MHM#08 Feeling hesitant about creating videos?

Nowadays, marketers (myself included :) ) are always banging on about content creation.

What does content creation actually mean? Why does it matter? How does it relate to building a therapy practice?

When it comes to marketing, we can't make anyone do anything; the goal is to increase the propensity of an ideal prospective client to book an appointment with you instead of another therapist.

How does content help with that?

Website copy, blog articles, social media posts, and videos help you….

Provide value

Educate

Build trust and credibility

Connect - through video content, prospective clients can get to know you, get an idea of your personality, and get a sense of whether you'll be the right fit for them. Videos help them imagine what having a therapy session with you will be like.

The content creation block

There is often a lot of fear and self-judgment wrapped up in content creation. Writing blog articles or making videos can make you feel vulnerable. "I'm putting myself out into the world. What if I'm not great at what I do? What if my writing is terrible? What if people don't like me?"

These feelings are very normal, especially with videos. There is no hiding in videos, so I understand how scary they can seem. And yes, you can grow a therapy practice without creating videos. Still, nothing is more effective than a video to help clients get to know you.

Remember, your audience doesn't need you to be perfect; they just need to see your authentic self, your passion for what you do, and that you genuinely care about your client's wellbeing.

My advice is to start backing yourself a little more. From working with your clients, you can see the positive difference you're making in their lives. Pretend your phone or webcam is a client. What would you say to them if they asked what they could do daily to support their emotional wellbeing at home? Your response is exactly what a social media video should be - providing value to people online. No one is expecting or needing you to be perfect. Just be your authentic self, talk from the heart and provide value - this will make prospective clients decide you're the right therapist for them.

There will never be the perfect time

You will never feel 100% ready to start creating videos, so you may as well start now. The sooner you start, the sooner you begin practising, learning, improving, and feeling more comfortable. Initially, it feels weird making videos as you're looking into a lens and not receiving feedback. But I promise the more you do it, the less weird it feels.

Where you film can also make a difference. My whole demeanour and tone change when I'm out of my office and not sitting at my desk. When I film outside in the garden, I'm more relaxed, and that comes through in my videos. Think about where you are most comfortable and relaxed. That might be at your desk, or it might be on a comfy chair in your therapy room or on the lounge at home.

Video tech

You definitely don't need to spend a lot of money on tech, but having a decent webcam and microphone can make a big difference to the quality of your videos. Also, always ensure plenty of light shines on your face to remove shadows.

Happy content creating!