How to get over nerves when filming a video

I get it.

No one wants to be on camera, not really.

I would guess that even the people on TV reading the news every day were nervous when they first started.

But when it is such an excellent way to market you and your business, nerves are something that you need to get over.

Of course, no one WANTS to do it.

But that is precisely why you SHOULD!

Because none of your competitors will be doing videos in THEIR marketing!

And, that is a good thing.

Your video content will have far more impact on your audience if yours is the only video content out there!

So, what can you do to get over your nerves?

1. Be prepared.

Gather your thoughts and make a clear plan about what you want to cover.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail! 

You will feel lost in front of the camera if you don’t know what you want to cover, and it will take you ages and lots of takes to get into the rhythm. 

So, take a moment, jot a few notes down and decide what you will say. 

2. Get yourself ready. 

Imagine you are going to talk on a stage to hundreds of people - what would you wear? How would you do your hair and makeup? 

Then get yourself ready in this way.

Do whatever you would do to make yourself feel confident and secure. 

I know this sounds a little shallow, but it is more than just putting on your lippie. 

It is almost as if you are putting on your warpaint, getting ready for action. 

Doing what you need to do for yourself to feel confident. 

And if you feel good, you will not worry about how you look on camera. 

3. Don’t have an audience in the room.

You will probably feel a bit silly at first, and that will only get worse if your family or entire team are watching you trying to get your words out. 

Take yourself somewhere quiet and film alone if you can, so that you are not distracted, and you are not tempted to giggle or feel awkward.

4. Take your time. 

Don’t talk too quickly, and don’t rush. 

There will be a tendency to say everything as quickly as possible to get it all out and get the filming over! 

But, this will make it too fast for people to watch it and enjoy it.

Not to mention making the editing almost impossible if your words are too close together. 

Take a breath and slow it down. 

Almost to a point where you think it will be too slow - that is probably perfect!

5. Don’t be afraid to re-do it.

When you get into the groove, which honestly only takes a few minutes, you will be fine. 

The hardest part is getting going. 

I tend to film video content all in one day, and I usually end up filming the first one again at the end because I am not as comfortable in that first video. 
It is a bit like when you make pancakes - the first one is always a bit rubbish!

Remember, there is no point in having an idea for a video and not making the video. 

None of your customers has any clue what is in your head, so, even if it is not 100% perfect, it is better to be done and published than still an idea in your head.

Done beats perfect!

Have a go, and see what you think. You might be surprised at how good it comes out and the response that you get from your customers!

If you would like any help in getting video content into your marketing, get in touch.