No Video Footage Turned Away for Lack of Usability!

Do you feel frustrated when you have visions of capturing kickass video footage of a business or personal adventure, only to feel like it was too hard to get and didn’t turn out as fantastically as you would have hoped?

Or do you get some decent footage but don’t really know how to integrate it into your marketing videos?

I can relate!  Marketing is an art and integrating less than perfectly planned video footage is a challenge!!  A creative challenge for sure!

But first let me diverge and share the good news of my latest business adventure.  My talk, on Tuesday (11-12-13!), “How to Make Quick & Easy Youtube Videos” went really well at the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce!  I led a bunch of intrepid peeps with a Tip Video Script Template in one hand and a smart-phone in the other to dive in and film each other!  A total blast!

I love initiating Video Virgins!  Hee-hee!

Here are just a few of the amazing ah-has people had:

• “That I could get over the intimidation of making videos with just one exercise.“
• “Inspiring- how simple it can be.“
• “Perfection is the enemy of ‘just good enough.‘”
• “Done is better than perfect.“
• “Vary the location and quality of video.”

Here’s where the challenge comes in.  I had some snippets of the talk that my colleague and speaking coach, Marianne Simon, very generously filmed of me in addition to crazy footage that I shot by accident while I was demonstrating with my iPhone.  I managed to salvage this accidental footage that was mostly sideways and throw it into the mix!  Here’s the video I cobbled together:

It was challenging mostly because I kept chastising myself for not planning better.  I kept asking myself, “how can I possibly make a ‘useful’ video out of this random hodge-podge?”

Well, I was determined because as an editor- I am tenacious about “no footage  un-touched.”  And I’m glad I bothered to spend the time because I learned A LOT!!!  And I want to share it with YOU!

So what did I learn from this?

• It’s important to use imperfect video footage of you speaking (or performing any one-time event) to share what you are up to with your ideal clients, even if the footage is incomplete– or even hap-hazard and seemingly unusable.

1. Hire an editor or a video coach if you want help creating something with it.
2. Use Titles to help drive home a few points that need further emphasis.
3. Or just include one unedited clip in your blog and supplement the details by writing whatever is needed to make sense of the footage. (This is true for any video situation.  I gave this suggestion to a client and it worked beautifully!)
4. All video footage is salvageable! You hear me? It’s better than NO footage.  And learn from the situation on how to get more usable footage 😉
5. Whatever footage you have is worth capitalizing on.  Every moment captured on video is GOLD for your marketing.  Don’t underestimate the power of moving images- no matter how unprofessional they look!  They are still far more valuable than words alone to capture this live action proof!  As you can see my video is no masterpiece but it captures the energy of my talk, the fun, the essence.  It’s a great record of my speaking!  And I’m using it in this blog as a teaching opportunity.  Are you with me?
6. If at all possible set up a tripod and camera with a decent microphone and capture the whole talk!  I will definitely do this next time.  Why? Well it can be re-purposed as a free gift or product to be sold as a video, audio or e-book!
7. Use the Q&A footage as market research and a record of what your ideal clients are needing help with. (Thank you Tracy Braime!)
8. If you can, get someone to get some additional footage- it’s nice to get different angles. I am so grateful Marianne shot different angles!
9. Crazy randomly shot footage can be doctored. Can you tell which footage I’m talking about in the video? It adds to the visual variety and captures the lively filming activity of the participants.
10. The creative problem-solving required to create a video led me to offer a Tip Video Script Template as a free gift since the video doesn’t really cover all that I have to say about using a Tip Video Script Template- this was not something I had intended but was a totally fun, expanding idea.   Feel free to grab the Tip Video Script Template as I decided to upgrade it and add some great information to it, so it’s like a mini-lesson on creating your Tip Video script.

I hope this has inspired you to gather even more video footage of your adventures in business or in your personal life!  Remember, no video footage should be turned away for seeming lack of usability!

A little bit of creative problem-solving can open up all kinds of new marketing doors while expanding the Variety of your Visibility!

To your Expanded and Varied Visibility!