How can I create great nail & beauty videos for social media?
By Scratch Staff | 16 April 2020 | Expert Advice, Feature
Simon Day of Toastmasters International, an organisation that provides communication & leadership skills, reveals how to engage others & communicate effectively via online videos…
While salons and beauty businesses are closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, you may find yourself turning to online means of communication to keep in touch with clients. Here are some ideas to help you as we get used to working in a different way.
Video-making tips
You may well want to try your hand at making short videos to share your expertise. With his permission, I refer to Haydn Rushworth who recently posted a superb video on LinkedIn. In it, he shares, then demonstrates, simple, effective tips for producing better video from any device:
- Don’t stand or sit with a window behind you – you’ll turn into a silhouette. Facing a source of natural light is best.
- Find a quiet place. Background noise can be incredibly distracting for you and those you are talking to.
- Use a tripod, wall or lean your device against a steady object to ensure the video is smooth.
- Look at the lens, not the screen.
- Ensure you are in focus. This can be done on most smartphones by tapping the screen and ensuring the lighting is adequate.
- Choose a flattering camera angle. Ensure the device is at least at eye level – nobody wants to see up your nostrils.
- Film in landscape (horizontal) mode where applicable. This will mean your video is easier to post across multiple platforms.
Communication strategies
Once I adopted online communication, I quickly discovered several strategies that have served me well as a professional speaker are equally vital when communicating via technology:
Eye contact – To establish and maintain relationships of trust and respect, you want eye contact between 60% and 70% of the time
In online communication eye contact is made by looking at the camera lens. Stick a Post-It Note or arrow near the lens as a reminder that when you speak, this is where you should look.
Vocal variety – Varying pitch, pace and volume can help you communicate with greater authenticity and emphasise key points with greater authority. It will require an investment of energy and commitment, but your voice will need to compensate for these other aspects of communication that are hindered by the limitations of online platforms.
Improving the experience
When we speak in person, it is much easier to read facial expressions, observe gestures, detect body language and discern variations in vocal tone.
Online communication can present barriers to detecting some of these nuances. Poor video quality may obscure facial expression, intermittent audio reception may betray the subtle variations of the voice and restrictive camera angles may hide the true meaning of body language or gestures.
Though it may require a small financial investment, a HD webcam, good pair of over-ear headphones and USB microphone are three pieces of equipment that have notably improved my online communication experience I can see more clearly, hear more clearly and speak more clearly. My hands are also free to use appropriate gestures as I’m not encumbered with wires or handheld equipment. I’m sure is what you will need if you are giving beauty demonstrations!