There is no other marketing tool available that will help get more speaking engagements than a well executed and thought out speaker demo video. It is a marketing tool that prospects can use to review your speaking style, skill and ability 24-7 on your website, social media networks and on DVD.
Our objective is to design demo videos for our clients using tried and true strategies that always deliver favorable outcomes. When the production plan is outlined, the speech is prepared and executed properly, the video recording process is organized and executed, you are on your way to creating a successful demo video.
Primeau Productions, LLC uses the following model when producing professional speaker demo videos.
Who
Who are the people that are best suited for your message? It is essential for us to identify and define this market as we begin our journey because as professional speakers, it’s too easy to try to be everything to everybody. Clients we have worked with that succeed in the speaking business have defined their target market and deliver a polished message to that market.
We find a blend of content and entertainment in the demo video clips we select. It’s best not to overwhelm your prospect with too much content and make sure they are entertained while viewing your speaker demo video.
When you are booked, it is important for you to understand the audience’s pain as well as successes and incorporate both into your presentation. This is defined as customizing your presentation specifically for that audience. Many speakers claim to customize their message but do not. Customizing will help you grow as a speaker because each client is a learning experience as you question them and research their market and industry. Plus, video recording a customized speech will make for good social media and additional website video clips.
What
Now that you have identified who your audience is, you have to continue to develop your message and define your objectives. What do you want to communicate to that audience?
Pick clips that answer the ‘what’ question. Number those clips using a system that makes sense to you. This is a great method we use when selecting clips for the demo video. We number our select clips on a one to ten scale. When beginning the production, we load all clips that have received a score of seven to ten.
The base content of your demo video message is the foundation for every speech. It exemplifies what you do and how you do it.
A great technique for preparing your basic presentation is to compile a list of stories and keep them handy as you prepare for each presentation. You are a pro and know your topic through and through. As you design your presentation for client “A”, look through your list of stories and decide what you could add to your base content that will make this presentation best suited for that client.
You have to determine what you are going to tell them as a base, add the stories and continue to customize for their market. If the message you always share is the cake, then the stories are the icing on the cake. Be sure to include a balance of base content and stories as well as humor (if you do humor well) in your presentations.
When
When will you be giving your presentation? It is important to discover if you are to open a meeting or conference or closing it. If you are opening the meeting, your main job is to set the mood of the meeting. Keep in mind that this is an event for your client and you are the opening act. Words are very powerful and the words you choose to say to that audience will set the stage for the rest of their time together.
We generally find that opening keynote presentations make for better video recording opportunities than lunch keynotes or closing keynotes.
If you are closing the meeting, then it is your job to recap the event and bring it all together so the audience remembers the meeting. Your best compliment and success is for your audience to take away what they have learned and implement it into their lives.
Where
Where is the meeting? If it is from the same country or region you are from, it will be natural for you to know what to say and how to say it. If it is in another country or region, then you should brush up on that area’s etiquette.
We had a client that learned this lesson the hard way and used the word Fanny in the UK. There are many different customs that you need to be aware of when you speak, especially when video recording your presentation for use in your demo video.
If there is a translator, this looks very good on a demo video. You have to speak at a slower pace when your audience speaks another language-especially if there is a translator.
Also keep in mind the audience shots when shooting two cameras. It is a huge benefit for marketing purposes to have a diverse looking audience shots in your speaker demo video. I wish I had a dime every time clients would come to me wanting to market to a wider market sector but became stuck because the audience shots in their preview video show all women. It’s a catch 22: how do I get in front of diverse audiences before I have the marketing video perfected? In this case you have to rely on your message content to convince a client of you as the speaker for their event rather than the video.
Audience reaction shots add huge value to your speaker demo video because they show people enjoying your presentation.
Why
Before beginning your demo video storyboard, ask yourself why should the prospect hire you to speak for their meeting? What do you have in your message that will benefit their people? Why you? The preview video has to answer this question. There are meetings that you are not appropriate for. It is the arrogant speaker that believes they are perfect for every audience.
The Production Process
Now that we have a better understanding of the message and delivering that message to your audience let’s look at what you need to do to have a world class preview video.
First you have to be videotaped. The items you need to discover to help facilitate a successful videotaping include:
1. Where the event is located that you want to video tape?
2. Is it a union facility?
3. What are the facilities requirements so you can leave with the master in hand that won’t have excessive costs associated?
4. Is there enough electricity for the video equipment?
5. What does the room look like?
6. What will the stage look like?
Is your client ok with you having video cameras in the room taping your message? Are there any mirrors that might reflect undesirable images the camera might pick up?
How do you find a camera crew? How much will the crew charge and what is their skill level? As a rule of thumb, it is always best to hire a video company yourself than to try to put together a video crew using the meeting facility or in- house AV supplier. They all draw from the same talent pool except the in house AV supplier and meeting facility will add a financial mark up to the video pros fees. It is more cost effective for you to find the company and coordinate activity and responsibility with the meeting facility for the best result at the best price.
Two tips worth reiterating, from the audio program How to Prepare for a Video Taping, are to wear an outfit that compliments the platform background. The second is to treat the camera as an audience member. Just as you would make eye contact with your audience, make sure you do the same with the camera. The camera is your prospect and video viewing audience.
Multiple presentations should be taped if the budget permits. Two cameras are better than one. The second camera does not always have to capture faces of the audience but rather give the editor something to cut to when making content edits. Backs of heads can be very effective in showing your audience response.
We live in an MTV generation where video has to have movement to keep the viewers attention. Editing allows movement. You have seen videos that seem flat? Take a look at how often the scene changes? Flat videos do not change scenes often enough. Scene changes can be camera to camera as well as graphics, interviews and testimonials.
Now that the footage has been taped it’s time to pick the best clips to consider for including in your preview video. I use a numbering system and rate the clips 1 to 10. The 10′s are viewed a second time and rated 1 to 3. The 3′s are the Premo clips that most always make it into the video.
Now we load the clips into the editing computer. We put the clips in a working order and begin the creative process of designing the preview video.
This is the time to go back and review and refresh your thinking with your message and market because the creative design includes strategy for making sure your message is clear to a predetermined audience and market. Should you consider testimonials in video or computer graphics? Interviews are another way to add movement to your production and at the same time clarify your message and purpose.
Computer graphics help communicate a feel in the creative design as well as branding consistency. Your website and video graphics should have a common look and feel.
Our goal at this point is to produce a rough edit. During this phase, we do not put a lot of effort into finalizing the transitions, effects and graphics and audience or “B” roll camera shots until we know the substance and content has been perfected. View the rough edit several times. Show it to other people who you respect and whose opinion you value. Once the rough edit is approved, we make any content revisions and finalize the production.
Testimonials in video (shot on location after your presentation)or computer graphics (excerpts taken from client appreciation letters) can be used. Music and voice are added to the production. They help with the production value of your video and set the tone and feel for the viewer.
The end media used include internet video files for website placement and DVD’s. I strongly recommend Flash video as the file format for posting on your website. Flash video is cross platform because it is Mac and PC friendly.
Posting your video in all possible places like You Tube, Google and E Speakers will yield your best results. Speaker bureaus who work with meeting planners are also a target for posting your video onto their websites for maximum visibility.
Design a marketing campaign to a predetermined data base. This data base includes your existing clients; let them know you have a new preview video. Determine who would be best suited for your message and make a list. Send stuff to that list and offer copies of your press kit and preview video. Send the preview video only when requested.
Let’s recap the process:
1. Perfect your message
2. Determine your market
3. Determine what upcoming presentations should be videotaped
4. Video tape your presentation
5. View the footage and pick clips
6. Produce a rough edit
7. Take a break from the video then watch the rough edit at a later date and revise
8. Design your creative strategy
9. Finalize the video using graphics, music and voice over
10. Create the various digital files for DVD and the internet
11. Design your marketing plan to grow your prospect and customer base.
Conclusion
In the above paragraphs, we have covered everything from concept to completion for producing a successful preview video. This is one tried and true model; there are several other models that are also effective.
Like any large project, the first step is the biggest. Once you begin your journey with a professional who knows and understand the meetings industry and your target market, the production process actually becomes fun!
