The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, and the next best time is now. So if you are waiting on the sidelines for a momentous signal or the right time, you might think back and wish you’d started sooner. So for those brave enough to consider putting yourself out there, consider this.
The closest thing to easy in your business is the record button on your phone.
If you are ready to take the next step with eventually considering doing a live video, here are 5 lessons from my first live video that might help you.
TL;DR:
- Rehearse
- Write down key points or bullets.
- Make peace with the fact that you will forget what you originally intended to say
- Film in a quiet location
- End with a key takeaway or a call to action
Rehearse
The best way I find is to pretend I am talking to a familiar friend using a bit of sample script guidance. There is an art to rehearsal that I draw on from my Trinity College days when I did speech and drama.
That is, when reading out a script, keep your tone friendly and casual, and if the words don’t roll off your tongue naturally, then that is a sign that the words need changing.
I tend to say my words out loud, and these days I don’t use a mirror, but in my early days, when I couldn’t stand looking at myself speaking on camera, I would get in front of the mirror and practice the rehearsal five times.
I would then take a deep breath, slap my face five times (yes, for real!), stretch my jaw by opening and closing my mouth, and try again. This helps to loosen everything up and also helps with not taking yourself too seriously. The words also tend to flow a lot better because you are slightly amused at yourself.
Write down key points or bullets
I usually write down my script before rehearsing using everyday language. Here’s what my latest post about this very topic looked like before I recorded it.
I made adjustments to the script as I was speaking out loud, which helped me adjust the language before I recorded it. While this example was for filming a reel, the same principle applies to a live video with the exception that it won’t always come out sounding polished.
Incidentally, my first language isn’t English, so I tend to speak a tad slower than most English as first language speakers, so this also helps those for whom English is not their first language or if you are still working on developing your confidence.
Make peace with the fact that you will forget what you originally intended to say.
It’s normal to forget when you first go live. There are a million different things going on. You will be worried about being judged by people around you (as I was when I was in public), the adrenaline from actually going live will take over your heart rate, and everything in your body will be in flight response.
So forgive yourself if it doesn’t all come out quite right. Take comfort in knowing that when it’s all finished, you’ll feel a big sense of relief and know that the second time will be a lot easier.
Film in a quiet location
Even if you have a clip-on lavalier mike that can plug into your phone to help counter sound distortion by wind, dogs barking, planes flying overhead or children crying in the background, it will still help keep distractions at bay if you pick as quiet a place as possible for your first live.
I found that even if I chose to park in a car park, I was still distracted by people coming and going and very conscious of people looking at me potentially doing a live. Little did I know that passersby really didn’t care!
End with a takeaway or a call to action
It might seem obvious, but even if you do not have a specific thing you want people to do after watching your live, it helps if you have a key takeaway or ask for a like, share, or comment. The reason for this is that people may not always know what you want them to do until you tell them to do it. An example is that weeks after my live video, a stranger just happened to find my video and because I asked for a like, comment, or share, I probably got one.
I hope you find this useful. Get my free Cringe to Confident with Video Guide below to start practicing your video skills without putting yourself out there or needing to post on social media.
If you find this post helpful, be sure to share it with someone who you think would benefit from it.
