How to Stop Being Scared of Video Marketing and Just Do It

Sometimes it’s not a lack of vision or motivation that stops businesses from getting into video marketing. Sometimes it’s fear that can stop people from getting started with video marketing.

What kind of fears are we talking about? Here are four common fears people have about getting into video marketing and the solutions to getting over them.

1. Fear of being on camera

Some people don’t like being on camera. Whether they’re shy, self-conscious about the way they look or they just don’t think they have enough experience to pull it off, they may just prefer to not have that lens pointing at them.

Solution:

• Use animated video or some other type of video that doesn’t involve live action or you being directly in front of the camera.
• Hire a professional spokesperson for your business. These people will already be used to being on camera and they will likely have their own studio set up that they can use.
• Concentrate on “brand journalism” videos. You can have videos made that emulate news stories about your brand. The “reporter” does the heavy lifting and you just answer questions.
• Be courageous and conquer your fear. Easier said than done, but think about how much more revenue you could be bringing in with video to help you get over that fear.

Remember you will need to make a lot of videos before you feel comfortable and you start to do it well, so don’t give up. Write down the key points you want to hit and then visualize yourself doing the video before you record it to help “trick” your mind into thinking you’ve already done it once.

2. Fear of expenses

In some people’s mind, video automatically equates to expensive, but it doesn’t have to. You can get professional looking video for affordable prices now, even if you’re on a tight budget.

Solution:

• Rather than buying video equipment, write your scripts ahead of time and rent video and lighting equipment for a day and shoot multiple videos on that day.
• Work with what you’ve got. Most phones nowadays have cameras that are capable of shooting high quality video and if you can find a quiet place outside or near a window, the sun gives off plenty of light to work with.
• Scour the internet for deals. With a lapel mic, a bank of LED lights and a tripod for your phone, you can shoot a decent video. Look for free video editing tools online if you don’t already have editing software. Once you have a budget for it, get a good video camera and some proper editing software and you’ll have everything you need.

3. Fear of making mistakes

Being scared of the inevitable mistakes that you will make is enough to stop people from trying pretty much anything. It’s especially troublesome if you’re a perfectionist.

Solution:

• Acceptance. Channel your inner child and remember how many times you fell off your bicycle when learning to ride. You’re going to make mistakes and that’s okay. As long as you learn from them to improve.
• Do what you need to do to relax and focus. It could be the aforementioned visualizing or meditation or something else. When you’re relaxed, you’re less likely to make mistakes.
• Learn to edit. You don’t need to do a perfect take. Virtually any business video nowadays involves numerous edits and cuts.

4. Fear of not having a strategy

People are often scared to even get started because they simply don’t know how. The thought process is that if you don’t know what you’re doing, you might as well not even start.

Solution:

• Start small with a direct sales video that outlines your core offering and one or two educational videos that help viewers solve a common problem related to your industry.
• Research online. There are hundreds of posts and articles detailing the numerous types of video you can use and how to use them. Take advantage of them and experiment.

Don’t let fear hold you back from getting into video marketing. Face and conquer it so you can reap the rewards of the internet’s new language of commerce.

Jack Anzarouth has been marketing director for a variety of different brands. In September of 2016, he decided to open Digital Ink Marketing, a full-service boutique digital marketing agency that serves businesses in the New York area and beyond.