The fear of being in front of the camera & how to overcome it

Did you know that one third of online activity is spent watching videos? And chances are you’ve heard numerous others stress the growing popularity of video marketing as well. But what if you’re either super camera shy, and not all that great at talking in front of a crowd of strangers? Do you need to be on video as well? Well…a lot depends on who you’re trying to reach.
 
So, if being on camera proves to be a necessary evil, and it terrifies you this episode is for you. In this episode, I talked to a visibility expert who works with the types of people you won’t see presenting at conferences or doing Ted Talks. However, they have something worthwhile to share, and want to reach a lot of people quickly. So, they hire Erin, this week’s guest to make sure they’re put themselves out there in a flattering way.
 
In this episode, two people who know what it’s like to feel awkward on camera: myself and my guest talk about how you can overcome your fear of being on camera.
 
What this episode covers:

• A special announcement: my book, Blog on: a blogging starter kit for entrepreneurs has just launched and what it’s all about!
• Why I brought on this week’s guest, Erin Zimmerman and the kinds of people she works with.
• What Erin does, and how she helps people.
• What she means when she says she works with marginalized groups.
• How Erin’s history of hiding plays a role in the work she does.
• How one person sharing their story can make a huge difference.
• How she finds giving her clients a sense of accountability makes a huge difference in terms of making them feel less overwhelmed.
• The importance of just talking when feeling overwhelmed about telling your story.
• How things like fear of public speaking can hold people back and the techniques Erin finds helpful for helping people work through it. Plus: my own experiences with that as a shy writer type.
• Erin turns the tables and asks me a question I think makes a great point about what drives people to make that shift to being more public.
• How she finds that journey of learning how to be more public can help people open doors to more collaboration.
• How social media management work influenced the path Erin took, along with her experiences helping friends and family pursue new ventures as business owners.
• How having other people around solidified the need for what she had to teach and say.
• How having the supportive group of other women helped Erin earn her confidence, and why she thinks that’s applicable to others too.
• Words of wisdom about being behind the camera: “it doesn’t need to be perfect” and why that’s the case.
• How even doing practice videos can make a big difference with getting used to being in front of the camera, and why that’s something she challenges her Facebook Group to do!
• The importance of practice with public speaking and simplifying your stories.
• Why for Erin her top priority is encouraging her clients to have a conversation, and why things like people stammering and etc. is okay, as long as they just keep going.
• Erin’s focus on treating people gently and like a friend, and how reminding them she has been in their shoes helps.
• How those conversations where she is helping people practice their stories before going on camera make a huge difference in helping them develop their voice.
• Why you should give something like being on video a chance, but it’s okay too if you don’t like it when you try it. And why there’s always a way to get your voice heard.
• How bouncing ideas off someone is so important, and so is practicing speaking in general. Even if it’s to a phone camera.
• Why the objective, above all else with your content is building a relationship with your followers.

 
About Erin:
Erin P.S. Zimmerman is the owner of EZ Visibility, where she serves as the Visibility Guide, helping marginalized women create fun, sustainable action plans to grow their businesses and make a name for themselves with ease.
 
A graduate of the University of San Diego, Erin majored in Communication Studies and Leadership. She has worked on the marketing and production teams for a Top 10 movie theatre chain, Take 2 Production Company, the Kansas City Chiefs NFL team, and co-founded DoubleTake Productions, a photography and videography company, with her twin sister. When she first escaped her 9-5, she served her clients as a social media consultant.

Erin has helped her clients create courses, write books, start podcasts, and even leave their 9-5 jobs. She has been featured in The Huffington Post, and on podcasts like Grief: A Love Story, Women’s Side Hustle Society, and The Know Like & Trust Show, and is a regular guest on KCTV5’s Better Kansas City. Erin is also the President of Kansas City Women in Film and Television and serves on multiple film and media boards in the area. She currently resides in Kansas City, Missouri with her husband.
 
Where you can find Erin Online:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/EZvisibilityLounge/
https://www.instagram.com/ezvisibility/
www.ezvisibility.com
 
How you can follow this podcast (and learn more about its host)
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