In this episode of The Kerry Barrett Show, Kerry tackles the question of whether it’s too late to get into the video game. She reassures listeners that there is still room for them, even if they’re just starting out. While it may seem like everyone is creating video content, Kerry explains that the majority of business owners and professionals are actually just digital lurkers, consuming content without creating their own. She encourages listeners to focus on their target audience and provide valuable content, as there is plenty of room for new ideas and personal brand growth. Kerry emphasizes that now is the time to get started and not give up.
Transcript
Kerry: Hi, I’m Kerry Barrett. And once again thank you for joining me for the Kerry Barrett Show. Today I’m going to talk a little bit about video and whether it is too late to get into the video game if you haven’t already started. And while that is a big concern for a lot of people, there is no time like the present to get started. There is still room for you.
Even if you’re just beginning to understand how to use video, you haven’t created anything yet, and you’re not quite exactly sure where to start. It is easy. I will say this to feel like because there’s so much video out there everywhere, not just on social media, but also on landing pages and on websites.
There are video podcasts, live streams and master classes and webinars and sales events and all this other stuff that are being done virtually or in some way shape, or form through the lens or through the camera.It can feel like everybody’s doing it except you. But I’m here to tell you that. By and large, the vast majority of business owners and professionals are digital lurkers, as I like to say meaning they are there.
And they’re watching online or wherever it is, however, they’re not actually creating it. So while it seems like the marketplace is full of that, digital space is full of video. And there is certainly a lot of noise out there, if you are talking to the right audience and giving them what they need. And what they want to know is that there is absolutely plenty of room for you as well.
There is plenty of room for new content, there is plenty of room for new spins on old takes, there’s plenty of space and time for you to grow your personal brand. So do not give up. Do not take up knitting or whatever it is you’re contemplating instead, because there is space for you.
But as you delay, it only inhibits your momentum, it’s as you begin taking those smaller steps and moving forward, that you actually begin to make some progress and you gain a little bit of traction. And you learn from your audience. Because you’re growing it you can find out what they need, what they’re hungry for, what value you can offer to them.
And the more you delay that, the more your motivation and momentum diminishes. And the less likely it is for you to get out there. There was somebody who is a very big name online right now, who started at some point exactly where you are.
And the only difference between them and you is the fact that they started, you may think that your niche or your topic is too boring or too stoic. But I promise you, if you were to search it out, you would find influencers if that’s what you want to call them in your space, who are generating a ton of traction online and in the digital space with their video content.
And they’re turning that video content and those views and those followers into an engaged audience.They’re leveraging that audience for other opportunities, and they’re leveraging them by turning them into clients as well. So don’t delay. You have plenty of time. But the time to start is now. There are always new platforms that are going to pop up and then either fizzle out or gain traction.
In the last couple of years we’ve had clubhouse we have had Clapper, we have had threads on Instagram, which as of this recording is in a little bit of dicey territory. There are your old tried and true your YouTubes your Instagrams, your Facebook, and then there are other platforms like LinkedIn, for example, that is beginning to prioritize this type of content and it is becoming a place that’s about learning and networking and creating connection more so than just an online resume as it used to be in the not too distant past.
It can feel incredibly discouraging to watch somebody else. And they’re the one that’s getting the legs and the following, and they’re the ones that are growing. But I’m telling you right now that if I can do this, I absolutely promise that you can do it as well, it does feel risky. And it may feel redundant, like, why am I talking about this, there’s already a million other people that are talking about it out there.
The truth of the matter is, yes, there are many of them that fade into the background as white noise and they never gain any traction, because they’re not delivering properly. They don’t know their audience. And perhaps they’re not on the right platform. But even the most ardent followers of one of those bigger names online, in your industry, don’t even see every single post that somebody makes.
And so there’s no redundancy, I don’t know how else to say it. Other than that, you can say almost the same thing as everybody else. When you’re, you know, getting down to brass tacks, but conceptually, and the way that you present it as yourself is what makes it different, because it’s your voice and people will connect with you, and they will connect with your experiences. Not all of them, I’m going to be very clear about it.
Not all of them will connect with you. That’s the other bonus of a video and you’re like bonus, some people aren’t gonna like me. But the bonus is, if you’re doing it well, a good video will bring the right people to you because you jive and you mesh and your personalities work together, and you talk about something this person really needs.
That is your area of expertise. And maybe you’re not a generalist. And then on the flip side, it repels the people who are not right for you. Those were the people that would chew up all your time with lots of emails, and lots of sales calls and lots of questions, and ultimately never ended up working with you. And sometimes it’s because of the price point, a lot of times, just because it wasn’t quite the right fit, nobody could really put their finger on exactly why, if you’re doing your video correctly, it will remove most of those people from your funnel, it will filter them out.
So you’re not wasting time with sales calls and emails and everything else with those people who will ultimately not convert or won’t partner with you. So it works in both ways. So starting now is key. It is as I mentioned, your perspective, that will set you apart, almost anything can be replicated, you can replicate, and you can replicate certainly copy, you can even replicate a process that somebody uses, what cannot be replicated is the way you deliver it.
In essence, you are the only thing that sets you apart from lots of other people who don’t do something similar in your space. So authenticity and reliability there are words that get thrown around quite a bit. But the truth of the matter is, it’s not something you have to cultivate. It’s really just being willing to turn on the camera and letter it paid or just talk about what you do and who you are and who you help.
In a way that is you. And that is actually all you need to do to get started. But one other thing that I think is crucial that I know is crucial outside of you know getting started. There’s plenty of space now is the right time, share who you are. And the other thing that’s crucial is knowing where your audience is.
And if you have not really ventured onto social media yet beyond being a lurker social media is a really great place to start can start with doing other videos maybe FAQs, frequently asked questions for your website or demo videos or loom videos to show somebody something inside of one of your programs or a coaching session or something like that.
But when you’re looking to bring in and you’re focusing on creating awareness and attraction at the top of the funnel, social media is in terms of video content, where you want to start. So who exactly is your audience? This is what you’ve got to focus on. And so that you can start the right way.
Where is your audience? Are they on Twitter, maybe not a bad place for youtube if you are interested in generating some media opportunities for yourself, because the news media still regularly minds, Twitter for content and new faces and new ideas is your audience on Facebook, maybe some of your audience is on Facebook, and some is on LinkedIn.
For example, if you are a yoga teacher, and you’re looking to start a Saturday morning virtual class for moms who are busy during the week, Facebook is a great place for that. If you are looking to teach yoga at a corporate retreat as part of their wellness regimen, or program, LinkedIn is probably the place for you. And if you look to do both, you are in both spots. However, the way that you talk to each audience is different.
In the case of Facebook, you are B to C, right business to consumer and you are talking to the end user. On LinkedIn, you are B to B you’re talking to another business, and you are likely talking to not the end user but somebody who is in maybe HR, or some sort of personnel or employee development program, who might be looking to bring in people to that sort of environment. Or maybe you’re talking to an event planner, who is looking to help a corporation put together a retreat for their employees.
So understanding what exactly is it that you want to talk about in terms of your business? What offer is it what problem you solve, and where specifically, the person or entity that has that problem can be found, you may have two avatars that you talk to, I would suggest starting with one, let’s say in this case, it is the Saturday yoga class for the moms.
Let’s start on Facebook and learn how to talk to that audience, learn exactly what their pain points are, exactly what they’re curious for. Build your brand on Facebook. So it’s not just about advertising your Saturday morning yoga class, it’s providing a unique perspective about the benefits of yoga, or you are providing information about how to spot, let’s say, a bad yoga studio or an instructor who doesn’t really know what he or she is talking about.
Or, you know, here’s a common perspective in the yoga industry. I disagree. And here’s why. So you can pull your own personal brand or your own personal thoughts and point of view. And it doesn’t always have to be about how you do a tree pose. Or here’s how you do warrior one, or warrior two, or whatever it is, you’re talking to that audience on Facebook, so know where your audience is, pull them and ask questions, and then create video content that serves not just their need, but also helps you build a personal brand as well.
Start on Facebook, and then move to LinkedIn. If that’s where you think your other audience lives near, maybe it’s Facebook and Instagram, the content there can be very similar. Tik Tok still has great organic reach. And although there are a lot of other problems that people associate with Tikyok. The truth is, unlike a lot of the other platforms, Instagram, for example, doesn’t serve up your content based on the number of followers you have, or what you have put out in the past. It’s still really an equal opportunity playing field.
And so you can still get although I would say the land grab is beginning to fill up, there is still a bit of real estate on Tiktok where you can grow easier in a more organic kind of way. So that’s really what it comes down to. It comes down to starting small with a little bit of video on one social platform, honing your message and figuring out who you’re talking to using your perspective because it is what makes you different. And understanding that you could probably say the same thing. 10 different ways and just put it on repetition.
And most of your audience isn’t going to see that anyway. In fact, if you’re creating one piece of content, you should always be thinking of ways that you can use it down the road, even if it means just taking that little bit of video and changing up the text on the screen or giving the caption a bit of a new twist or putting a different call to action. It doesn’t mean that you have to take tons of time out of your day to start creating.
And I’ll give you a little quick tip right now, right now Tiktok, and Instagram reels, although there is the ability to create sort of longer form, and by that I mean, you know, a minute or 90 seconds video, really what’s performing well, as of this recording, our videos that are about 12 seconds. Again, not one size fits all sort of thing, you’ll see plenty of videos that perform well, that’s longer or shorter.
But my point is, when you’re starting, make it as easy on yourself as possible, I get it, it is really hard to show up, it is hard to put your face on video, because we all feel the same when we see ourselves. For most of us, it is very cringy that it’s still very cringy for me when I watch myself as well, but I can do it. And so I know that you can as well. It’s just sort of compartmentalizing the cringe. And then like getting to it at a later date.
Maybe in therapy, which is what I need. My point is turn on your phone and shoot 10 videos that are 12 seconds apart. Now you’ve got video content, even if you’re posting three times a week, you’ve got enough for almost a month of video. And if you want some really easy ideas on how to begin two quick tips for you go to answerthepublic.com. There’s a paid version. And there’s a free version and put in your niche or your area of expertise.
Let’s stick with the yoga teacher concept here because as what we’ve already talked about, put in yoga as your key word. And it will populate all of the questions in your region. Let’s say you’re in the United States and pick the United States. it’ll populate all the questions that are the most asked questions about yoga online right now. And then take maybe, I don’t know 12 of them and bring those 12 questions and bring them over into ChatGPT and ask ChatGPT to create a couple of video topic ideas for each one of those questions.
From a yoga instructor’s perspective. They won’t all be gems, and you might have to refine, but there will be some that will be great and it is a way to get started without creating a ton of extra work and creating a steep learning curve or learning process for you to get started. Literally the only thing you need for that is an internet connection, a smartphone, your face and your voice.
Record them into your smartphone, save them in your camera roll or save them in Instagram or in stories and then go back. And when you have a second, put a simple text bubble on the screen and write something in the caption. And really at the end of the day, if you know what you’re doing on camera and you don’t get too self conscious and overthink it.
Knocking out those 12 videos shouldn’t take you more than an hour and trust me once you get good and once you know what you’re doing which won’t take long if you do it consistently. It won’t take you even nearly that long. You could knock out those 12 videos in 20 minutes tops.
I hope that you have found this episode helpful. If you listened and you enjoyed taking a screenshot head on over to Instagram you can share it on your IG stories and you can tag me. @IamKerryBarrett, thank you so much for watching and listening and I will see you in the next episode.
