She killed the house lights, and the scene came to life. It's morning, but dark in the corner I'm sitting in as I look at the film set.
Cameras, backdrop, key, fill and hair lights shine bright, sitting in silence as they patiently wait for the hero to step up to the stage of reckoning. The steam slowly rises from my coffee and warms my brow as I cautiously take that first sip of my beloved Americano. A warm smile of anticipation irons out the wrinkles of focus from my face. It's film day.
In 20 minutes, the first of four clients will walk through the door. Nervous but excited, fearful
but determined, armed with scripts to silence the demons that fought in vain trying to stop them from doing this. You're not good enough; you have nothing of value to say; you're too fat, you stutter; who is going to watch these anyway? Today the inner critic is silenced, and the stage is set to capture your essence, your authority, ready to tell the world I'm here!
SHOOTING 25 VIDEOS FOR $2,500
It was unheard of; I had never heard of it before. So now we shoot 100 videos daily across four clients, giving them a weekly video for six months. Done, dusted and delivered in 7 days.
Why? Why shoot so many?
We've shot creative videos for big and small brands across multiple countries and produced interactive video experiences for government departments. So why now are we shooting short-form videos for business owners instead of creative ads with big budgets?
THE MARKET DECIDES
I don't make the rules. Four of the five major platforms are championing short-form video content. We could dive into the psychology behind this or just read the room and give business owners the strategy and video assets that will work for them today. We started with a test group of 30 clients, dialled in our systems and processes and now roll this out globally. I won't bore you with a gazillion stats and facts about the rise and rise of video in the world of social media marketing. Unless you've been living under a rock, you will be well aware that every major platform is championing short-form videos, from Tiktok to Instagram reels, Facebook and Youtube stories. But with so many brands jumping on this bandwagon, you may ask yourself, how can I stand out?
The magic is in the scripting process, presentation coaching and consistency. These are vital elements of any short-form video campaign. Attention is the new currency; these videos stack up and stockpile social proof, authority and credibility, building a front-facing foundation that shows you as the authority in your space.
TIME VS $$$
If you're a solopreneur, you may have more time than $$$, especially if you're starting.
If this is the case, please feel free to jump into our free training to fast-track your content creation skills, so you can create quality, consistent content that speaks directly to your ideal client. (see our website details below)
Contact me directly if you have an existing business and want a done-with-you or done-for-you solution. (see contact email address below)
ARE 25 VIDEOS ENOUGH?
No, you need to think of short-form videos as the new currency and ad spend. If you could publish one daily across multiple platforms, your brand exposure and key messaging would be everywhere. Instead, each day builds upon the last, drawing in an audience of ideal prospects wanting to be part of your ecosystem, wanting to be your client. But you have to start somewhere; publishing one video per week, images, and text every other day is a solid plan to start you off on this journey. Our authority content blueprint tool will help you navigate these waters. You can gain access at www.authority123.com
IS LINKEDIN THE ANSWER?
"I don't care about Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or Youtube; all my prospects are on LinkedIn". Will these videos work on LinkedIn? Yes. Most of our clients only post on LinkedIn, so you're in good company.
GETTING UNSTUCK
Most of us get stuck working in the business, and even the thought of producing, scheduling and publishing consistent content creates anxiety because we don't have the time or bandwidth to get it sorted. The problem is that this problem isn't going to disappear magically.
No content fairy is coming to save the day for you.
You can either put your head in the sand and keep paying Google or invest in a content strategy that will not only bring in leads but will grow your brand profile, building layers upon layers of credibility, trust and searchable IP, connecting you with your ideal audience daily.
How do I get started? Go to www.authority123.com
WHEN YOUR BRAND IS TRUSTED
Have you ever just wanted to buy from someone? You didn't care what; you knew they had the solutions and trusted them to deliver. That's the power of a personal or company brand and great storytelling. The better you are at the opening, the less you must close. I think of content as sales lube; it makes the sales process so much smoother. Once your audience trusts you, knows your solutions, and you've answered all their questions through video, there's nothing in their way. All the barriers have been removed, and they can buy in confidence. This is where you transition from sales rep to the order taker. That is the transformational quality of video.
PAIN VS PLEASURE
"I know my stuff, but I'm an introvert; the thought of even doing one video stresses me out."
I get it; we've filmed many introverts and helped bring their essence to the forefront for their audience to embrace their genius. Once you feel "seen", it's a magical thing. Once the pain of not growing or lack of revenue/profit exceeds the pain of trying something new, you will make that leap, my friend. Or we could hire a presenter for you. If you need help, reach out.
Kevin is an award winning filmmaker, Podcast host on Authority Nation, Global Content Coach and Director and Co Owner of Facebox along with Head of Production Raewyn Barry.
You can connect with Kevin on LinkedIn here www.linkedin.com/in/kevinetherington