Today we welcome guest author Arriane Alexander, Business Coach and Video Expert, and creator of the Lights, Camera, CASH Coaching Program.
How do you stand out from the crowd online?
Whether you are a health coach or an entrepreneur, you are probably trying to figure out how to grow your business and make an impact with your audience. You’re probably aware that creating videos is part of that strategy. The whole world just went virtual, so now is the time to play a bigger game in your business by using video marketing.
Did you know that 80% of people would prefer to learn about a business or product by video versus reading from a blog? And by 2021, video traffic will be 80% of all internet traffic.
Are you ready?
Using videos to grow your audience on Facebook, Instagram and other platforms is essential if you want to: ?
- Draw in new clients
- Grow your business
- Build your brand
- Create strong relationships
- Launch a new product or program
But, you’re scrolling through Instagram and see all these other people rocking it on videos and a little voice creeps in that says you’re not good enough.
Ugh. I get it.
“My first video was perfect and amazing!” SAID NO ONE EVER
When I first started doing videos many years ago, I had zero confidence. And admittedly, I wasn’t that great on video. The camera was shaky, I was stumbling over my words, and I had no idea how to start or finish my videos. I was so nervous and my videos were all over the place with no structure and no calls to action. One time, I was in the middle of a Facebook Live, and my tripod completely fell over. I was a jumbled hot mess. My thoughts were telling me, you’ll never get this, you’re not good enough, you can’t do it…
But I kept going. I was determined to understand how to create powerful videos, so I tried different things, made many mistakes and finally created a structure for myself. I watched my videos (even though it was painful sometimes) to see what I could do better. And the consistency worked! I got more confident on video and clients started coming to me easily because they had seen my videos and felt like they could trust me.
You need to be willing to get out of your stuffy-adult-I-should-know-how-to-do-this mindset, and get into a beginners mindset, take risks and make mistakes in order to grow your business.
5 Expert Tips to Be Confident on Camera
To get you started, I’m sharing the same pro tips I use with my VIP Lights, Camera, Cash clients every day. I know you are probably working from home and these pro tips will help you feel more confident creating videos in that environment.
You’ll want to address:
- Lighting
- Camera angle
- Who you’re speaking to
- Background
- Structure
Let’s dig deeper into each of these.
1. Lighting
We must be able to see your eyes, because that’s how we connect with you. How do you create good lighting?
DON’T: Never set your light source behind you, because it will create a shadow on your face and viewers won’t be able to see you. Also, avoid shooting videos in direct sunlight, as it overexposes your face and creates harsh shadows.
DO: Make sure your light source is in FRONT of you, so it reflects on your face. If possible, sit in front of a window or place a light source in front of you. If you need to, order a ring light that will work wonders for your face.
2. Camera Angle
Looking down into the camera can create a double chin that isn’t even there in real life. You can create a sleeker look for your face just by adjusting the camera angle.
DON’T: Set your laptop or phone on your desk or table and look DOWN into the video camera. When your head is tilted down, it brings the energy of the video down, instead of up. It makes you look like you are talking down to the person who is watching you. Plus, you’ll highlight your chin, when you want to focal point to be your eyes.
DO: Raise your laptop or phone to eye level or a little above to create a natural eye line and smooth angle for your jawline. This makes your face and jawline look more streamlined on camera.
How do you do this? Use a box, storage bin, or stack of books to put your laptop on, or use a small tripod for your phone. Be sure your platform is secure so that your equipment doesn’t fall. Creating this good camera angle makes a HUGE difference in how you come across on camera.
3. Speak To One Person At A Time
There are some basic rules of marketing, and one of them is to always speak to one person at a time. Think of TV ads – they are geared towards YOU, not a group of people.
DON’T: A common mistake I see 99% of people making on video is to say “Hi you guys, I’m here to talk about xxx…” But think about it…who is actually watching you? Is it a crowd of people around one phone watching your video? NOPE. It’s ONE PERSON.
DO: Speak to one person only. Imagine your Ideal Client that you are speaking to, and speak to him or her directly. Use words like “you” and “your” so that you are creating a relationship with the person who is watching your video. You want each person watching to feel like you are speaking directly to him or her.
4. Background
We all know most people are doing business at home right now, and space might be tight to create videos, but it is important to be aware of what the camera sees in the background.
DON’T: Have a background that includes your dirty dishes, an un-made bed, or a bathroom door open. Anything that is in the background can be distracting for the viewer, and you want to keep all the focus on yourself.
DO: Make sure the area behind you is tidy and has the least amount of clutter in the view. You can bring your computer or phone closer to your face so there is less background to see. Try to find a space in your home that doesn’t have too much busy-ness going on. Also, you could use a cloth or paper backdrop for videos.
Extra tip: I get a lot of questions about using a virtual background. These can look unnatural and alter the outline of your head and body. The only way this works well and looks really good is if you have a green screen behind you.
5. Structure
It’s easy to get lost in what you are saying while you are creating your videos, so it’s important to have a structure to follow.
DON’T: Turn on your video without an intention and structure of what to say. You might end up rambling on and on in your videos and turn off your viewers.
DO: Be clear about your bullet points before you turn on the camera. Jot them down on a sticky note and put them next to your camera if you need a reminder. Then if you get off track, you can come back to your notes.
Remember, creating videos is a skill, and it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s just like learning a new language or playing the piano. It takes consistency, patience and practice. Be nice to yourself in the learning process and try to have fun even when you make mistakes. We all make mistakes. As you get more confident creating videos, you will reach your audience quicker and easier so they can know you, trust you, and like you.
If you want more support in how to be confident and rock your videos, grab my FREE 7-Day Video Breakthrough Series and Bonus Action Guide: 3 Steps To On-Camera Confidence. This will help you gain the confidence you need to use videos to create the 6 (or even 7!) figure business of your dreams!
About the author: Arriane Alexander, Business Coach and Video Expert
As the creator of the Lights, Camera, CASH Coaching Program, Arriane has helped coaches, consultants, health and fitness experts and other online entrepreneurs take courageous action to create consistent, powerful videos that people actually want to watch. Working with Arriane has been known to increase your business by $ 750,000 in 6 months, help you actually look forward to turning on a live video, and fill your Mastermind program in just two weeks. Arriane’s video expertise has been featured on Good Morning LaLa Land, The Primal Blueprint Podcast, and The Health Coach Radio Podcast.
When she’s not teaching YOU how to be fabulous in front of the camera, you can also see her on TV working as an actress in some of your favorite shows like S.W.A.T., People vs OJ Simpson, Grey’s Anatomy and Young Sheldon. This cowgirl originally from Oklahoma is also generally working up a sweat on the Santa Monica beach path, making sure the sunshine still feels good.
FREE 7-day Video Breakthrough Series
About the Author
If you’d like to add an avatar to all of your comments click here!
