How to Get Over Hating Yourself on Video
So...you've seen the video marketing industry EXPLODE over the last five years but you're huddled in the corner pulling a "Mom's-spaghetti" moment Eminem-style at the thought of looking into a camera and pressing that scary red button. We get it, putting yourself out there for the world to see in "real-time" can be wildly intimidating. Luckily, we have some handy dandy tips for how to beat the hermit crab syndrome and put your face to good use.
1) GET USED TO THE SOUND OF YOUR OWN VOICE
Getting comfortable in front of the camera is nearly impossible if your mind is preoccupied with your voice sounding too-this, too-that or not enough-such-and-such. Look, we all wish we had the velvety pipes of Zoe Saldana but the reality is, no one else is thinking about how your voice sounds but you. We know it can feel awkward to talk to an inanimate object without the distraction of a two-way conversation; that's why it's important to "desensitize" yourself to the sound of your own voice. To help you stay focused on the purpose of your video and get your brain out of hyper-critical mode, try using “immersion” tactics in your day to day life:
Think out loud: We’re experiencing an inner monologue nearly 24 hours a day, put it to use by taking advantage of opportunities to talk out loud when you’re alone.
Talk to pets: Our pets live to hang out with us, give them what they want and do your voice self-esteem some good in the meantime. Will you look a little crazy? Maybe...but the more we hear ourselves speak in a vacuum, the more comfortable we feel talking to something that can’t talk back (like a video camera).
Record yourself and play it back: Our “real” voice can often sound very different to us than our recorded voice. A great way to familiarize yourself with your recorded voice AND get some sweet, sweet self-love time in? ThinkUp, an app that allows you to record yourself saying affirmations and play it back on a loop with uplifting background music.
2) NAIL THE LIGHTING
It’s impossible to have high quality video without the proper lighting. If you don’t have an area in your home or office that has great natural light {the best option}, you can “cheat the system” by purchasing a tripod with a halo light, many on the market today are operable with just a smart phone (no spendy camera required).
3) PUT YOURSELF IN A GOOD MOOD
The energy you bring into a video recording comes through in your body language, tonality, rate of speech, {you get the idea}. To get the best possible results, engage in activities that increase your endorphins before heading into a video shoot and you’ll see the difference. Some of our favorites include:
Put on one of your all-time favorite jams and dance around!
Go for a refreshing walk or do a light work out {nothing too sweaty unless you plan on showering in between}.
Make a gratitude phone call, text message or social media post.
Read a chapter from a motivational book.
Perform a random act of kindness for a stranger, friend or significant other.
4) GET YOUR SET UP RIGHT
Take the time to do a full test run of your video set up. Nail your best angles, find the perfect spot in your house or office and evaluate what body language feels best: maybe you feel more comfortable sitting with your legs crossed or maybe standing and motioning with your hands feels more natural. Making sure the details are right going into the shoot will allow you to relax and focus on your delivery.
5) GIVE THE CAMERA A HUMAN IDENTITY
Let’s face it, talking to an empty room is awkward. So is having a room full of people watch you talk to a camera. Whether you’re recording solo or have a film crew on stand by, you can decrease the discomfort in front of the camera by following one simple trick: pretend you’re talking to another person. Rather than focusing so heavily on ourselves, giving the camera a “human” identity allows us to take on a more conversational casualness that puts us in a connection-driven, confident state of mind. Look into the camera as you would when making eye contact with someone and imagine you’re speaking to a colleague or client in a sales meeting. This will instantly allow your body language and tonality to relax and flow more easily and effortlessly.
6) ROCK YOUR THREADS
What you wear and how you feel are very closely tied together. Give yourself the full advantage of wonder-woman confidence by putting on an outfit that gives you a little pep in your step. Be mindful to choose one that doesn’t make you feel the need to “adjust” or “fidget”; now’s not the time to dawn the jacket you can’t move your shoulders in or the dress with the itchy tag.
7) USE TALKING POINTS, NOT A SCRIPT
The best video marketers reach through the camera and make us feel like they’re talking directly to us because they understand their material so well. While starting with a script will help you stay on track, reciting it word for word comes across as stiff and disingenuous. Rather than pulling the teleprompter move, we suggest creating an ordered list of talking points and allowing the “conversation” to fill in around them. To familiarize yourself with your talking points, here are some easy steps to follow:
Step 1: Type up a full script.
Step 2: From your full script, underline or highlight the most important aspects {your "must address" talking points}.
Step 3: Using your “must address” talking points, create a new, bullet point list to familiarize yourself with {try to keep your bullet points to five words or less}.
Step 4: Tape the bullet point list somewhere easily visible near your camera.
Step 5: Practice hitting all your talking points out loud a few times, quickly glancing at your bullet point list when needed.
Step 6: Record that sh*t.
8) TURN RESPONSES INTO AFFIRMATIONS
Once you put your video out into the world, take note of the positive responses you get and turn them into affirmations designed to skyrocket your confidence and commitment moving forward. To give you a glimpse of what this might look like, let’s use an example from a well-known relationship expert and video marketer, Matthew Hussey. In this video, Matthew talks about the reasons why people mistreat their partners in relationships, why their partners tolerate it and how to break the cycle:
One of his followers comments with:
We could turn this comment into an affirmation by framing it as follows: “My videos help others realize their value and accept the love they deserve in their life."
Creating an affirmation from each of the positive comments you get will keep you accountable to the WHY behind your videos and help you approach video marketing from a service-driven state of mind {rather than stressing over that stray hair or tiny word slip}.
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