Helping you look, sound, and feel great on camera. 

You know that, in business, it is important to appear confident when on camera, right? Wouldn’t you love to not only appear confident but to feel it, too, deep down in your bones? You can. Confidence is an emotion. It is something we feel, something that can be a fleeting friend or foe. You may even consider yourself a highly confident person, but when you step in front of the camera lens to begin speaking, you feel yourself freeze and become consumed with self-doubt. Your mouth goes dry, your hands shake, and your delivery is filled with “ums.” 

 First and foremost; that is okay, that is normal. When our brain senses we are in danger, our body produces adrenaline, which causes all of those side effects. Speaking to a glass and metal object does not feel recognizable to our brains until we train it to, and can absolutely feel like we are stretching way outside of our comfort zone. That kicks in all those fight-or-flight symptoms. The good news is that, because confidence is an emotion, we can choose to support empowering thoughts and take specific actions to inform our brain that the setting is safe, and build the strength and familiarity of that emotion in front of the camera.  

Photo credit Erika Edwards 

Here are a few tips to help you get started doing that: 

•  Understand how imperative video truly is for your business, so that you will actually take the steps necessary to learn it and implement it. If you keep putting it off, it simply will not serve you. No one will ever see the video that you do not make. Nearly every social media platform is pushing video because they want you to stay on that platform longer, and watch time means more minutes of the viewer staying put. Even if a viewer watches your video on mute, simply reading the captions across the bottom, they will still be able to experience not only your message but your energy and personality as well. People make purchasing decisions based on how it makes them feel; and your powerful, captivating video presence does just that. 

• Get your setup ready. If you have great lighting, sound, and a backdrop that serves your brand style, you are going to feel WAY better about “hopping” on video. You’ll feel prepared, which calms your brain so you feel more confident, relaxed, and excited to get in front of the camera. So we can see you at your best, ensuring that you always have natural light or daylight bulbs to create a stunning, even glow on your face. Have a microphone set up so that we can hear you, and have a supportive yet non-distracting backdrop. The window is a great, free option to get started with beautiful lighting, just make sure that the window is in front of you and your device, not to the side casting a shadow. Make sure the microphone is close to you, the speaker, rather than several feet away. You want to be speaking naturally and not needing to force your voice out to the microphone. Double-check what’s behind you. Take a look at the recording and see what the audience sees, is anything about the setup going to pull focus away from you and the value you are delivering? 
• Make the lens a person. The lens is not some random inanimate object, it is a portal for your energy and message. So if you speak to the lens as though it’s an object or as if you are solely speaking to yourself, you will lose your audience connection. You need to know who you’re talking to. Who is that one person, that ideal soul-mate client avatar that you absolutely adore working with? The person you get excited to talk to and their energy lights you up? Write their name down on a sticky note and place it just below the lens, out of frame. Use that emotional reference to speak TO THEM when you make your videos. This will create a massive shift in the warmth, connection, and impact of your delivery. If this person doesn’t exist for you yet - make them up! Create a persona for this ideal client and keep them in front of the mind when you are speaking to the camera. 

Photo credit Erika Edwards 

• Speak with emotion. Do you ever sound awkward or like a robot or monotone or simply really “infomercial-ly” when you record videos? Connect your delivery to the words you are saying, the meaning behind them, and how it is that you want your audience to feel at that moment. What is it about your product or service that is exciting? When you believe in what you are saying with so much passion, conviction, and purpose, your audience will feel it too. Remember when you were a child and wanted to share something; how energetic and full of life you were? Over the years, you taught yourself to be afraid. Let the natural emotion inside you come out once again.
• Be authentic. Yes, “authentic” is a buzzword but it is extremely important for your camera presence. The lens picks up and transfers what you’re feeling on the inside. If you feel like you’re drowning in fear, panic, and nerves, then usually, so will the audience. In contrast, how do you feel when you talk about something you are extremely passionate about? How would you show up when you are working with clients? At networking events? In a one-on-one session? It is your responsibility to show up as that version of yourself in your marketing videos. Videos foster trust and build rapport, reliability, and connection faster than anything else, so make sure that you are being YOU in your videos in order to attract those ideal clients. 

Thrive Global -  https://thriveglobal.com/stories/5-tips-to-help-you-finally-get-on-video-for-your-business-by-kellsie-moore/