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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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I’ve always loved the idea of “standing on the shoulders of giants” — learning from the experiences and knowledge of others so we can succeed.
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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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If you’re an author or expert, you probably dream of being a producer’s first call — that expert they know they can go to for high-quality content.
But how can you get there? One of the best ways to plot out your career goals is to look at others who have done it before you.
That’s why I want to introduce you to Chris Kilham, also known as the Medicine Hunter. His speciality is alternative medicine, and he’s traveled the world looking for healing plants. Chris has written fourteen books during his long (and colorful!) career!
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JOIN ME FOR GO LIVE! MASTERCLASS: Everything you need to produce a polished, lucrative and fun live-stream show that makes you stand out. Sign up here!
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Back when I was a TV producer, experts needed to pitch their idea, meet with me, come into the studio, and find their audience that way. Now, all you need to connect with people is your phone or laptop!
Just kidding — there’s a little more to it than that.
Doing live video on social media is one of the best ways to grow your audience and establish yourself as an expert — but only if you do it right.
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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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We’ve all gotten used to living our lives on video over the past year. And video is here to stay, so if you want to grow your business or connect with your audience, this is a medium you need to master.
I spoke with videographer and producer Kristian Golick on my live-streaming show “Inside Scoop” about common questions about doing video — and how you can become a pro.
As a former TV producer, I’ve been spreading the word about video for years. Kristian and I talked about one element of creating video that is key: It creates a connection between you and the viewer. Just like we all feel like we know our favorite TV reporters or movie stars, your audience can get to know you through your videos.
Kristian knows from personal experience how powerful this connection can be. Kristian has been a videographer for years, creating videos from business as well as wedding films. But he never got in front of the camera himself until 2018, when he created a short video to address a common question among his clients about raw footage and what to do with it.
When he sent it to his clients, they expressed how much it helped them get to know him as a person. In fact, the feedback from that video was so positive he closed $10,000 in business and he’s continued to create video content ever since!
Kristian says that his first video taught him an important lesson about content. Think about the questions that you get most often, then create videos addressing those.
While there are pros and cons to both live and pre-recorded videos, Kristian and I both say that live videos can save you time (and energy) once you get the hang of them. Live videos help you get over perfectionism, too. Plus, they keep you accountable, since if you said you’re going live at a certain time, you’ve got to stick to it! Of course, you can always re-use your recorded live content.
That’s what I do with my live-streaming show Inside Scoop. Kristian and I did this interview and now as you can see I’m using the content now in a different way – as a blog post.
Kristian says you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create a set-up that will make your videos look professional. He uses a light from Amazon that cost about $100, and placed it above him and angled down. He also taped a piece of wax paper to soften the light. The placement of the light is key to avoiding glare on his glasses, Kristian explained. (Make sure you check out the video we did together here so you can see his explanation.)
Don’t worry about creating a set-up that looks too polished — you don’t want people to think your videos are ads, after all!
Like me, Kristian is not a fan of Zoom backgrounds. He either makes sure to have a clean, neat real background, or he uses a green screen if he needs to replace his backdrop. The green screen is key, Kristian said, because it ensures the background is consistent and doesn’t cut off your ear or hands, which often happens with Zoom backgrounds.
Kristian has two suggestions. The first is that you should post where you already have the most audience engagement. If that’s Instagram, go for Instagram. If that’s Facebook, post there.
Kristian’s second suggestion is that you should match your content to the platform. Tutorial-type videos, for example, work best on YouTube. But if you want to do shorter videos, try Instagram Stories.
Consistency is key. If you do Instagram stories, try a short video every day. For YouTube, post once a week. When people know to expect content from you, they’ll be more likely to tune in and get to know you. (That’s why I host Inside Scoop every week!).
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BONUS FREEBIE: Your message deserves the media’s attention. So how do you get out there in a bigger way? I’ve got you covered. CLICK HERE to grab my free “Checklist to Become a Go-To Media Expert.”
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I’ve been singing the praises of video for a long time. And the rise of remote work with the COVID-19 pandemic has opened up so many new opportunities to use video. (Check out my LinkedIn Learning course here all about how to set up your remote office for optimal productivity.)
The biggest change is probably the popularity of Zoom — who among us hasn’t spent countless hours on Zoom since March 2020?!
“Zoom fatigue” is a buzzword we’re seeing everywhere now — and it’s one of the most common issues when it comes to incorporating video into your daily interactions with colleagues and clients.
Sometimes everyone needs to be live on Zoom — and there are things you can do to make those meetings more productive.
Whenever I work with clients to help them pitch media better, look better on camera or set up a system to produce more of their own content, I always ask, “What are you producing now?”
Common answers include:
To be interesting to the media, to your potential clients and your current fans, you need to consistently create content.
So how do you do it?
With an editorial calendar, of course!
This is a trick I’ve learned from nearly 20 years as a television producer. Everyone in the newsroom knew what stories were coming up in the next minute, five minutes, five days, five weeks, etc. Read more
On the flight from NYC to San Francisco I watched Won’t You Be My Neighbor? You know, the documentary about Mister Rogers?
As a kid I loved that show.
But I also loved this documentary and one of the unexpected lessons was about video and television!
When Mister Rogers said “television is community,” I thought yes, that’s it! Read more
The media isn’t some secret secluded club as most people seem to imagine. In fact getting on TV as an expert isn’t all that difficult once you know how.
A perfect example is Juliet Murphy, executive career coach & resume writer. I recently had the chance to interview her on how CBS came to her to feature her for a story. You can check out the video here. Read more
[Want to create videos that get attention? Check out my free webinar: Produce Like A Pro: How to Create Compelling Video and Handle Any On-Camera Interview“]
Small Biz Trends says this year, 2019, global consumer Internet video traffic will account for 80% of all consumer Internet traffic. 80% is a lot of eyeballs – are you engaging them to know, like and trust you?
A lot of experts THINK they are doing just that but there are some trends in video production you should avoid like the plague.
Here’s some of the biggest mistakes people are making when producing their own videos:
MISTAKE #1: Using Video ONLY to Sell
In the Internet marketing world videos are used, and for good reason, to sell products, coaching packages and more. There’s a good reason for that – when a potential customer sees you and hears you they connect with you. Hopefully they like you and eventually buy your product. To be clear – using video to sell a product will boost your chances. In fact, Hubspot.com says adding a video on a landing page can increase conversion rates by 80%.
However, the biggest issue happening with entrepreneurs is that you’re using video ONLY when you want to sell some big ticket item.
All of a sudden our newsfeeds get flooded with your Facebook Lives and your YouTube account has tons and tons of pre-launch content leading the viewer into your funnel. It starts to become a little disingenuous.
WHAT DO TO INSTEAD: Consistently be of service with high-quality content
Think about it. If you only hear from a friend when she’s in the middle of a breakup and needs something from you that will get old fast. Right? When I was a senior producer at Fox News Channel I received hundreds of pitches a day. I only heard from those experts when they wanted to be on TV. That’s it. The ones who made a real effort to connect with me and have a relationship were the ones who got my attention – and in the end – a segment. They reached out to me even when they weren’t trying to get on TV, but to see what they could do to make my job easier.
In fact, I presented a webinar recently called, “Produce Like A Pro: How to Create Compelling Video and Handle Any On-Camera Interview“ and in it I talk all about how to connect with the audience through the content that you share. To check it out click here for the recording.
Use whatever example you like but no one likes to be used. And your potential clients are exactly the same. Consistently share high-quality content with them to be helpful and change their lives. That’s what this is all about. You should be using your expertise to change people – not just fill your pockets with cash. (Although let’s be serious – that’s nice too!)
MISTAKE #2: Stop Looking At Yourself!
This drives me insane. Whenever I media train a client it’s one of the first points I go over. Stop looking at yourself in selfie mode when you’re recording a video! What you’re doing is showing the audience that you aren’t connected with them. You are only looking at yourself. It’s like they don’t even matter. If you are looking down or off to the side it’s easy to lose interest and click to a different video where the expert is ore engaged.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD: Look Directly Into the Camera
Whether you’re recording a video on your iPhone or on your computer look directly into the CAMERA. It feels awkward to not be looking at the person on the other end of the Zoom or Skype connection if you’re doing an in interview but trust me – it looks so much better if you’re looking into the camera. And that goes for any time you’re producing videos on your own and not interviewing someone too.
MISTAKE #3: You Go On and On and On and On and On
If I had a dollar for every wasted minute of video I’d be a billionaire. Many of the videos I watch online simply go on too long. Do you know how many makeup tutorials are out there which feature 10+ minutes of talking before they even start showing you how to apply anything?
Without true intention and planning your video will just seem like a video diary. This might be fun for you but for the viewer it gets tired fast. Your videos should be showcasing your expertise in a fun and engaging way.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD: Be Concise, Clear and Compelling
Practice and plan out your videos before you push record. I know a lot of you are thinking, “Oh I’m great off the cuff.” Great. Except everyone thanks that and very few people actually are.
Trust me I’ve worked with seasoned anchors and reporters for nearly two decades and it took them lots and lots of consistent practice to be great “off the cuff.” Plus, unless it’s breaking news, those reporters and anchors have rehearsed what they’re going to say and are most likely reading off a TelePrompTer.
Intension is key when producing videos. Make sure you know why you’re doing it and what the audience will take away from investing a few minutes with you.
How long should a video be? Well that depends. The short answer is short. Like under two minutes. The longer answer is sometimes you have to break that rule to get the message across and teach something. For instance, if you’re doing a cooking demo or showing how to use a piece of software it might take more than two minutes and that’s OK.
MISTAKE #4: Don’t Hold Your Phone Vertically
Ok before all the social media gurus freak out here – yes there are exceptions to this rule. When you’re shooting videos for InstagramTV and Facebook Live using your iPhone you should hold the camera vertically. But that’s it! Otherwise your video has black bars on the side and you aren’t filling up the whole screen as you should be. It’s distracting and looks like poor quality.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD: Hold the Phone Horizontally
Whenever you’re producing a video for YouTube or to upload to LinkedIn, etc. you should hold your iPhone horizontally with the home button to the right if you have the front of the phone pointing at you. This will allow your image to fill up the entire screen and look best when people view this video on their phone horizontally. It also gives your audience a better view if your trying to demonstrate something.
MISTAKE #5: Use the Camera’s Built-In Microphone
Sure, in a pinch using the camera’s microphone is fine. But I wouldn’t make a habit of it. When you skip using a microphone to amplify your message you lose intimacy with an audience. There’s a richness and closeness to audio that is projected correctly. It’s the same concept I mentioned before with looking into the camera directly so look at your audience. If you do this correctly you’ll have a connection with them that will be hard to resist.
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD: Invest In a Quality Microphone to Amplify Your Message
Always use a microphone whenever possible If you’re recording videos or podcasts on your computer, this is the microphone that I use and it works really well. It’s moderately priced and is easy to set up. I’d also probably add what’s called a pop-filter to the top of it incase you pop your p’s like I do! It will help to soften the harsh sounds.
If you’re producing videos using your iPhone you can use a clip-on lav microphone. This is the one that I have and use for most of my videos. If you use audio correctly you’ll have a connection with your audience that will be hard to resist.
[Want to create videos that get attention? Check out my free webinar: Produce Like A Pro: How to Create Compelling Video and Handle Any On-Camera Interview]
You might not know this about me, but I used to be a total perfectionist. I spent hours agonizing over the content I produced, all because I wanted it to be perfect.
That quickly changed when I started producing live television news. There just wasn’t time for perfect. Done is better than perfect when you’re in a time crunch.
You know what that experience of having to produce content under a deadline taught me? How to think quickly and churn out content no matter what.
If you follow Seth Godin, he calls it shipping. And he says that we’re afraid of it because as soon as you put content into the world it’s open for criticism.
He’s right – it’s scary. Read more