and focus on finding what works.
If you are not embracing video now for your brand and for marketing, it’s time to start. Here are the reasons why:
- More and more people (consumers and prospects) prefer video content. It’s quick, easy to watch on a mobile device and does not take much time.
- Besides meeting in person, video is the best way to convey your personal brand message to those you with whom want to build relationships and business. For some it may even be the best approach; a well-crafted, practiced and perfected video message can convey an exceptional and memorable message.
- Producing a video forces an individual to focus on their message, delivery, value proposition and differentiators. Knowing your message and differentiators and being and able to clearly convey it will allow you to more quickly educate prospects and your audiences about who you are, what you do and why you do it.
- Without video you are not being competitive, you are actually at a competitive disadvantage without having video as part of your marketing. Your bigger, smarter and more marketing savvy competitors are using video and have been leveraging its power for some time. If you don’t have a video strategy, you are at least two years behind your competition and they are pulling ahead fast and your falling farther behind.
- There are many types of video: TV News interviews, video podcasts, corporate videos, videos of speaking presentations, webinars, video conferences, live streaming video (Facebook, Periscope, MereKat, LiveStream, Google Hangouts and others) and how to and educational videos and TV and online commercials. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Vine, Snapchat, Blogs and other social media platforms have video elements. These are all conduits for reaching your audiences and building relationships and growing your brand and business.
For many, the thought of doing a personal brand video is a scary proposition; they simply don’t know where to start. This is a legitimate fear and challenge. The process of creating a quality video and regular video content takes a commitment of time, energy and you need to be confident in your ability. Confidence and the ability to present and communicate on video must be developed.
Where should you start?
Start by thinking about your customers, prospects, referral sources as well as allies and enemies. Who are they? What do they need to know about you? For some this may boil down to a simple elevator speech or pitch, for others it may be more complex. Remember, the video content that you are creating is for your audience and not for you. You must have a clear and understandable message, project this message properly, look the part, use the right body language and come across as genuine.
Starting to get complicated, right? Well it is complicated. It’s easy to set up a camera, lights and microphone. You can buy expensive equipment or even hire a professional video production crew. However, without understanding the message you want to deliver to your audiences, it could be a colossal waste of time, energy and money. The end product could make you look worse.
Let’s take a step back and discuss preparing. Over the past 25 years I have trained and prepared hundreds of people for news media interviews, many for local and national TV appearances. There is no greater pressure to perform than being asked to do live television. A live TV appearance can make or break a career, and we know the value of news media coverage is unmatched in its value for marketing. Why do I bring up live TV appearances? The process of preparing for live TV, or even a recorded TV interview, is the same that you must follow when preparing to make a video. The pressure may not be as intense and you may have a few shots at making your points, however, failure to think about your audience, message and the reason for the video will limit your success or even the ability to present effectively.
Once you craft your message, it is time to start practicing. Practicing for video goes beyond just memorizing or rereading a speech or talking points. For those seeking to be exceptional on camera, preparation will require an understanding of presentation and communication skills. How do to you acquire these skills? It takes a commitment to focus on yourself and your abilities. Studying, training with professionals, reading and learning are required. The best students we have worked with and trained are those who embrace this adventure. The investment of the time, energy and effort pay off in a product that is more than the powerful videos and TV interviews that are created. Individuals become better communicators of their personal brand message. They are more confident when speaking, networking and interacting directly with clients and staff.
Make the commitment today to get your video marketing program moving forward. Craft your message and get the training and coaching you need to present effectively.
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