Hi again

Last time, I talked about the different kinds of video you can make and how you can earn a good living from them. This isn’t a get rich quick scheme and it does take work, but it’s low risk, potentially a really high reward and it’s fun. The main thing is that you have to make a start… For a lot of people this is the problem.

Let me give you a couple of descriptions and if you feel like ‘yes, that’s me’, Put your hand up.

You’ve been a teacher for a while- maybe you’re a teacher educator or in a management position, maybe you’ve written materials before… You keep thinking that you’re not being paid anything like what you’re worth and video is a good idea but you just don’t seem to get around to doing anything about it. Sound familiar?

Another one.. You have a small business already. You teach 1-2-1 or maybe in groups. You know that you could expand this if you could reach more people- find more learners and you know that video would help. You even bought a ring light and a tripod a while ago and promised yourself you’d do something about it, but they’re just gathering dust in a corner. Ring any bells?

One more.. You’re just starting out. You want to work online, but you know that platforms like Cambly or Preply pay peanuts and are really competitive. You’d like NOT to go down that road but you’re not sure how to start getting your own learners.

OK. You can put your hand down now…. If any of this sounds familiar, what’s stopping you? I think I can guess:

It’s all too technical
Like learning anything new, navigating an editing programme takes a bit of time to get used to- but if you can manage things like Word and PowerPoint, it’s no more complex than that. it’ll take too much time Making video IS time consuming- I can’t deny it..BUT there are a couple of mitigating factors.

Once you’ve made a video, it’s got a long shelf life. Some of mine on YouTube have been there over a decade and they still get views. I’m still selling courses I made years ago without putting extra work into them. The other thing is that it’s fun- especially the editing process- it’s creative and interesting and I think you’ll like it!

Social media is so vicious
Yes, you’re going to have to put video out there on social media- people have to see it. And yes, it can be a nasty world out there but to be honest, as a teacher trying to help people, you’re not likely to cause much offense, and actually, people tend to be vey kind and supportive in my experience. The worst thing that’ll probably happen is that they scroll on- and you’ll never know whether that happens or not, so you shouldn’t worry about it.

What authority do I have to say anything? Hasn’t it all been done before?
Of course you have the authority and the right to give this a go. Have a look on YouTube and you’ll find slick, polished video from really confident looking people, but also much more rough and ready stuff from people just starting out. Don’t compare your first step to someone else’s tenth. There’s still plenty of room in the marketplace. Maybe your videos don’t look so slick, but you come across as approachable and friendly and genuinely caring – this might be exactly what learners are looking for and you won’t know until you try.

I hate what I look like and sound like on video?
 Don't! If you don’t want to show yourself, you don’t have to but also remember that people won’t be looking at your videos for your looks- it’ll be for how you can help them. You don’t worry about this when you go into a classroom, so why should it be different on camera? And if you’re concerned about the 'umms and ahhs'? No problem, you can just cut them out - the joy of making video is that you can edit it until you're happy with the finished product.

I had all of these doubts, too. For the first four years, I just made voiceover videos because I thought I was too old, too fat, too wrinkly but I realised that as a viewer myself I wanted to see who was talking. I didn’t care what they looked like- but it was an important part of making a connection with people and my experience of getting out there has been so positive- has made such a difference to my life and the control and freedom and income that I have.

So let’s assume that you’re with me- that you’re going to (kindly) tell these demon doubts to shut up and make a start. Here are some things to think about:  Start by choosing a topic. Something you’re passionate about, maybe a teaching tip or hack and write a simple script. About 200 words will do- that’s a bit over a minute for most people. You can use your smartphone to film it- but let’s think about how to get ready.

First things first- what do you want to look like? It doesn’t matter how old you are, or what size or shape  you are as I said before. You’re trying to teach people something, not win a beauty pageant. BUT you DO need to think about what you’re wearing, what your hair looks like,  are you wearing makeup or not?  What does this say about you? And don't say that it doesn't say anything, because it does. It always does. These are the things that we choose on some level to show the world as our identity, these are the ways that we give information about ourselves to others and  these are the things that your viewers are going to use to form their first impressions of you. So it IS important to make those things a choice. I'm not saying what those choices should be for you. They’re YOUR choices. But you should be aware of them.

Another interesting choice here is how much of you, you show.  I've changed this over time. So I used to only show my face, because I was recording on my desktop and I only had a small screen (behind me) and I wanted to have a blank background so that was the only way I could work.  I then went to showing a bit more of myself and I've ended up with a bigger image of me than I used to have. I'm more comfortable with this now. You might want to stand up and have the whole of you or you to your knees. Again, there are no right answers here but you need to make a choice. Play around with it, try different things and see which works for you.

As well as your appearance of course, how you are -  your demeanour - is hugely important. You want to look as confident as you can be. Watching somebody who’s nervous is a not a nice experience. Most of us are empathetic beings, so a presenter who’s visibly nervous makes the viewer feel nervous, too. They're not going to be listening to what you're saying -they're going to be worrying about you. So you really have to just do as you do in a classroom, put on some kind of a layer of confidence. Easier said than done, I know. But there are some tricks.

Choose a good day, choose a day when you feel happy and comfortable. When it's a good hair day. Make yourself look good- whatever that means for you. On the other hand, don't wait for everything to be perfect because it never will be. To some extent, you just have to get on with it. Be positive, though, The worst thing that can happen is you make a terrible video. If so, you don't have to show anybody. You can make another one tomorrow. Nothing terrible can happen. Just try.

Read your script through a few times -out loud- before you record. Being more prepared will help with the nerves. Before you start, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Put your shoulders down and back- it’s interesting how these very physical things will make you feel more relaxed. Another trick, which works is to have a wider body shape. Put your elbow on something, maybe a table or you could sit at an angle and have it on the back of your chair. Try it now- see the difference? Open body language makes you look and feel more confident. I used to sit with my hands in my lap- I don’t anymore. See what works for you.

 Remember that what you want to do is to make an emotional connection with people. Aim for a first-date persona. YOU, authentic YOU but the best ‘you’ you can be. Happy, easy, smiling, animated. Aim for your eyes about a third of the way down the screen- it’ll help you be the main focus of your video and pay attention to your background. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be clean and uncluttered. A plain wall, a bookshelf, or even a simple plant can work wonders.

A top tip here is to watch your video back without sound. This will give you a really clear idea of what you look like - what your body language is like. Whether you’re smiling or not. How you’re positioned, It’s a really good test. Just watch it back without sound.

 Finally,  remember that just like everything else you’ll get better at video making the more you practise. So just keep doing it. You won't get it right the first time, you won't get it right the second or third time. But you'll get it right enough. And you won't improve until unless you keep making right-enough videos.

If I look back at the ones I made 10 years ago, now I cringe but people still watch them. People still seem to like them. It's okay, just have a go. It's surprising how easy all this sounds but how easily we shy away from it so if you’ve already picked up your phone and switched to video mode- great but if you’re still procrastinating, this is where a group programme really helps.

Having on-hand support, inspiration from peers and deadlines in a structured programme makes a huge difference. More about that soon. Before that, though, if you’ve got to the filming part, you might be wondering how to make your videos more engaging- sounding more professional.

That’s exactly what we’ll cover in the next training so look out for it in your inbox!