This guide will give you a clear idea of how you should use video to build relationships with your audience or customers. Since this advice is coming straight from an actress, I’m sure it will enrich your knowledge and ideas.

Julie Hansen, an actress turned into an author and then an entrepreneur, describes how you should communicate more effectively with your audience via camera.

Through the camera, Julie acquired the tools needed to truly connect with others. She eventually appeared in national ads, films, and television shows, including HBO’s “Sex and the City.”

As her career progressed, she started teaching businesses how to apply proven video marketing tactics from movies to the realities of marketing in the digital world.

In light of our continuously changing industry, today’s salespeople have been trained to quickly adapt to new tools, platforms, and messaging that they will need to compete in a virtual environment. 

Unfortunately, most businesses are left to figure out how to use video to interact with customers and establish connections by trial and error.

So, following her valuable advice, you can quit stumbling over videos to connect with your consumers and get back to completing more deals. Without any further delay, let’s get the ball rolling.

 

Acting Secrets of Using Video to Build Relationships

 

Whenever you are virtually talking to someone, it’s all about how uniquely you are presenting yourself in front of the camera. Have you ever thought about why the impressions of famous actors are so immense that thousands of people love them?

Well, it is only because they are able to build an effective connection with their audience. When they play a certain character, we tend to resonate with that. Their acting skills make the characters so real.

That’s the power of audio-visual media.

But don’t worry!! If you want to connect with your audience effectively, you don’t have to be Sir Michael Caine. You just need to know the techniques through which the actors do it.

To connect via video, you must make friends with the camera. Now, what does it mean to “make friends with the camera”?

It means that you need to be extremely comfortable in front of the camera. While doing masterclasses or meetings, I have seen many people behaving unnaturally in front of the camera.

That should not be the case with you.

 

Secret # 1

 

You have to make friends with it. 

More than your appearance or the things you say are conveyed by the camera. It expresses your emotions. And if you are nervous, scared, or uncomfortable, the camera—and your viewers—will pick up on it.

That implies you should learn to love—or at least, make friends with—your camera. Only then you can use video to build relationships with your customer.

By now, you must be thinking, “How do we do that?” How to make friends with the camera? What’s the secret? Right? So, here are some pro tips:

• Make it a welcoming and safe environment.

• Small steps will help you get more comfortable with the camera.

• Every day, record yourself having a spontaneous chat about something with your camera for one minute.

• Consider your camera to be a close buddy interested in hearing what you have to say.

• Consider being questioned by somebody who is genuinely curious about what you do.

The more you spend time with your camera, just like in every other relationship, the more relaxed you will become and the more “natural” you will appear.

 

Secret # 2

 

On camera, less is more. 

Every subtle facial emotion or movement is captured by the camera. Your prospect may be distracted or overwhelmed by your gestures and movements if they are large, rapid, or repetitive. And you certainly can’t use video to build relationships in this way. 

It takes some practice to learn to accomplish less while maintaining your energy and attention, but it is possible if you understand the secret art of “less is more.”

“Theater acting is an operation with a scalpel; movie acting is an operation with a laser.” -Michael Caine

To implement this technique, you need to:

• Recognize your frame and make an effort to keep your actions within it.

• Slow, purposeful motions or gestures might be used to accentuate certain ideas.

• Be conscious that things look closer together than they actually are! Your hands may appear out of proportion if you hold them in front of you.
• Maintain your voice’s strength, but consider slowing down and becoming quieter to draw your audience in. Variety is always a good thing.

 

Secret # 3

 

Don’t be afraid to show off your distinct individuality.

When the camera is turned on, it is common for people to tone down or flatten out their personalities. By not letting yourself be who you are, you miss out on the chance to communicate and connect with your potential customers.

Here are Julie’s tips to achieve that:

• Connect with what you’re saying and why you’re expressing it. Allow your face, voice, and body to respond to both good and negative signals. That’s what your viewers will see if you don’t have any feelings about it.

• Without the sound, watch a video of yourself. You should be able to tell how you feel about something just by looking at your face.

• Nerves and several takes can cause your delivery to go flat; attempt to shake things up. Get out of your chair and move about. Before your next take, rap or sing your script. Have a good time. It should not be uncomfortable to watch videos.

Applying these above-mentioned techniques you can easily use video to build relationships with your prospects.

 

Use Eye Contact And Body Language On Video

 

Making eye contact has a striking effect, not only in videos but also in in-person interaction. It makes your approach more direct in terms of body language.

 

Eye Contact Helps!!

 

When you are recording a video or hosting a meeting, the camera is the eye of your audience. You have to make eye contact with them by looking directly at the camera while talking.

The single most critical thing you can do to strengthen your connection and level of engagement is to make eye contact. While looking at the camera, you need not feel that you are missing your customer’s reactions or are unable to read their body language.

Use your peripheral vision to do those things. Peripheral vision allows us to see items that are not directly in front of us. It is the vision that we see through the corners of our eyes.

It was a useful tool for our forefathers since it allowed them to discern between an approaching predator and a potential meal. 

It’s now possible to see how our customers are paying attention and interested in a virtual conference while still having a strong visual connection.

To access your peripheral vision virtually, follow these simple steps:

1. Change your platform’s settings so that you can see your customer as much as possible on your screen. This will make it easy for you and improve your peripheral vision accuracy.
2. Hiding your image is a good idea. You don’t need to see yourself, and it will just serve as a source of distraction.
3. Bring images up close to the lens of your camera. Many platforms allow you to move the graphics on your screen around (use gallery mode in Zoom or floating view in Webex).
4. Closest to your camera, pin your most important customer. Some platforms allow you to save a person’s image to a single location, so you don’t have to look for them every time someone else walks in or out of the room.
5. Keep your attention on the camera. Place your core attention on the camera after you’ve put up the images to optimize your peripheral vision. 

When you keep your eyes on your audience, you should now be able to see changes in the body language of the people who are near your camera.

There’s no room for confusion anymore. You have all the tips and tricks; now it’s up to you how you use video to build relationships.

 

Body Language Is Also Crucial

 

The camera catches up with even the tiniest gestures and movements in the video’s tiny frame. Don’t let it be a disadvantage of yours; rather use it to your advantage.

If the movement is repeated, it can be as distracting as repeated “crutch” phrases, and your listener may be unable to focus on anything else before looking for ways to getaway.

It makes no difference whether you’re moving because you’re scared, uncomfortable, or completely unconsciously. Your audience has no idea and doesn’t care.

You must have a firm, still base whether you are sitting or standing for a video call or meeting. Your body is made up of a complex network of muscles, bones, and nerves. 

When you move a part of your body outside of the camera frame, it typically causes observable movement in another part of your body. Be aware of that while recording on camera.

Sellers in a competitive market can’t make a mistake like this by unintentionally sending the wrong messages with their body language. Thus your efforts to use video to build relationships will no more be valid.

You must also notice that you are not going out of frame while talking in a flow. It often happens that people talk with so much energy and excitement that parts of their body go out of frame. This must not happen.

A confident body movement on camera will always work to your advantage.

 

What The Camera (Audience) Sees

 

Understanding what the camera sees, and consequently, how your audience sees you and your message on their screen, is critical. When you are in a meeting or recording something on camera, your body is like an iceberg. 

The camera sees only the top 10% of your body. And that’s all you get to express yourself.

That is, the prospect makes assumptions about you and your goals based on the 10% that is visible. It’s very important that you understand what this 10% says and that it accurately reflects your true intentions.

Besides, you should also keep in mind that the camera drains ten to fifty percent of your vitality, which is a lesser-known fact. And sitting in your favorite recliner at home isn’t going to help!

Most people confuse being comfortable with being real when it comes to their personality and delivery in front of a camera.

As a result, your audience will have a dull, lifeless experience that they will quickly forget after they leave your meeting. If you want to use video to build relationships, you can’t afford to do that.

Hence, you need to add more energy to your video.

To retain the attention of the audience, you have to adopt a more direct approach, as if you were talking to one person only, not hundreds of people.

Video is a particularly personal form of expression. You must acknowledge that you are only talking to one individual, no matter how many people are on your call or in your meeting. 

This is because each person has their own unique experience and connection with you. When you speak to one person, your attention is much more focused and your gaze is more personal. Your body language is more specific and less showy.

And last but not least, the camera sees your face, right? Therefore, the facial expression is extremely significant. 

“If your face has nothing to say, why are you on video?” – Julie Hansen

If you are on video, your face should reflect your emotions. Don’t be indifferent. Let your face talk as well.

 

Why Must You Cheat The Camera?

 

Actors and other professionals who work in front of the camera are notorious for cheating. For the benefit of their audience, they deceive the camera by putting their body, face, and/or voice closer to the camera.

This performance approach allows the audience to take pleasure in the performance and enjoy:

• A superior line of sight
• A more “real” experience, and

• A better understanding of the performer’s thoughts and emotions

You will need to feign for the camera as a salesperson, presenter, or businessperson on video if you want to use video to build relationships.

If you’ve ever presented a presentation or led an in-person meeting, you’ve probably already cheated your way through it. For example, depending on the acoustics of the room, speak louder or softer, or position yourself adjacent to the screen so that the audience can see both your face and the slides/demonstration.

When selling on video, you’ll need to make some adjustments to communicate clearly with your customers.

 

Conclusion

 

When you are running an online business and presenting yourself online, you don’t have the scope of in-person interaction. So, whether it’s an advertisement, a YouTube video, a master class, or a simple Zoom meeting, your videos are all that help you communicate with people in this case.

Meanwhile, implement the tips mentioned in this guide and ensure that you are using this medium of communication effectively and efficiently so that your efforts don’t go in vain, and you can successfully use video to build relationships with your customers.

Comment below and let me know how this article has benefited you to understand the secrets of making connections via camera. Your thoughts are highly anticipated.

Lastly, you can also join our Internet Moguls Of The World School, where we help you to set yourself up for success, learn the key digital business concepts to thrive, and build an online business so that you can have more time for your family, more peace, and more financial freedom.