138 - The Power of Behind-the-Scenes Video Content to Connect with Your Potential Clients

Annette Richmond (00:03.97) Hi, I'm Annette Richmond. Thanks so much for joining me today. Now, unless this is your first time listening to my podcast, you know that I talk a lot about video. Video is my jam. It's the primary coaching and training service that I offer to my clients, helping them be more comfortable on camera, create short-form video marketing strategies, etc. And As a coach and trainer myself, I also work with coaches. I invest in training for myself so that I can serve my clients better and perhaps grow my business. Now I was recently Annette Richmond (00:51.438) I was recently listening to a LinkedIn trainer that I work with who I admire and I respect greatly. And the the trainer started talking about video and engagement on LinkedIn. And the truth is, engagement for video is down on LinkedIn. Engagement for everything is down on LinkedIn. And one of the things the trainer was saying is. You know, engagement on video is down. It's not like a couple of years ago when LinkedIn first introduced the video tab on mobile, and they were really, really pushing video. So if you're not comfortable doing video, then just don't do video. However, just a few sentences later. Annette Richmond (01:42.326) They came back and said, but video is the best way to build trust with potential clients. So as an English major, I have to think of Shakespeare and say, so as Shakespeare would say. Annette Richmond (02:01.645) So drawing on my background as an English major in college, as Shakespeare would say, that's the rub. There's nothing like hearing someone's voice. We learn that. that's There's nothing like hearing someone's voice to connect with them. That's one of the reasons that podcasts are so important because you're hearing someone's voice. You're hearing me talk about whatever it is that I'm sharing on the podcast. You can hear the excitement in my voice. And that's why people love podcasts. And video takes that to the next step. And Recently, podcasts are leaning more into video as well. Apple Podcast not long ago added the option for listeners Annette Richmond (03:02.797) Apple Podcasts recently added the option to either listen to or watch your watch the podcast. Annette Richmond (03:16.481) Apple Podcasts recently introduced the option to either listen or watch podcasts on their platform. And the audio-only podcast platform that I've been using since 2020 when I started my first podcast, BuzzSprout, which is a great platform, has recently introduced the option to upload our podcasts in video. as well as audio. I haven't gone there yet, but I'm certainly thinking about it. Annette Richmond (03:53.278) And so today in this episode, I'm talking about video specifically for building trust. And one of the ways, one of the best ways to do that is by creating behind the scenes or otherwise known as BTS content. Now that is content that gives people a peek into your life, into your business. it might be, I used to say we've heard the phrase. You get to see how the sausage is made. A friend recently said you shouldn't be talking about that. So I will say it gives people a peek into how the chocolate is made. And I'm going to be talking about it in a framework that I heard several years ago of the three Ps, thinking of content as professional, personal, and private. So let's dive in. Annette Richmond (05:09.901) So, what is BTS behind the scenes content? Let's break it down a little bit more. As I mentioned, it's a peek into your life. And thus videos need to be, or I should say, don't need to be as polished as you would have an educational video. For example, it might be you drinking coffee, it might be you making coffee. I've shot videos of me while I'm shopping at the grocery. Or when I was at Staples buying green paper t that students in my boot camp were going to use. And one of the things that BTS content does is it humanizes you. Now, whether you're a solopreneur or a corporation. Now, corporate Annette Richmond (06:06.87) Now, thankfully, when you go to a business website, a corporate site. Now, thankfully, when you go to a business corporate website, you're not seeing what used to be the norm it was all stock photos, but now you might be seeing just photos of the employees standing together in a group smiling, you know, these are our summer interns or something like that, which is not really particularly engaging. However, there are ways to Annette Richmond (06:53.944) However, there are ways for companies to use video to share a little bit of their company's personality. And I'm going to talk about that little bit later. So Annette Richmond (07:12.482) Going back to the three buckets of Annette Richmond (07:23.438) So going back, so going back to the three buckets, I'm gonna break it down for me. For you, it might be different because although the word authentic was sort of the buzzword a couple of years ago, it really depends on what you're comfortable with. So the first one obviously is professional. Now we all know what professional is. It might be a video of me right now. Sharing content, video of my podcast. I am sharing information, recommendations, as it and advice. So professional might be video right now of me in So professional right now might be a video of this podcast with me sharing information and advice. However, if I'm shooting this behind the scenes in my podcast studio, which is actually a desk in my office, that might turn it into a more personal. Now, personal content for me. Is my husband and me maybe at a football game, or it might be videos of our dogs playing. And if you have dogs, pets, lean into them because I will say that our dogs, videos of our dogs, get more engagement than videos of me. Unless I'm doing maybe some fancy trick, but that's not that often. It might be some video of a backyard picnic, or it might be Annette Richmond (09:12.842) One of the times when I met some people, longtime LinkedIn friends like my friend Brenda Meller, when I met them in person. So it might be some video of us together in a group. Annette Richmond (09:34.977) Now Annette Richmond (09:39.853) Now, my idea of personal is not the same as someone else's idea of personal. I have seen people posts on LinkedIn where people are in a hospital bed. They're talking from the hospital bed. I know a successful sales trainer who did a book and has talked a lot about going through a divorce and tying getting a divorce into sales. And it's been a good tool for him. Annette Richmond (10:14.794) And that works for him. Annette Richmond (10:21.29) And that works for him. And my philosophy pretty much in life is you do you and I'll do me. So as long as someone is not being a troll where they are harming other people with their words or or content. I think that's perfectly fine. So I so with Annette Richmond (10:50.2) So, unless somebody's content is hurting someone else, trolling someone else, I don't have a problem with that. And I hope you don't either. However, that type of content for me would be private. Now, if I were getting a divorce, I'm not. But if I were, I would not be talking about that on social media. I wouldn't be sharing, talking about it on LinkedIn or Substack or any other platform. Because for me that's private. So the reason I bring up these three buckets, professional, personal, and private, is to give you a way to think about content and to find out where those lines are for you. Whatever is comfortable for you. Annette Richmond (11:44.567) One of the the main points is that behind the scenes content is not going to be a sales pitch in in most cases. If I'm sharing a video of our dogs playing. The subject isn't going to be me pitching a program that I'm introducing, launching, or selling. Annette Richmond (12:39.022) So if you're if you're not an entrepreneur consultant like me, you're in a corporate environment, how can BTS or behind the scenes work for you? So right now, go to your company website. Odds are that the only video there is people maybe sitting in a conference room learning. This is our team at a training last week or something like that. That's fine, but it isn't really engaging. It doesn't show the person any personality of your company. However, you can do that. Now, I have a longtime friend who's high up in HR leadership and has done this at a couple of different companies where where he's worked, is to have the employees cooking together. So we had videos of the employees cooking together, and actually, videos employees had the option. So So he recorded the employees cooking together in the corporate kitchen. And employees had the opportunity, if they wanted to, to do cooking demonstrations in their home. So if I was working at the company, I might have a use my camera, my phone in my kitchen, making, you know, grandma's lasagna. And they eventually even turned the recipes into a company cookbook, which I believe they Annette Richmond (14:18.705) did a fundraiser with Annette Richmond (14:24.162) So those type of videos build connection not only between the employees but also with Annette Richmond (14:36.024) people visiting your company site. So just Annette Richmond (14:47.278) So as a quick recap to sort of bring it all together. Video, although engagement may not be what it was a couple of years ago, it is still the best way to build trust with potential clients. Annette Richmond (15:07.144) And behind the scenes videos is a way to humanize you and your business. It's also gives you permission to not worry so much about the perfect video. Annette Richmond (15:35.372) Behind the scenes is a perfect way to have videos that fall into that personal and if your comfortable private life. Annette Richmond (16:03.874) Whether you're a solopreneur like I am, an entrepreneur, whether you're a consultant entrepreneur, Annette Richmond (16:17.838) Whether you're a consultant, entrepreneur, or maybe a speaker, showing behind the scenes, sharing behind the scenes video is a great way to show personality and help people connect with you. And if you're a corporation, you can do that too. So thanks again for joining me today. If this episode So thanks again for joining me today. If you found this episode relevant, please share it with a friend. Annette Richmond (16:59.224) So thanks again. Annette Richmond (17:03.704) Thanks again for joining me today. If you found this episode relevant, please share it with a friend who might find it relevant also. And I'll see you next time. Annette Richmond (17:20.45) Thanks again for joining me today. If you found this episode relevant, please share it with a friend or colleague who might find it relevant as well. I bet they'll thank you. And I'll see you next time.