Telling a keynote speaker that their demo video sucks is not an easy task. It’s almost like telling someone they have bad breath. You would be doing them a favor telling the truth, but how do you bring up the subject?
Over the last 29 years the Primeau Team has produced hundreds of demo videos. We understand from experience what sells and what boosts egos.
Standing ovations help sell but more importantly boost egos (for speakers). So, rather than tell your speaker buddy that their demo sucks, have them answer the following questions:
- Is your demo video more than five years old?
- Are there any technical problems with your demo? For example, is your demo aspect ratio 4 x 3 instead of 16 x 9?
- Do you look different today than you look in your demo?
- Does your demo video lack energy?
- Do you cringe when you view your demo video?
- Do you hate how your demo video begins? (the first 60 seconds is the most important part of your demo)
- If you had the chance for a ‘do-over’ would you choose different music for your demo video?
- Have you lost more than two speaking engagements in the last 30 days? (holds cancelled or client has chosen another speaker)
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of the above questions then your demo video probably sucks.
For less than your earnings from one keynote speaking engagement you can update or re-do your demo video. So why do so many professional speakers procrastinate about completing their demo video?
Most always, we find keynote speakers who do not keep their demo video current hate the way they look on video. Others claim that their referrals are good enough to keep them in business without a demo video.
You don’t know how many speaking engagement opportunities you are missing out on if you are guilty of either of the above scenarios.
Professional speakers who present on the main stage must have a current, professionally produced demo video in order to become, stay and feel successful in today’s market.
Competition is fierce and those speakers who keep their demo videos up to date experience more speaking engagements, success, referrals, word of mouth advertising and overall great feeling of accomplishment than professional speakers who procrastinate with the demo video production process.
So, where do you being to turn around your sucky demo video circumstances?
Get great live speaking video footage before anything else. Ask the production company who recorded your video to give you full quality digital video files on a thumb drive or external hard drive. Full quality digital video files are much better than DVD copies of your speaking engagements. Invest in a couple of large thumb drives or external hard drives and ask for these high quality video files after your speech.
You need at least one great video recording to create your demo video. Then choose a professional production company to help you with the rest of the demo video production process.
The time and money invested will come back to you tenfold once you determine that your old demo video sucks, and decide to do something about it.
