You Can Make Videos now That GET ATTENTION by Wendy Rivera
T The camera turns on, and it seems like everything blacks out. Your brain is in the middle of a barrage of thoughts — Wait, what was I going to say? I hate that I always talk too fast! What was I even going to talk about on this video? I hate how I look on camera — I hate how I sound on camera — I hate how I….. I’m the owner, and I care about my brand — it’s just going to look unprofessional! What is “good lighting?” How do I get people to even watch my videos?! This is just a stressful waste of my time. So you conclude: “Forget it — I’m not doing it.” When you hear a marketing expert say, “Video is the most important element in your marketing today!”, do you suddenly feel: a. Excited b. Empowered or c. a Panic Attack leading to hopeless resignation that your bridal business will never capitalize on the most important element in marketing? If your answer was c. — you are not alone — and keep reading, because I want to share with you five simple things that every successful marketing video contains that ANYONE can do, without spending any money on equipment!! YOU can do this! There are a ton of things out there to do or buy that people claim will improve your videos, but these 5 things I’m going to share with you are primary to making videos that connect and convert with your audience! Light it up!! You don’t have to have professional lighting, but you DO need to make sure that you test the lighting before you go live or record your videos! It only takes a minute to do a quick lighting test and make sure that your shot is well lit! Let me tell you, whenever a video is too dark, it makes your audience have to work to watch it. And if an audience has to work to watch you, they will turn you off. So simply make sure that wherever you set up your shot, the light is hitting you from the front and not from the back. If the light is shining from the back, it pulls attention away because the audience cannot focus on your face (or on whatever product you are trying to show). Speak Up! You don’t have to have a microphone to make good videos, but you DO need to be close enough to the device (a camera or your phone etc.) for the microphone to pick you up above whatever other noise is around you! Are you recording a video at market, at a bridal show, or at an event at your business? Background noise is a killer when you are too far away from the camera — and this is especially true when you are trying to interview someone! You may be trying to get a great long shot, but if you (and the person you are interviewing), are not close enough to the mic, it’s a bad idea! If your audience has to work to hear you, they will turn you off. So simply stay anywhere within 6 feet of the camera when there is no background noise, and within 4 feet of the camera if there is any other noise or music that you may be competing with. Remember, the audience can’t zero in on what you are saying when there are other things coming through their speakers. Let your voice and your message be easily heard! Cheer Up! Yes, you MUST be excited to get your audience excited! They will feel only HALF of whatever energy you are putting out there, so before you hit record, get a little bit more pumped up! Stand up taller, think of something that makes you smile (or even laugh!), and then hit it! Laughing and smiling opens you up to people, and that helps them to open up to you, and WANT to watch you to hear what you have to say. When you see a video of someone who seems happy, you tend to tap on it to see what in the world they might be happy about! Remember, this is not about broadcasting, it is about communicating — and those two are VERY different from each other! Don’t mindlessly talk about something you are promoting, because if the audience doesn’t FEEL anything about what you are presenting, they will turn you off. You want people to get excited about your clearance sale? Your trunk show? Your new line? Your fashion show? Then YOU have got to be excited! Don’t just announce it — show them how excited you are about it, and that you can’t wait to meet them there! People connect to your message only if YOU connect with your message. If it doesn’t make you happy, then they will have no interest in it at all! And don’t believe the lie that “it is fake”, or “I don’t feel like ‘me’.” Put yourself aside, smile, and make someone’s day who is watching your video! Get them excited about life in general by how excited you are for what is happening in your business. People will share things that make other people smile — so go spread a little sunshine and watch what a difference it makes in your reach! www.wedaltered.com 12