Sometimes you just have to get out of your own way.
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock you’d know how popular video is in marketing. Video allows people to connect with you in completely different ways.
I knew I needed to bite the bullet and make some, but never managed to get started.
Something always came up. See if you can relate to some of these excuses.
- I didn’t have a decent camera.
- The sound wasn’t good enough.
- I didn’t know what to say.
- While I’m a seasoned live presenter, talking into a camera with no audience freaked me out.
- I couldn’t find a decent location with a background that would work.
- I needed better lighting.
- Editing would take time and effort.
- People are used to our writing. Would they take the time to watch something instead?
The list went on…
In short I was stuck in perfection. i.e. Not wanting to start because the end result would be short of perfect.
It’s a pretty common scenario in all sorts of fields. Maybe you can relate?
The solution came from our coach, Robert, who challenged me to just make a video. Didn’t matter how bad it was. In fact, the worse it was the better. Because everything would be up from there.
He pointed out that we should strive for “excellence” not perfection.
To do the best you can. Yes, you can always improve. But there is a law of diminishing returns.
Think 80/20 rule. 80% or even 90% is usually good enough.
And before all my professional video colleagues jump up and down, I do recommend you use a professional to showcase your wares.
We’re doing a video blog. In our case the message is the important bit. We’re not making a feature movie. As long as the rest is presentable, it’s fine. Horses for courses.
So here’s how I got past myself.
I’m using my phone camera – which does a remarkable job. I invested in a $20 microphone to get better sound. Experimented with different locations and made a couple of videos.
Here’s the one I did today on just this topic. http://youtu.be/sQ4WsFss7Hw
And You can see the first attempt here. http://youtu.be/huJNQ5xx6pI
Let me know what you think.
Remember, strive for excellence not perfection. Progress only happens when you take action.
And if you’re still stuck and need a push, give me a call on (02) 9499-7958 and I’ll do my best to prod you into action!
