Release the real you: the moment I learned that being yourself is what matters in marketing videos

Being authentic on camera is hard

It is, isn’t it?

If I’m honest, I’m not 100% myself when I am recording videos on my own – even though I have a broadcasting background. I’m fine with other people, but doing it solo never rings quite true.

You might feel the same, if (like me) you grew up in the pre-internet age, before the word ‘selfie’ was invented. Which means talking into that spot of light on your laptop still feels weird.  

Or maybe you’re happy looking into the lens but you still put yourself in ‘professional mode’, because you’re representing your organisation.   And you might have several ‘key messages’ to remember. And trying to shoehorn them into your next sentence makes the whole thing stiffer.  Less natural.  Less ‘you’.   

As for me, I automatically switch to ‘Solemn Presenter Setting’.

I wish I didn’t, but it’s a hangover from my days – back in the late 1980s – when I presented daily programmes in BBC Local Radio.

I was in my 20s, and our audience was 50+.  For some reason, I felt I had to put on a sedate act: lowering my voice, slowing my delivery and keeping my sense of humour well out of sight.

It’s ironic, looking back

Now that I fall into that local radio age bracket (I won’t give you the exact figure, because I still don’t know you that well ) I still feel like I’m 20 something.  So had I dared to be myself, I probably would have connected better with my listeners.

The only times my character emerged was when I was interviewing other people. I’d be so engrossed in their stories, I’d forget where I was, and the whole thing became less of a performance.

That’s why I’m a fan of using conversations to release your real self when you’re recording a video.  Talking to someone else helps you forget you’re in an odd recording situation, so you speak and behave more normally.  You become more ‘you’.

At which point, you might wonder:

Dare I be my real self when I’m doing a video for work?

What if I ‘umm’ a lot?  Or I make a remark that’s off message? Or my shirt is creased, and the viewer thinks I don’t know what an iron is?

First: if you’re recording and you really feel you’ve messed up, you can always do it again.

Second:  AI can often deal with the ums and errs, if they get out of hand. But honestly – and this is based on hundreds of conversations – some ums and pauses are natural and give your audience valuable thinking time.

Third: your pace, tone and delivery are all part of your personality.  And when you give your audience glimpses of your personality, those are the moments they will react to and remember.  

Here’s an example

In the early days of my business, I’d put on a ‘professional’ performance everywhere, even when I was networking IRL.  

I felt that to be taken seriously, I had to be serious… all the time.  (Had you spoken to my friends during that period, I think they would tell you that I am a smiley person who likes to make other people smile – if I can.)

Then, one day, this changed.

I was standing in a conference queue, and I made an off-the-cuff remark to the person next to me.  I’d met her several times before. She was very approachable, and she made me feel at ease.  Relaxed enough to be myself.

Danger! Danger!

My guard was down. My quip had escaped and was running wild.  

Danger! Danger!

This wasn’t a recording. This was live.  I couldn’t retake.

And before I could issue a retraction, my companion laughed and said, in surprise, “Wow. You’ve got a great sense of humour. Nice one!”

Interesting…

The comment I had wanted to take back – on the grounds that it wasn’t ‘professional enough’ – appeared to be the highlight of our chat. At least as far as my audience was concerned.

That got me thinking about other parts of my business communications. Did my well-honed elevator pitch – those 30 seconds I rehearsed relentlessly out loud to the kettle, delivering them as if they were a Radio 4 trailer – have less impact than when I improvised?  (Yes, I did rehearse aloud, in the privacy of the kitchen. I’m sure all the cutlery and mugs were thoroughly sick of hearing how I helped founders to find, and share, their back stories…)

Anyway, I’ve wandered off. Back to that queue.

My companion’s laugh made me realise that letting more of myself ‘out’ wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. 

It also confirmed something that I’d been aware of during my broadcasting career:

It takes two to be 100% authentic on camera

Because unless you’re a digital native with a flair for presenting, talking into a microphone/lens is harder when there isn’t another human in sight.   

You can imagine the audience, but it’s easier to relax and be yourself when you can see another person reacting to you in real time. They don’t need to be in the same room – chatting virtually on Zoom, Riverside FM or Teams works just as well.

Which explains why I felt so much more at home when I was interviewing someone else, and why I’m now (seriously) obsessive about helping others to interview the people who will help their organisations to grow – whether they’re clients or volunteers, colleagues or donors.  

Because when you turn those conversations into content, the speakers stand out for their energy and naturalness.  You’re capturing them in the flow of a spontaneous conversation rather than in ‘professional presenter’ mode.

And when your interviewees relax into their best genuine selves, their videos will really speak to your target audiences, build trust, and help to grow your organisation.

Here’s a quick example of unscripted video content

This is how Claire Bannister, The Unstoppable Growth Coach, describes her experience of creating videos ‘just by having a chat’. And you’ve guessed it: it comes from a quick conversation with me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxtORecdWas

Showing my personality on video is work in progress

Even now,I’m shaking off my po-faced presenter tendencies.  There’s still a difference between the Miranda in conversation, and the Miranda recording videos on her own. But thinking back to that moment in the queue helps me to close the gap.

If you’d like practical tips on how to capture your own video stories, and those of your clients and colleagues – and do it in a relaxed way that doesn’t involve hours of setting up and stressful retakes, my Richest Conversations email series will help. Find out more about it here.

PS. The photo of me was taken by the very talented Liz Finlayson at Vervate.