Do you need a microphone to start making videos? Most likely yes. Which one should you get? When we work out your needs that will become clear. Does more expensive mean better? To start making videos the answer is no.

This video (from a podcasting course I once offered) shows how you can take the cheapest of microphones ($50) and using free Audacity sound software turn it into a quality sounding microphone.

I am not suggesting you need to use the microphones described here. I am advocating that you choose carefully whom you take advice from. There is so much noise and misinformation when it comes to all things technical for making your business videos.

This is why I am creating the Get Video Smart community. It's a place for business to go to get fast, clear, knowledgable answers to their business video problems. It's for people making videos for leads, not likes. It's a place for people who need tools, not toys.

One of the premises of Get Video Smart is to help businesses make videos for 'leads' instead of 'likes.' Chasing likes for your videos, in my opinion, is an unwinnable game. Unless you luck upon an organic moment that is utterly compelling and you happened to video it, then you are relegated to contriving video content in an attempt to go viral. To stand out from the crowd nowadays means you need to be willing to play in an arena with larger players with deep pockets. Well, that game just went up a notch.

Nasa to allow commercial access to the International Space Station, so reports The Guardian.

"This will allow private astronauts to spend up to 30 days in low-Earth orbit and businesses to shoot film and adverts in space."

"The change paves the way for the wealthy to rocket from Earth and spend time aboard the astronaut home and laboratory in space, through trips planned by private enterprise, and for businesses to develop products or shoot film – including adverts...

Gary Vaynerchuk published the Thankyou Economy in 2011. This clip from Vaynerchuk Media highlights him talking about customers not wanting to be talked 'at' any longer. Video is so well placed for you to be able to talk 'with' your customer. How are you using your videos? What are you spending your video budget on? Are you spending on glossy videos no one wants?

How do you get a steady eye-level shot when you don't have a tripod?

You place a chair on a table, then you stack whatever is at hand to build up the extra height to your eye level, then you fill a sandwich bag, about two thirds full with rice or lentils or grain. Nest your smartphone in this, adjust the angle and now your hands are free to better illustrate the topic you are talking about.

When you're presenting to a camera you know where to look, at the lens, but where do you look with a smartphone?

In the TV world, it's called looking straight down the barrel, that's how you connect with an audience

Have you ever presented a video using your smartphone? You press RECORD. You start speaking and a few seconds later you have a sudden realisation that you don’t know where the lens of the camera is.

You realise that you are looking at the selfie image. You keep recording and your brow furrows slightly. Then your eyeballs start to visibly dart around and you think to yourself, ‘you know, I’ve never stopped to consider where the camera is on a smartphone when I’m using the selfie mode.’

Now translate that scenario into real life. A face to face interaction. Shifty eyes are not a great way to build relationships. You need to learn to locate and lock. Locate where your camera is on your smartphone. Just Google ‘where are the camera...

Who are the Painters Patchers Thatchers and why do you need them in your business videos?

Painters: make up
Patchers: wardrobe
Thatchers: hair

When would you bring them in? Every video you make! because distractions detract from your message.

anytime your audience is distracted they’re not listening to your message. Your message is diluted.

a pimple on your nose
a stain on your jacket
one piece of hair with a mind of its own

these are all small but enough to derail your message

ten seconds and a hand mirror will fix most of your problems.

Can you tell a story in as few words as possible? I love this one I found years ago. I want more examples. Can you help me by sending me yours?

Here's another; Eat food, not too much, mainly plants. That sums up the multi-billion dollar diet and nutrition industry's message in seven words.

Opening your mouth and just letting the words tumble out is not commercially smart. We have to pay attention to our words. Words have the power to create pictures.

Listen to a great story well told and close your eyes, feel yourself transported to the time and place, your imagination illustrating the story. Your words are an important part of your video. Paying attention to your words will help grow your business.

Key to making effective business videos is brevity or should I say Short Videos Rock! 

Whether or not you need a microphone I cover in a different video

If you have made the decision to buy one then the letter R stands between your happiness and your disappointment.

The plug, the connector, that joins your microphone to your smartphone is called a 3.5mm mini jack.

But not all mini jacks are the same.

You need to clarify that yours is TRRS

You see there are two types of mini jack. TRS and TRRS

Tip ring sleeve and tip ring ring sleeve

and if your plug doesn't have that extra 'R' then it won't work and you'll be really frustrated.

Would you like the Get Video Smart book Then I’ll give it to you.
You can download it, for free, because I want you to go start making videos for your business. All I ask is that you write me back and tell me how it helped you, or even better, make a video to tell me.

Video is such a great medium to capture testimonials from your clients. Their face exuding excitement. Their lips pressed with respect. Their head tilted in favour of you. All subtle clues that they are going to say something good about YOU and your service.. and then it all melts away because you ask the wrong question.

Start with this simple template: “Tell me your name and what’s the ONE THING you thought when …[you picked up your dry cleaning today] [when you listened to today’s speaker]”

Everyone can speak their name and ‘the one thing I thought was…’ gets them up to speaking speed. This acts as an on-ramp to the freeway. 

Your customers deserve SMART videos: Simple Meaningful Authentic Relevant and Tight. In this short video, I take you along in real time as I make a SMART video for an event where I was a sponsor.

A SMART video has a thousand faces

A SMART video always speaks to your audiences needs and respects their time.

A SMART video is simple, meaningful, authentic, relevant and tight.

I’m going to show you how to make one as it is happening to me right now.

I was a sponsor at the first Australian Intrapreneur Summit. I told the convenor Dr Irena Yashin Shaw that I’d make a SMART video to promote the conference while I’m there. I thought this would be a great opportunity to take you through the process with me.

SMART videos have four stages of planning

Script

Shoot

Edit 

Publish

Scripting is not writing word for word. Scripting is simply thinking ahead of time. 

SMART videos have one idea per video.  So if my headline is Intrapreneur is not a spelling...