Sep 27, 2018
Whether you’re thrilled or
terrified to talk about your story, it’s important to remember that
everyone has something unique to share with the world - one that’s
meaningful and inspiring. But how do you tell your story without
compromising your authenticity? Today’s guest is Jennifer’s good
friend and host of
Camera Ready, Val Brown. Their conversation unravels the
effect our voice and story play in business and the people around
us, and why it takes more than talking in front of a camera to get
your story across.
- Val
Brown is an Emmy Award winner and the founder of Visual Bridge
Communication. VBC helps
leaders and businesses tell their stories and become more fluid in
front of the camera. Val’s passion and excellence in journalism and
communication has led her to an award-winning career.
- What
are some expert tips when it comes to being an effective
host/communicator? Read and practice your material. Take care of
your voice: drink water and get enough sleep. Own your voice and
don’t forget to breathe. Val explains that our voice is like a
muscle, and warming up is vital for delivering a successful
presentation. Just as athletes don’t skip their warm-up routines
for a big event, we shouldn’t either.
- After
shifting from corporate to the public sector, Val saw the power of
articulate messaging. How changing the organizational language
changes people’s quality of life. She learned that by changing the
language, they changed the conversation. And by changing the
conversation, they changed the company culture.
- She
eventually joined a consulting group, which later inspired her to
start her own business. Val saw the huge training demand that
leaders and entrepreneurs had in the communications sector. She
found great delight in helping people gain skills and move past
their limiting beliefs - this was obviously her
calling.
Val shares her best practice
broken down to 3Ps: Purpose, Plan, and Presence. (Get the
Camera Ready Guide download!)
- Understand your
purpose. What is this
video for? What do you want it to do for you? Why did you invest
time and effort into creating this?
- Create a plan to support your
purpose. The plan involves
laying out your message, how and where you’re going to deliver your
message. Your plan must fit your purpose.
- Align your mind, heart, and
gut to establish your presence. People know when we’re not being authentic. By
aligning the mind, heart, and gut, we come across as genuine -
people are more receptive to messages that come from an honest
source. Our audience needs to feel our enthusiasm when we share our
message. Before we can get them to believe our story, we have to
believe in it first.
- What
are some of the foundations when it comes to speaking in front of
the camera? Because people are on this journey at different levels,
part of Val’s process is to meet them where they are. They work
through the client’s self-limiting beliefs first. Once they know
that they can do it, they become more comfortable with the idea of
being in front of the camera. After they've established their
confidence in telling their story, then they move on to polishing
techniques and existing skills.
- “Audio without video is radio.” - Val Brown,
Jennifer and Val talk about other investments and guidelines to
consider when doing video such as lighting, wardrobe, makeup, and
audio quality, and how it affects audience engagement.
As with anything in business, it
all must serve a purpose - your story is no different. Tell your
story, but do so with the genuine intent to connect with your
audience all while staying true to your brand’s core values. Your
story tells more about you and your brand than you think, so make
it work for you. Remember: Purpose, Plan, and Presence - and match
it with other presentation guidelines like colors, lighting, and
audio quality.
Want a little help creating your personal
brand?
Jennifer has a free resource for
you.
The Personal Brand Workbook will help you figure out what your personal
brand is today and what you want to be known for in the future, as
well as how you want to impact the world.
Download it today!
Val Brown
Free Download: Camera Ready Guide
Visual Bridge Communication
Camera Ready with Val Brown -
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