Lights! Camera! AAACK! Are you a little nervous about making a video for your social media channels? You are not alone. Putting yourself out there for all the world to judge your crooked smile, count how many “ums” you say and critique your office wall decor can be nerve-racking , to say the least. So here’s a list of what you need and some tips to help you take that first step of video vulnerability. 

The Practical Stuff

Before you do anything, here is a list of what you’ll need the right stuff to prepare for your video debut. 

Equipment

Making sure you have all the right stuff is key to video production success. And here’s the thing: it doesn’t have to break the bank. Here’s a list of items you’ll need to make your first video. Follow the links for some reasonably priced, quality options:  

• • • • • • Camera or phone
          • Lighting
          • Tripod
          • Microphone

Script

While you want to be as natural and unscripted, it’s important to have some idea of what you want to say. Jot down a rough script to include the following: 

• • • Introduction- your name + the name of your company and what you offer, description in one sentence of what your video is about. 
    • The main valuable content you are presenting. Here are some ideas:
      • • • Industry related tips
          • Product/service demo
          • Interview with a team member/colleague
          • Tour of the office
          • Thought of the day/week/month
          • Entertaining sketch related to your service/product
  • State how your video will benefit your viewers 
  • Wrap it up. Think about including the following: 
    • • • • Mention your name and the name of your company again
          • Thank your audience for listening
          • Call to action: what do you want them to do next? 
            • • Visit your website
              • Call to make an appointment
              • Tune in next week for the next topic
              • Follow us on our social media channels
              • Sign up for our newsletter 

On Set

Once you have everything ready to go, it’s time to perform. Video is powerful because people can get an immediate sense of who you are. Why is that important? I’m going to be blunt: without trust, you have nothing! The following are techniques to help you build trust with your viewers: 

• Conjure up Confidence Before turning on the camera, blast your favorite song, meditate, Do a headstand, do whatever it takes to get pumped to put your on a show! 

• Pay attention to your hands: Studies show that folks who use their hands as they talk are perceived to be more trustworthy. Be sure to pay attention to what your hands are doing as you speak to the camera. 

• Look at the camera: I know this is a no-brainer, but these days, especially if we are using our phones, we can see ourselves on camera. People have a tendency to look at the screen rather than the camera (I’ve done it a million times). If you look at the screen, you’ll look as though you are looking down or sideways.  Be sure to look at where the camera actually is on your phone. 

• The Power of ‘Imagine’ and ‘Because’: Imagine is a magical word that inspires. ‘Because’ is a word that makes people believe what comes next to be the truth. 

• Be imperfect:  If you mess up, it’s okay because guess what? That means you are human and therefore, more relatable. Of course you still want to be professional and clear, but it’s okay to mess up.  In fact, I highly encourage you to show a little vulnerability now and then. 

Post Production

Now the fun part. When you edit your video feel free to add graphics, text, music and voice over. If you’re short on time, it’s okay to make a few short edits and be done. Here are some post production suggestions: 

• Edit Find a user-friendly video editing phone app to edit your video. I use VLLO on my iphone and it works great.  You can choose to make little edits like taking out all the ums or larger edits that involve adding text, voice over, music and/or credits.
• Sometimes once is the charm.  Opting to do one take is not a bad idea and will save you time. If you don’t want to spend hours editing your video, plan to do one take, upload it to your social media platform of your choice and voila! You’re done!
• Include a title page.  It’s a good idea to have your logo appear at the beginning and end of your video along with your website address and any other contact info you deem appropriate.  Canva is an easy-to-use application that has a ton of options for graphic design. 
• Add captions. Most people scroll with the sound off so be sure to add captions to all of your videos. I recommend using Headliner to add captions. It’s user-friendly and its free version is perfect if you are in the experimentation phase. 

Final Thoughts

Creating video for your business can seem daunting at first. With all the equipment, preparation and editing, it’s a lot. Nevertheless, video continues to dominate social feeds in regards to reach and engagement. Plus, it’s a great way to build trust with your customers. 

Need help getting started? Check out Fluent Social Media’s workshop “Creating Video Content Strategically”  In the meantime, next time you stop by the mirror, take a good hard look and say, “You got this!”