Video can really impact your business. Practice makes video perfect, message sells it. When I tell clients we’ll be shooting video, the first reaction is always, “Oh, no, I’m not doing that.”

Practice Makes Video Perfect, Message Sells It

The first video is usually uncomfortable for the client due to nerves, but everyone gets better.

I think video may be more terrifying to people–myself included–than public speaking. But only at first and only if you don’t practice. The other key to video success is to choose topics you care about.

CEOs Work Hard on Great Videos

I work with amazing litigators, brilliant doctors and financial gurus, who may not like the idea of being in a video, but if that’s what it takes to get new business, they’re ready to go. They quickly compose themselves and ask what they should talk about. We decide a set, wardrobe and topics and plan for the shoot. It’s that easy.

I could talk about video and why it’s so nerve-wracking, but there’s no need to belabor the issue. Most people don’t like video because it’s forever online. You can take down a YouTube video, try to keep it from being embedded, downloaded or shared, but there’s always a way around everything locked down online. Someone could copy it and watch it again.

There’s a way around all this pent up anxiety: Practice because on the other hand, your video is good, really good and it’s speaking to your target audience in the way that they like to be spoken to, then you can score big online.

A compelling video will drive calls and clicks to your business.

Practice in Front of a Mirror

I always outline and research video topics and direction for clients. The content has to be strategic and speak to the needs and interests of the target audience. I ask clients to practice in front of a mirror. To think about what they should say, how they should say it and then, practice again and again until there’s a comfort level.

This is not a fun process the first time around. It’s very uncomfortable. So this tactic I’m suggesting next makes it even more uncomfortable: record yourself on video and audio and listen to how you sound and look at what you do when you’re being shot on video.

The Sale is in the Sizzle

What on earth will you say in your video debut? You shouldn’t take heed of music video success and try to do a spoof or dancing video. No one wants to hire the dancing attorney or the silly realtor or goofy financial whiz.

If you have a strategy and you know your target audience, you won’t have any problem determining topics. You should have content forever. You’re the face behind the business so what do you tell you customers and prospects? Be the expert.

The prospect and client want to know what you know. Prove that you’re the best source, the right product, but please don’t sell or beg for calls. Yuck. Be original and tell your story. Tell them what got you to where you were and why your product or service will work or perform. Most important: make it convincing in your performance.

The sale is in the sizzle. Don’t sell and shout out your website and phone number or “call me now.”

Build a Professional Set

Build a professional set and make sure the lighting, sound, and story of your video is professional.

If you want the most viewed video on YouTube, you’ll have to shoot a music video. Music videos are the most viewed with the No. 1 viewed video on YouTube as of Aug. 5, 2017, was “Despacito” by Daddy Yankee with 3 billion views.

In 2015, the No. 1 YouTube video was “Gangham Style” by Psy with 2 billion, 260 million views. All other most viewed YouTube videos according to Wikipedia are music videos. The Gangham Style video is reported to have driven $13.4 million in revenue for South Korea, also according to Wikipedia.

Or you can do a “Charlie Bit My Finger–Again!” viral video. This video is the only non-music video in the top 10, and features a little boy letting his baby brother bite his finger, twice. It’s No. 8 with 853 million views. The best viral videos aren’t staged. They’re impromptu videos shot on camera capturing something incredibly funny or interesting.

The most expensive videos are run during the Super Bowl where airtime is $4.5 million for 30 seconds.

A business owner should be shooting video where they work, where their product is located. If you work online build or pick a set that reflects your level of quality. You are who you say you are online and your appearance speaks volumes. Don’t go crazy trying to build the perfect office. Shoot where you work.

How Much Does Video Cost?

Your Competitors Have Video

Business owners want to know how much video costs to script, direct, shoot, edit, produce and post. And the answer is: what is it costing you NOT to have videos produced? You can certainly pay $ 50, $100 or $200 per video and get a slick piece.

But if the video company doesn’t know coding, uploading, sharing, pushing and formatting, you’re wasting money. Your video will be lost online.

Want your video on your website instead of YouTube? You’ll have to code and format for every device so that it plays and loads quickly.

Your competitors are online with video and you should be online with video.

At the end of the day, no one outside of YouTube viral video sensations have the ability to shoot their own video, let alone edit and produce it and post it, code it and share it online.

Work with someone you trust to share your business story so that they can script your video, direct, shoot, edit, post and share. The cost to you will be in time that you take to practice and work to develop targeted content. Happy shooting!