How to overcome video anxiety so you can reach new customers

The expression of pain on his face said it all. My client Lola and I were talking about marketing her business and I brought up the subject of the video again.

He grimaced and looked away. “Yes, I should do that …” he said, as his voice trailed off.

I hear this over and over from my clients. When I do, I know that it is [eerie organ music plays] VIDEO ANXIETY. Aahhhhh!

Video anxiety can reduce the most capable businessman to a puddle of indecision and inaction.

And I understand. I also suffer from this affliction.

But there is hope! I’ve moved through video anxiety to the point where I’m actually producing my own videos. And you can too.

For months, I kept saying, I must make video. I know it is good for my business. People can get to know me on a more personal level when they can see me. They can start to like and trust me, essential elements to make a sale.

And yet I kept putting it off. Many of my clients, including Lola, do the same, sometimes for years.

Video has become essential to the marketing of almost every business. Facebook, a valuable marketing platform, prioritizes video. Having a video on your website has become standard. If you are doing some kind of teaching, videos in courses have also become the norm.

Your ideal clients would love to find you! Video will make a big difference in helping them do it and connect with you, so that you can share your experience and your products with them.

So how can you overcome video anxiety and reach people who can really use your help?

Here are 5 ways to recover from and even cure this condition that has been holding you and your business back:

1. Concentrate. Let’s get straight to why you are considering video in the first place. Let’s get to the core of your business: what impact do you want to have? What positive difference do you want to make in the world through your business?

Consciously or not, at the center of every business decision is a decision about the impact you want to have, about how you are showing yourself to the world.

Will the video help you make that difference, have that impact? (Hint: The answer is most likely yes!)

Your business only has an impact if people know about it. Therefore, marketing is essential. And video has become an invaluable tool in your marketing.

Think about the business people you interact with online. Have you ever watched a video and felt so connected that you felt compelled to buy? Would you have gotten the same answer if you had read your marketing copy? It is not probable.

Do you want to have an impact? The video will be of great help.

2. Get organized. Engage your left brain, your thinking brain. For a problem with so much excitement around it, it helps to moderate the anxiety with a little thought.

Let’s talk about strategy and ROI (return on investment). Strategically, what will allow you to have the greatest effect faster with the least cost? When it comes to marketing, video is up to the task.

Video technology is so accessible that equipment is no longer the obstacle. You already have everything you need. A smartphone, a computer. Even a smartphone will allow you to produce your own videos.

Now let’s talk about the process (that blazing brain of yours still works!). If you know what to do, your anxiety decreases.

So, map your process! Whether it’s a bulleted or numbered list, an actual map, or pictures, map out what you need to do in what order. Include makeup, hairstyle, script, team setup, editing, and online posting.

This may require a bit of experimentation. Fortunately, experiments can be fun! They can even be playful. Experiment or play around with the steps required to record a video.

See the Alchemy Assignment at the end of this article for a quick start process and resource guide on creating videos.

3. Get used to it. Practice will help you feel more comfortable. The best part is that you can practice without even thinking about putting something online. Just set up your phone or camera and start talking. Or pick a topic and have a few footholds to help you stay on track.

That ease in front of the camera doesn’t come to everyone right away. People who look comfortable usually do it because they have spent hours doing it. So don’t compare yourself to someone who has recorded hundreds of videos. You have your own beginning, honor that.

It’s also helpful to practice setup. That way, when you have a schedule to post a video online, you won’t feel pressured. The steps will be familiar to you. You won’t have to occupy valuable brain and emotional power with mechanical distractions.

Four. Bring a friend. When I have another person with me, I often say things that don’t occur to me when I’m alone. Videos can benefit from that too. Have a friend, colleague, or crew member while you are filming.

You can provide supporting questions to help you get started. Let them ask you the questions that occur to them as well. You can edit it all into one effective video afterwards. The important thing is to record it.

This person does not even have to be in the room. You can have them available online on video. It is your presence that matters.

If you don’t have someone available, imagine the person you’re talking to, your ideal client, someone you’ve worked with, like the camera.

5. Go through it. At some point, you just have to. I know, I wish there was a remedy, something you could take or do that would just make the anxiety go away from the video. But you probably still have it, at least for a while.

Do you remember when you started your business? Sometimes you felt uncomfortable, right? As his business grew, he continued to feel uncomfortable doing new things. Well, this is another situation where you just have to get comfortable with discomfort.

Its not all bad. Your anxiety can turn into excitement. When you do a one-minute summary of your business or stand up to speak, you’re nervous at first, right? Chances are, as you have done this more and more, you become more comfortable. You can even start enjoying it!

Get excited with the message you are going to share. Focusing on what you will do for others is a valuable perspective that will help you not just in video, but in all of your marketing.

Use the 5 steps I’ve outlined here to help you overcome your own video anxiety.

It is an evolution, your evolution as an entrepreneur. You are continually becoming the person you need to be to have the business you want to have. This is just one more step in your ongoing evolution.

I still have video anxiety every time I prepare to shoot. But it has definitely subsided, and when I remind myself of the things I’ve shared here, I can.

I know you can do it too! Hope to see you appear online with your videos.