One of our colleagues attended Jeff Walker’s Internet marketing event over the weekend. Apparently, it was fantastic. Not only did Jeff do a great job, but so did his guest speakers. If you are not aware of who Jeff Walker is, he teaches entrepreneurs how to properly launch products.
One of the guest speakers that spoke at Jeff”s event was David Lawrence. David is a talented actor that is currently in the hit TV series Heroes. At this point, you may be asking what does he have to do with Internet marketing and why are you communicating this to us as an Internet marketing company?
To be successful in marketing, whether it’s on or offline, you have to be able to tell a compelling story. You have to connect with your audience. And video is a very powerful tool to connect with your audience.
It was for this reason that Jeff asked David to provide tips on how to connect with your audience through video. How many times have you done a video where you were not sure how to produce it? How to stand? How to sit? The truth is that there is a proper way to do all of this and more. Let’s jump into some of the pointers that David gave at the event:
1. Left Side Forward
People read left to right, so to produce an effective video visually, stand or sit with your left shoulder forward and left foot forward.
2. Balance Your Weight
When standing, balance your weight on both feet. You’ll come across like you are calm, confident, and in control.
3. Plant Your Feet
Try not to walk around too much. Ever watch a presentation where the presenter is walking back and forth? Notice that it is tough to track the presenter, while following the story? Try to plant your feet as much as possible so that your audience is focused on you and what you are saying.
4. Hook Your Ring Finger
Hooking your ring finger with your other hand’s thumb and index finger is a great way to stop you from doing odd things with your hands, or putting them in your pocket. Watch any trained speaker and you’ll notice them use this trick from time to time. This doesn’t mean that you can’t talk with your hands. It’s jut a good resting place when you’re not using your hands.
5. Look Near the Back of the Camera
When you look at the front of the camera, you will notice that, on video, it does not appear like you’re looking at or connecting with your audience. The reason for this is because the image is captured further back in the camera. By looking near the back of the camera, you will start coming across like you are looking at your viewer because it’s closer to where the image is captured and displayed.
6. Ensure the Camera’s at Eye Level
You don’t want to look submissive or dominant in your videos. You want to look like you are communicating to your audience eye to eye. How do you achieve this? Ensure that the camera is at eye level. It’s that simple.
7. Cheat Out to the Camera
I know. You’re probably asking what does that mean, right? Cheating out to the camera simply means that you are ahead of your background or presentation slides. You are literally cheating out the camera to ensure that you remain the center of attention. The bottom line is that you want to be the focal point, not your visuals.
8. Focus on Your Eyes and Your Smile
Your eyes and mouth are the most important features when connecting with your audience, so smile with your eyes and mouth. You want to look friendly and approachable. Your eyes and your mouth are two key tools to achieve this.
9. Don’t Look Down Too Much
It’s OK to look down once in a while, but try not to do it too often because you may come across like you lack confidence. And people buy from confident people.
10. Look Away from the Camera
You don’t want to come across like you are too intense or like you are fixated on your audience, just like when you are having an in person conversation. It’s OK to look away at times, especially when thinking about things. Just don’t always look at the same spot.
David did a fantastic job explaining many tips at Jeff’s event. In fact, he covered many more tips that we’re going to post later in the week, so stay tuned! If you have any questions about these tips, leave a comment.