Are you using video to market your Virtual Assistant business?
Many VAs are terrified of using video, and there are a number of reasons for that.
- They think no one cares what they have to say.
- They don’t know what to talk about.
- They don’t want anyone to see them make a mistake.
- They don’t like to be on camera.
Virtual Assistants often avoid video for these reasons and more.
I know that’s a generalization, but it’s true.
The bottom line is, they don’t have the confidence to do the recording. And if they do record it, they don’t have the confidence to publish it.
This was me, before I got started with video. Totally and completely me.
So I know exactly what you are feeling if you are having trouble getting started with it.
But it is such a great way to market your VA business. It’s quicker than writing, and it’s a terrific way for your clients to get a sense of your expertise and your personality, a few minutes at a time. And it’s fun – honest!
I recently was asked to deliver the eulogy at my grandmother’s funeral.
Most of you who know me, know that I am pretty comfortable on video these days – and I do a lot of speaking in video, and in live settings.
So when my family asked me to do this uber-important thing, I knew they had confidence in me.
But did I have confidence in myself? No way! I was terrified!
It was just like doing my first video – except this was a REALLY important event, and I only had one shot at doing it well.
I have been speaking for a long time, but I had to get started, just like you.
I put speaking off – especially on camera – for a very long time. I knew I should be doing it, but I just could not pull the trigger on a video, never mind a Live video!
My accountability partner and I had to push each other to get started, and even that took us the better part of 18 months after saying we both needed to start doing video.
What was it that made me get better at it? Practice.
The more I did it, the better I got.
I still make mistakes – but they don’t bother me anymore. I don’t judge how I look or what I say.
I prepare my notes and I know what I want to talk about.
And I do videos very consistently – several a week, in fact. I have built a habit – and that makes things more comfortable too.
The more you do anything, the easier it gets.
And that’s what I did for my grandma’s eulogy.
I read it over and over and over – out loud. I said the words many times, and I heard them many times too. I must have read it 200 times. Maybe more.
I also videotaped myself reading the eulogy and I played it back for myself so I could watch and make adjustments to my delivery.
I practiced my speed and breathing (if you have never read a eulogy, it’s very tough!).
I really didn’t want to cry in the church. I wanted to read the beautiful words (I didn’t write them – my aunts did) and do justice to them in her honour.
And I did it well the day of the funeral.
But without all that practice, I would never have been able to get the words out. The first few times I cried and got choked up, as the memories came with every word I read.
And I can confidently tell you – doing a video or Facebook Live for your VA business is nowhere near as difficult as reading a eulogy!
Practice makes us better at so many things in our business.
Networking with other business owners, doing consults or sales conversations, recording videos or doing FB Lives, writing blog posts or newsletters – they all require practice. And you WILL get better at each of these things the more you do them.
I challenge you to do a video – it doesn’t have to be a live – just use your phone or computer camera, and do it just for you.
Write out your script, and record something just a few minutes long. Redo it as often as you need to feel better about it (especially the first time).
Send it to a colleague to look at once you are happy with it. Someone has to see it so you can get some feedback.
Be yourself and talk about what you know. It’s easier than you think – and it’s something you need to be using in your business. Especially because your colleagues aren’t. You will stand right out when you are the one people can see and hear.
Practice is what will make it perfect!
Here is the blog post I wrote about starting to go live in mid-2016! To be totally candid, I didn’t actually start doing video back then, even though I totally intended to. It was probably actually late 2017 when I finally did it. I was such a chicken, so if you are, I totally get it. But I’d love to help you get started if you like. It really is easy once you get started, and it’s a fabulous way to market your VA business!