Attract more leads and customers by getting comfortable on camera
I’ve been telling people for a while to start using video to talk directly to audiences to attract more leads and customers. I get a lot of positive feedback on my videos, and people say, “I need to start doing that.”
But then they don’t.
And there might be a variety of reasons for that — but one of the first big obstacles I see people come up against is feeling intimidated about being on camera in general. Today, I’m going to give you some tips to get past that.
First, I want to take you back nine years, to my very first Zumba class I ever taught. Have you heard of Zumba? If not it’s a Latin inspired dance fitness class. I put on some music and dance. You follow my moves, we get our heart rates up, we sweat, we forget we’re exercising.
Back to my first class. It’s in a run-down studio with warped mirrors along one wall and peeling linoleum on the floor. Three people show up. I introduce myself and we get started. It does not go well. I forget how the moves go on a couple songs. One of the students actually leaves in the middle of the class (just walks out!). And I’m barely in good enough shape to finish the whole class without collapsing. But I did finish. I got that first terrible class under my belt. And I keep teaching.
About six months later, I’m in better shape even though I still don’t have what I would call a “fitness instructor body.” But I am gaining more confidence as a teacher. I’m in front of a class, my classes are getting bigger, and during Shake Senora by Pitbull (featuring T Pain and Sean Paul) I fell down right on my butt. I got up and kept teaching, but yes I wanted to walk out and never come back.
I’d love to tell you that today, as a 9-year fitness instructor veteran I’m a size 0 with the skills of a professional dancer. Nope. That’s not remotely the case, and in fact the last class I taught right before the COVID shut down last year, I twisted my ankle and broke my leg during the warm up.
So why do I keep teaching Zumba?
I keep teaching Zumba because it’s not about me. I teach Zumba because it’s a space I can hold for students who don’t want to feel like they’re the biggest or the most uncoordinated person in a fitness class. For students who just want to have fun and get some exercise at the same time. For students who want to come to a place where they know they’ll never be judged for their athletic performance or how they look.
I teach because I can help students.
When I work with clients I encourage them to start showing up on video, and you can guess what people tell me:
“I’m not pretty enough.”
“I’m not smart enough.”
“I hate the sound of my own voice.”
“I don’t know what I’d talk about.”
And this always reminds me of the reason that I teach Zumba. I teach Zumba for my students. Because they get something out of it.
In the same way, you show up on camera for your customers and potential customers. Because you have something to offer them that will improve their lives in some way. It isn’t about you, it’s about that person out there that you can help.
Ok that sounds good in theory — you going on camera to serve — we still might need some backup. We need to outsource some stuff to get some support.
Think about a time in your life when you had some help. Maybe you have a VA. Or a babysitter. Or someone cleaned your house or did your laundry or cooked your dinner. It’s a huge weight off your shoulders. It’s one less thing you have to worry about because someone else is handling it.
And you are lucky. Because inside your mind, you have five imaginary friends who are going to help you be confident on camera.
1. Your Coach
The first of these is your coach. Imagine that your coach wears a blue ball cap, has a whistle around his neck, and is standing right next to your bed when you wake up in the morning.
It’s your coach’s job to get you prepared and write plays for you.
You don’t go into the game without knowing what plays you’re going to run. And you certainly don’t go into the game without having been to practice, right?
Likewise before you go on camera, you and your coach are going to sit down and figure out what you’re going to say — and then you’re going to practice it.
And here’s the good news. Just like any athlete, the more you write content and practice delivering it, the better you are going to get, and the more confident you are going to be.
Here’s what else about your coach - he’s not going to let you make any excuses. He’s not going to hear that you’re just going to do it tomorrow or that you’re not ready yet. He’s going to say get in the game.
2. Your Cheerleader
While you’re practicing there in your bathroom mirror, your second imaginary friend shows up. It’s your cheerleader. In the same way that cheerleaders keep cheering for the team no matter what’s happening in the game, your inner cheerleader is ultra dedicated to cheering you on, no matter what.
Cheerleaders always cheer for the team, no matter how good or bad they’re playing. Likewise, you keep cheering for yourself no matter how the game is going right now.
Your cheerleader stands next to you in the bathroom with her red pompoms getting you pumped up. Telling you how awesome you are, that you can do it, and to G - O go!!
COACH has you prepared. CHEERLEADER has you pumped up.
3. Prince
It’s time for you to step up and go on camera. And because you’re prepared and pumped up, you’re going to go on with the ultimate commitment. Like Prince.
Have you heard this story about Prince?
1981 Mick Jagger had seen a then relatively unknown Prince perform in NYC, and asked him to open for the rolling stones. So he agrees and the first time he opens for them there's like 94K people there
he was wearing a trench coat and bikini briefs
People started booing and throwing trash and bottles onto the stage - Prince walked off 15 minutes later
Then he did a second show, and the same thing happened. Only this time they reportedly threw bags of chicken parts and tomatoes. Also the bottles and trash.
That didn’t deter Prince. He kept going. He never opened for anyone again, and a few years later became a huge star.
4. Your single biggest fan
When you go on camera, maybe in your bikini underwear and trench coat — maybe in regular clothes — up to you, you’re going to be talking to the fourth and MOST IMPORTANT person — your single biggest fan. Your single biggest fan is sitting right there in front of you, on your coach with a giant foam finger on that says “Your name is #1” This person is also known as your perfect fit customer.
If you don’t know who your perfect-fit customer is, pause before you do any of this other stuff, and get a firm description of that person in your mind. Because when you’re on camera - that’s the ONLY person you’re going to be talking to.
You can learn more about how to identify your perfect fit client in the video linked here.
First - knowing who that person is is going to drive your content.
Second - when you are talking to that one person, your content is going to be more targeted, and thus more compelling to that person.
Third - when you’re talking to that one person you will sound more natural and feel more comfortable
And here’s a very practical tip for you: when you are talking to your single biggest fan, look him or her right in the eyes. A lot of times, we’re using our phones to record ourselves and we look at the screen to make sure we look ok, and not directly at the camera.
Look at the camera, not at yourself.
5. Your Science Officer
There’s one more very important step, and that is to sit down at your kitchen table with your fifth imaginary friend, your Science officer, and review what you did.
You guys remember Mr. Spock right? The star trek character that was total rational and always gave captain kirk the straight facts? Reminding him what was and wasn’t logical?
After you’ve recorded and posted your video, or even done a live presentation, you’re going to sit down at your kitchen table with your Mr. Spock, and in a completely scientific way, you are going to review the tape.
Watch it. Note what went well, and what you would change for next time. And the reason that you have your science officer there with you is because if you start to get all up in your feelings, Mr. Spock leans in and says “that’s not logical. Let’s pay attention to how we can make that better next time.”
At first, just pick one or two things that you want to adjust for next time.
I said “you know” too much, I’m going to stop saying that.
I don’t love how that shirt hangs. I’m going to put on a different bra or a different shirt.
Think about going on camera like a cycle.
You prep with your coach. You write what you’re going to say, and you practice it.
You get yourself pumped up with your cheerleader. You can call it affirmations, I call it getting cheered on.
You perform for your single biggest fan. Remember your perfect-fit client is who you’re doing this for.
You sit down with your science officer and you report out, note tweaks and improvements that need to be made.
You take those to your coach and this cycle starts again.
Every time you complete a cycle you get better.
Yes, imaginary friends are silly and childish. But this is about you getting out of your own head, and doing what you need to do to SHOW. UP. ON. CAMERA.
Remember: you aren’t in the business of judging yourself on camera. You are in the business of serving your customers.
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For more information on using social video to grow your business, Download my free ultimate guide to social video here.
It will walk you through the steps of defining a brand that makes you memorable
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And It will show you how to start producing videos that will make you the only expert that matters to the type of clients you love working with the most