Workshop presented by “The B2B Show” with Kerry Barrett from Kerry Barrett Consulting.
We all know that video content is king. They say 80% of internet traffic is video, so if you're not on that video train, you're going to be run down by it. But video is intimidating, right? It's public speaking, but it lives on forever. And that's one of the main reasons that people find video content so intimidating.
Here, I’m going to share some tips from my 20-year career as a news anchor to help you get started with video content marketing, and make sure that you look authentic and engaging when you’re on camera. With these tips, you’re going to feel comfortable, you will look better on camera, and you will want to do more video, which is critical for demonstrating your thought leadership and growing your business.
What to wear
If you're a woman, dual tones always look best. Be careful when wearing green, in case you have to stand in front of a green screen. So first find out what will be behind you in the background, and then figure out what to wear. Bright blues, bright pinks, yellow, orange even, are colors that can look great, especially on somebody that has blue eyes. Contrary to popular belief, it's not best to wear the same color clothes as your eye color. Some contrast can really make them pop out more.
For men, if you are going to be wearing a suit, a navy blue or even dark gray suit works best. You want to try and avoid anything that has small patterns, and the reason is that they create a moire effect, which is when patterns move a little on your screen and make you dizzy. If you've ever seen somebody on video where it looks like their shirt or their tie is dancing, that’s the effect you want to avoid.
I would suggest wearing either a larger pattern or no pattern at all. Stripes on a tie is fine, but tiny little polka dots, little tiny paisley prints, gingham, small checks, hounds tooth… these don’t necessarily work the best on camera.
Makeup is your friend
Gentlemen - and I always get a little bit of pushback from this - but I will tell you that every single person you see on TV is wearing makeup. It makes a big difference, and you don’t know it till you see it. Makeup can sop up that dewy glow, the sweat that develops as a result of the hot lights or the stress of being on camera. And makeup makes it so there's no light bouncing off the tip of your nose and people can't focus on what you're saying because you look like Rudolph.
Despite the fact that men generally do not like to wear makeup, I always suggest at the very least a little bit of powder. The lights wash you out. The lights do things that you can't anticipate, so having a little bit of powder on to help counter that and to also absorb some shine makes a big difference.
I recommend MAC cosmetics. They make makeup for theater and for camera, and they will not bat an eye at a guy going in there and saying, "I'm doing video, I need something that will make me look my best." They'll tell you exactly where to go. They'll tell you what color you need.
And if you are in-between shades, always go with something darker. That's a little tip of the trade because the lights will wash you out.
How to look high-energy & engaging
When I was a newbie reporter, here's what I would do. I used to take something really basic like a paperclip. And I would talk about it for 30 seconds, then for 45 seconds, then for 60 seconds. It sounds funny: who has 60 seconds of information about a paperclip? But it doesn’t matter. The point is how to get your mind working on an ad-lib kind of way so that you can just continue talking if your brain freezes at some point when you're in the middle of making your video and the show must go on. It helps train your mind to work that way.
It’s ok to feel like you’re being “over the top”
In fact, I would gush about this paperclip as if it had saved my life, transformed my marriage, like this paper clip is the best thing since sliced bread. You will not believe, when I walked into my office and I saw this paper clip on my desk, I picked it up. I looked it up, I heard angels.
What that does is it helps you get comfortable with that feeling of being over the top. Many people when they do video they THINK they’re dynamic and engaging. But when they go back to watch it, they look like they’re falling asleep, zero energy. That’s because the camera has a way of muting your voice and your gestures. So go ahead and be over the top, the camera will counter that and you’ll look just right!
High energy is important in your “performance”
Being animated and excited about what you’re talking about is the most important thing. Remember: you can sell anything with the right level of energy. Not that you want to sell bad product, but if your delivery is enthusiastic, passionate, energetic, you can compensate for a whole host of other flaws with your content.
Performance is key in all of this. This is show business, right? You have to remember that. Not that you're going for an Emmy or an Oscar, but when you are in front of a camera you are putting on a show. The key is you want people to keep watching, and you want them to come back for more.
If they don’t get into what you’re talking about from the very beginning, they're out and you're never going to get them back.
Start your video with a SMILE!
This is something that seems very simple but a lot of people fail to do it: start your video with a smile.
Greet your audience with a smile. It's the simplest way to connect with people who are watching you. It doesn't have to be a big, huge, cheesy, clowny grin, but even just having a slight upturn at the corner of your mouth will keep you from having resting bitch face.
I used to have that until I caught myself on a monitor one time, and I'm like, "Wow, I NEED to smile more"
How to use your hands
Personally, I use my hands quite a bit when I talk. So here's what I think about hands. Unless you're moving them too fast or up all over your face, doing things that are distracting, then you SHOULD be using your hands.
People naturally “talk” with their hands and you don’t want to stifle that natural communication. If you do, it impacts the way you look on camera. And it can put a wet blanket over the rest of your delivery as well. If you're focused on this because you think you talk too much with your hands, it ends up affecting your natural movement.
So it's okay to use your hands. It's a natural part of conversation, and when it's thoughtful and intentional it can amplify your message.
Whatever you do, just make sure what you’re saying is interesting, you’re not over-rehearsed, and you look natural. If you look fake, how is your audience going to watch your video and start trusting you?