How to personalise your data brand with the 'Video Sandwich Technique'
Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you know that video is an increasingly popular format for building awareness and opportunities for your data consultancy or software business.
Although late to the party, LinkedIn has started to embrace the video format and are (finally) starting to catch up with sites like Facebook and Instagram for video support.
So if you want to build a data brand for attracting clients in the fiercely competitive field of data management, LinkedIn must be a serious focus for your content marketing strategy, because your clients are almost certainly accessible directly, or indirectly, via this platform.
Side Note: It's for this reason that LinkedIn plays a primary role in the myDataBrand program I developed to coach data management experts and business owners on how to attract a consistent flow of premium clients - LinkedIn works.
However, there's a catch when it comes to publishing video - it doesn’t come naturally to most data consultants and experts.
For some, it can be challenging enough to create a compelling ‘voice’ with your writing, let alone on video.
Before we talk tactics, let's briefly explore what may also be holding you back in your quest for compelling content - the P word:
The Quest for Perfection
Many data professionals, particularly those building a brand online, think their content has to be slick and polished, because if it’s not, then their clients, prospects and peers, will think their business isn’t slick and polished.
But here's the thing...
Perfection is a limiting belief and something that, as a coach, I watch for in my clients. There are often a variety of causes to these type of misplaced thoughts that do not serve you and need to be addressed.
Limiting beliefs about ‘performing’ and building your data brand, particularly through video or public appearance, can be deep-seated, so watch for them, they’re sneaky little devils that need to be winkled out and exposed for the lying swines that they are ;-)
But back to video production...
How can you simplify the video creation process, reduce the stress, create compelling content, and get your personal message delivered with clarity?
Cue: The ‘Video Sandwich Technique’
Let’s say you want to tell people about something important relating to your data management consultancy or software biz.
Perhaps you want to share a useful technique, or you’ve got a training session coming up or you’ve got a new version of software to promote.
Just like @Matthew Jesser did recently when creating video for his new event.
So you hit record and start talking.
But screw up the opening line.
Take 2...
A bit better, but then you fluff the delivery half way through.
Take 3...
The kids walk in and ask for something to eat.
Take 4...
Getting there but you forget to include a link in your call to action.
Take 5...
And so it goes on…
Frustrated, you think sod it, I’ll just write a status post on LinkedIn instead.
Don’t despair, here’s a simple method to get around it.
Think of your video as having 3 acts:
Act 1: The Intro
Act 2: The Main Event
Act 3: The Close (Call-to-Action)
Instead of trying to nail all 3 acts by rattling off every piece of dialogue with perfection, just focus on remembering a couple of short lines for Acts 1 and 3, then do voiceover for Act 2 using screen cam software over slides and a perfectly crafted script.
An example I'm working on right now…
I’ve got a few clients finishing up their #myDataBrand program so I’ll soon be doing another push to boost my client intake.
I could do a video 'off-the-cuff' and hope I nail all 3 'acts' in front of camera.
Or, I can use the Video Sandwich Technique, using a script like below:
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Act 1: On Camera I say these words:
"Hey, Dylan Jones here, the creator of myDataBrand.
Are you a data professional that runs your own business?
Then chances are you’ve experienced the feast and famine problem:"
Act 2: Screen Cam Over Slides with Voiceover
Here I prepare a bunch of slides explaining why so many data practitioners are perfectly capable of delivering great services to their clients, but when it comes to attracting clients - it’s a painful challenge.
I script this section to perfection, explaining my USP and for bonus points can even inject video snippets from client testimonials etc.
Act 2 could be 'evergreen' content, it never changes, unless I want to add new testimonials or tweak my message.
Once the slides are done, I just do a voiceover recording, using video editing software, such as Camtasia, Screencast etc.
Act 3: Back on camera I say these words,
"Want to plug the gaps in your growth strategy and learn how to attract premium clients to your data management business?
Learn all about my Lead Generation Accelerator for Data Consultancies today at mydatabrand.com/breakthrough
See you on the call."
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Can you see how this technique reduces the stress of learning long lines of dialogue, or having to use a teleprompter?
How could you apply this technique to your content strategy? Share your creations in the comments below.
And if you want to start tackling those obstacles holding back the launch or growth of your data management business, book that breakthrough call today ;-)