How to become more camera confident
Today I’m starting a miniseries called 3 x steps to Video Confidence – and in this episode I’ll be talking about Camera Confidence.
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Welcome to this little mini-series in three parts on Video Confidence.
The reason it’s a three-part series, is because I’ve discovered that there are three specific areas where my clients mostly feel they lack in confidence when it comes to vlogging, and that’s:
- Camera Confidence – a classic of course
- The technical Process and Setup
- Confidence in your Content.
So I’m going to give you a little bit of advice on all three of these areas, starting today with Camera Confidence, next week I’ll talk about the tech and then last, the content.
Now Camera Fear, is of course a classic fear, I think we’ve all felt like a bunny in the headlights at some point when we’ve stared into that big black hole – whether it’s sitting down for the school portrait or you’ve been on Sky News.
When I worked in television, I saw a presenter how had been on TV every day for about ten years, sweating so much he had to change his shirt during the ad break!
But we don’t need to feel like that, we can overcome that fear. It doesn’t have to be a scary process, it can actually be a real joy being in front of the camera, when you just have the right mindset.
So what makes some people love being in front of the camera and some hate it?
Well, I think some people are actually pure exhibitionists, they need the attention and it’s a fairly selfish need, they want approval and admiration.
Some people love entertaining other people, they love seeing people laugh and it makes them feel good too.
And then there are us, coaches, consultants and experts, who are in business, but just love sharing our knowledge to make other people progress and learn. So I’m one of those.
There’s nothing better than someone letting you know that the video you shared has had a massive positive impact and helped someone move forward to a better place. So this is really what we first of all need to tap into. The support you give to your viewers. Knowing that even if it’s only one single person I’ve helped with my video, then it’s still worth everything.
When you ensure you always share valuable advice and information, and know that you’re talking to your Target Customer, you’ll know that your viewers always will be grateful. It’s when we weir off our content plan and do stuff that isn’t aligned with our core and brand values, that things can go wrong. You don’t want to show up in the wrong place with the wrong message – you need to stay on brand.
The next piece of advice is to just talk to one person.
Forget about the whole world watching you, they’re not actually, it will be a couple of friends and family members for a start and then the people who really want and need your support. So don’t deny them that support – they do need you!
You need to be consistently there to give that support or they’ll feel at loss without you! And the social media algorithms will love your consistency too.
When you picture that Ideal Customer person really clearly, and we call this your Video Avatar, then it can really help you feel relaxed, because you’re just talking to a client in need. Give them a name in your head. Keep their image next to you, to really connect with them in the video, they’ll feel that, and resonate with you, and this will create a much deeper connection.
Then last but not least, practice – I know that’s boring, but you’ve got to practice, and I’ll repeat that again in the tech video – you can’t expect to get it all functioning immediately, and no matter what, we all have days when we have to do 18 takes!
The more you see and hear yourself, the more you’ll accept yourself. We’re used to hearing our voice from the inside of our head, so when you hear yourself from the other angle, it’s a bit weird at first, but you’ll get used to it and forget what you used to sound like.
We have to accept our uniqueness rather than to look for perfection. I’m Swedish, I have an accent and my English isn’t perfect, but I’m not going to let that stop me – I know that I’ve helped thousands of people progress thanks to my advice.
So a really important part is to listen and to also watch yourself back. See what’s going on in that frame, see what your connection is like. And then, switch off the sound and watch yourself back – how’s the connection now? And look at what’s GOOD and working, not just what you think doesn’t work.
A bonus advice today is to think about your energy. On camera, you need to double your energy, but not your speed. Unless you’re talking to a younger audience. So keep your energy up and – most importantly – smile, and you’ll get away with anything!
So tap into your passion, your knowledge, think about the people who need you – and get out there and support them!
Of course if you need any help, check our online training and workshops on the website, or get in touch on [email protected] and keep an eye out for the upcoming Master Course, launching on the 20th September!
I look forward to seeing you again next week, when I’ll be talking about Tech Confidence!