Q. “I see that you have incorporated some video into your website. How do you create those? I mean, I try to blog once or twice a week but I’ve never done the video blogging thing. I didn’t even have a YouTube page just yet. How do I get started?” ~ C. Chapelle, New York, NY
A. Creating videos to marketing your business is MUCH easier than you think! Many of our videos are either a “talking head” where you see my face or a training video we’ve put together. You can do the same! Here are a few details to get you started:
- Equipment: We shoot most of our videos using my iPhone. Most smartphones today have some type of video capability built in and that is a great place for you to start! (FYI, Wil has become a MASTER at shooting videos because of this $97 training course we picked up!)If you’d like a more traditional camera, you can pick up one from your local electronics store for $200-$300. Be sure to get a tripod (about $30) so your videos are stable and easy on the eyes. You’ll also want an external microphone (about $20) to plug in (to your smartphone or your video camera) to ensure the sound quality is high. Either way you choose to go, you can be up and running with just a few hundred dollars.
- Content Strategy: Use your videos to connect, educate and engage! You do this by focusing on topics that are of interest to your ideal client. If you don’t know what they’re interested in, ask them! Do some research and find out what hot topics are trending now. Don’t guess and don’t assume. If you have existing blog posts or articles you can re-purpose those by turning them into a script for your video or creating PowerPoint (or Keynote) slides that you talk over. Another easy way to come up with your content is to shoot a quick video to answer a frequently asked question. Whatever format you choose, keep your video short! Your audience’s attention span is decreasing by the hour, so keep your videos around two, no more than 3 minutes. Last, but not least, be sure to include a simple, specific call to action at the end – tell the viewer what you want them to do next! (This is how you build your list and monetize your videos!)
- Promote: Don’t just post your video on your blog and hope someone stumbles upon it! Promote it! Share it on your Facebook page, on your Facebook profile, tweet about it, include it in your email newsletter and definitely promote it on YouTube. Create a system for this so you forget any critical steps. Include keywords in your video description to help support your search engine ranking. Last but not least, ask people to share it! You’ll be surprised how just asking gets you more visibility.
My good friend Lou Bortone is the MASTER at teaching you how to use video to attract more clients and grow your business. Check out his blog and his FREE “Lou’s Labs” videos each Friday!
Keep me posted on your progress with this and post a link to your first video as a comment below so I can check it out!
Warm hugs,
Sydni
Michael Fasman says
The best advice is to make it look professional. A poor quality video reflects on the quality of your business. Ideally hire a professional, every city has production companies of all levels. If that’s not an option use a Hi Def video camera, NOT your cell phone or a webcam. They can be bought at prices starting around $500. Many cities have rental shops that rent for under $100/day. Use a tripod, and sit in a bright area but not against a window or where you’ll be backlit. Place the camera close or use a microphone. Minimize disruptive sound around you.
As for editing Macs come with iMovie and there’s several free easy editing programs for PCs. Once you have it edited the programs have an export option that usually includes automatic setup for YouTube. Setting up a YouTube account is as easy as signing into any site.
Remember, shorter is better! No one has more than 2 or 3 minutes to watch.
Final thought: find a student to help you. There are many colleges or trade schools with video classes, students always look for opportunities for real world experience and they can be really talented
Good luck! Don’t forget to smile!