Visible Authority

Pretty amazing times we're living in. It's the beginning of the end of a 100 year tradition of people making moving pictures. We don't know what the future looks like, but we know it's going to be way different than it is now. The only question is, what will you be doing in it? This is what I'll be doing, and the purpose of this video is to invite you to join me in your own kind of similar operation. https://visibleauthority.com/hd-invite

In our headlong rush to embrace A.I. and all its wonders, we’ve lost sight of something kind of important. If no one believes you are who you say you are in a video, it’s curtains for finding new clients online. It’s always been challenging anyway. Then A.I. showed up and turned to marketing, which should be the most personal thing we do. Instead, it's created a big blind spot. There is one clear path through this murky new reality, though. And that is to come out here in a way that unmistakably demonstrates your humanity. See if you agree… https://visibleauthority.com/hd-invite

Video can be an extraordinarily powerful way to change the way you are seen out here or it can be just another transactional way of trying to get business. Generating the kind of power that causes a true shift in the way you are seen is very doable, but it only happens when there's a shift in the way you see your business. Actually, this is easier to show than to tell...

You can sell anything with video. It's a magic wand, after all. But then there's the Sorcerer's Apprentice. Remember that guy? He took a perfectly acceptable magic spell and created a houseful of havoc. But even his master would have had a hard time with this one. For this, he'll need a new spell. And that will change the way he sells everything.

After helping business owners get moving with video for over 10 years, it's become clear that one-size-fits-all solutions simply do not work. And by "work", I mean they do not position a service provider with any useful points of distinction. But what is also clear is that each business owner has a unique DNA for doing video. When they work with it, everything they produce will go out with more resonance, more attraction, more goodwill, more transformation and ultimately, more prosperity. Most people doing video don't even know this DNA exists. It does. It's just taken a while to codify and customize for each person who wants it. You get can it in 60 seconds and apply this to your very next video. Best of all, it's free. (No salesman will call) Here's where to pick up yours: https://visibleauthority.com/hdvideo And please do let me know what you think. Send your comments, suggestions, raves and pans to steve@visibleauthority.com. In the meantime, enjoy!

When you're trying to use video to make good things happen in business, you run into a massive problem right away. It's massive only because you can't see it. Your mind is practically commanding you to do something with your videos that, in my experience, is just about the worst thing to aim for. In fact, this is one of the reasons for my super-secret project which will be released on Friday...a way to put your silent critic to sleep and release your potential for massive creativity and capacity for genius-level work. I'm talking about the siren song of IMPACT. Still, can you hear in your brain how great that sounds? Wouldn't you love to have swarms of prospects falling all over each other trying to get to you because of the impact your video had on them? I used to want that, too. And then I realized what a weird rabbit hole it was taking me down, getting me into conflict with myself with every press of that big red record button. It's just plain too expensive to let the mind take over this process. Here's how to resolve it...

I'm working on a project that has compelled me to confront my prejudices about A.I. Maybe this will make you feel better about all the stuff you’ve been reading about it lately. Also, for those that follow Visible Authority, an important update on a project some have been keeping track on. Let me know what you think…

I don’t know many entrepreneurs who boast about being rule-followers. And yet one or two of us still seem to hold onto at least a few soul-sucking ideas about “success”. By the way, I’m not so sure that isn’t by design. Here’s an episode designed to offer clarity about the power (or lack thereof) we project on video, whether live or recorded…and a suggestion on how to kick that power into high gear.

When you meet a “friendly” in a bar, one of the first things you might hear is: "So what's your story?" There’s a good reason for that. They want to know who they’re dealing with. They want to size you up. Are you a “friendly”? Can you be trusted? Is there any danger in being around you? Do I WANT to spend time with you? And 90% of that can be determined when we know your story. It’s no different online, is it? The story we want to hear, though, is the story behind the story. What does that mean? Only that stories can be made up. But the story behind the story? That’s the real deal. This is how to come up with that one. *********Affiliate Links******** These are the video tools I can't seem to live without. None will cost a penny more, but might buy me a cup of coffee! Hawaiki Keyer Hands-down the most accurate and subtle keyer I've used on over 20 years. And they keep making it better. Only works on the Mac, though. https://www.toolfarm.com/store/cart/referral/referrer/GSPRO/url/hawaiki_keyer/target/buy Cinema Grade Check out the video on how I use this beautiful tool. https://youtu.be/cXvRNJr-_Ls I love the way it simplifies everything having to do with the look of the image. https://transactions.sendowl.com/stores/16221/263259 Beauty Box It's like the Zoom facial enhance feature, only better and infinitely variable. https://www.toolfarm.com/store/cart/referral/referrer/GSPRO/url/digital_anarchy_beauty_box_video/target/buy Neat Video Pro iPhone video is great, but indoors you often get digital noise...lots of it. This is what I use to clean up the image. https://www.toolfarm.com/store/cart/referral/referrer/GSPRO/url/neat_video_pro/target/buy VidIQ I have to admit I've been enjoying the pro features that sometimes help you come up with better titles and tags, plus let you know if the words you've chosen are likely to help or hurt your chances of being picked up by the YouTube algorithm. In any case, it saves a ton of time configuring your video for release. https://vidiq.com/visible The Complete Video Production Masterclass My highest rated video production course. Also Udemy's highest-rated...and you can usually pick it up for a song. https://www.udemy.com/course/video-production-masterclass-complete-video-camera-course/

Cutting to the chase: there are 3 ways to be your best on camera. Having said that, being at your best on camera is not a question of doing this or that. It’s a matter of getting closer to who you are. Then this or that might help slightly. But we are told that we just need to be bigger, faster, smarter, more strategic. Then we’re to throw that guy or girl up on the screen, thinking he or she will know what to do for sure. But he or she isn’t you, so what can he or she even do? Jump up and down and act like an idiot? Or even worse, let indecision and doubt tamp down your energy in a medium that filters out half of it in the first place? It’s more effective to suss out your best self in the first place. And there are only three things to keep in mind to make sure that happens. This will keep you calm and sane with the right energy on camera. Best of all, it’s how you’ll get better with each video you make.

Is A.I. the proverbial "genie in a bottle"? Seems so. After all, how can a billion people be wrong? Well, when a billion people make the same exact turn at the exact same moment, the contrarian in me wants to know why. No one was coerced into this. We did it of our own free will. We saw something special…something extraordinary…something never been seen before…something the developers might not even have had in mind. Right now it’s being sold as a convenience, like cashless money or a quick drain valve. So let’s use it if it helps. But for things like factual research? I can’t help but wonder about the usefulness of a search engine that returns only one answer. The real benefit of A.I. is going to be something no one saw coming. The rule of all new technology is that unforeseen consequences eventually become the most important part of the story. The moral of THIS story is that if you make videos or write emails for “marketing”, it is more than likely that your work is about to become more visible and appreciated than it ever was before. If I were you, I’d get busy. 🙂

Writing a corporate video script is much more than getting your form right. Form without substance is empty and forgettable, even with great storytelling, attention-getting hacks or cool calls to action. It's much more important to bring the value. But what does that mean? Explore these scripting ideas and you'll discover that it's just as easy to be memorable as it is to be forgettable. By the end of this video, you'll know how to write an engaging corporate video script that will boost your business goals!

Videos that selling without selling are just like those that sell by selling. It's just that there's no one DOING the selling. I know this may sound crazy, yet it happens successfully everyday in every niche all over the world. This is good news for experts and business owners who would prefer to keep their expert hats on and leave their salesman hat in the closet. The reason most people don't choose this wise approach is...well, I don't really know why. They may not even be aware that it exists. Or they may feel they need to be assured, before they even start, that there's going to be a sale as soon as someone watches the video. After all, there's a lot of money on the line. This is serious business. Our very lives are at stake! Now, can you see how this thought could push away the people most likely to want to work with you? What if you could convert rather than convince? What if you didn't have to twist someone's arm to get them to see your point? What if you could create a set of conditions and a path that made it ALL their idea? Wouldn't that make for better marketing, better clients and better outcomes for everyone? Of course it would. But something doesn't seem to want you to know that. Maybe it seems too good to be true. The truth is, it's just a more human way to sell. The good news is that the sales results can rival anything the most competitive mind can dream up. I find this just an all-around better way of selling with video. It will change the way you see yourself, your customers and really, the whole world. All to the good.

Inflation has finally hit the coaching, consulting and services market. We used to see endless promotions for “How to Create a 6-Figure Coaching Business”. I haven’t seen one of those in more than a year. Now it’s 7 figures. And there’s the problem. If you want to sell one yourself, or really much of anything these days, you should learn the top 3 ways not to lose yourself in promotion purgatory. Now, on the end of this video there’s a neat little treat. However, you’ll enjoy it a LOT more if you watch the video first! And...if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, you'll quickly see how much I'm flattering one my heroes in this episode.

Everyone agrees that storytelling is important. They just aren’t sure how to go about it. The skill seems so elusive. Either it feels too intuitive or too prescriptive; like it was written by a bot. Some say you either “have it”, whatever that elusive “it” is, or you don’t, and that’s all there is to it. I don’t think so. No one is a born storyteller. Anyone can learn though, and this video should give you a leg up on it. This is about a certain kind of short story that can help you make your world more desirable for the right kind of person. It leaves room for your intuition, but gives it a track to run on. So anyone should have some productive fun with it. It works well in the “real” world, too! You might want to watch this a couple of times through until the structure sinks in, but when it does, you should find the story of your value coming through loud and clear. Don’t be surprised if it works quite a bit faster than you had expected.

Unless you’re a comedy genius (and even if you are) it’s really hard to make work sound entertaining. Not that you have to. The work you do is a lifesaver for the right person. But your videos…come on. How do you get them to ATTRACT without coming off like a total goofball? Not to mention making them memorable? Here’s a very simple way. It borrows from teaching, from sales and from basic literature. I mean, really basic. It also allows you to be completely true to what you do. Wait. Did I say it was simple? OK. You can look now…

Getting certainty about the things that have been troubling us is nothing short of spectacular. We seem to crave it like a Kardashian does the spotlight. But what do we give up for that guarantee of blessed relief? As it turns out, the whole universe is trying to tell us that. Is it possible there is something much better than "proven"?

In my early 20’s my favorite car was the VW Beetle. I had rebuilt the engine in my ’63 model with larger cylinders and a throatier exhaust system. It had one red fender and was otherwise several patchy shades of blue, but I was devoted to her. I guess I felt invested. But when it came time to move all the way across the US, I knew she’d have too many problems hauling all our stuff over the mountains, so, sadly, we had to let her go. Something similar happens to those who’ve outgrown their editing programs. The trouble is, we tend to stay with them longer than is good for us, perhaps out of familiarity, perhaps the sunk cost, maybe because of the rest of the ecosystem, perhaps simply fear of change. Whatever the reason, it keeps us from moving forward as content creators. Hopefully, this will give you a calmer way to approach upgrading as you move up the food chain.

We now know why things that drive us up the wall are also keys to making everything we do more effective, especially video. This episode is about how being triggered is one of the most consistently valuable experiences you have. If you want your company to enjoy more trust and better outcomes; if you want to start 2023 on a joyous footing, you could do a lot worse than watch this process in action in your own life. You just never know how this stuff will show up. For me it all started with road rage… ************************************* For more on these ideas, check out The Intimate Enemy, by Dr. Ellen Dickstein and Guy Finley: https://www.amazon.com/Intimate-Enemy-Winning-Within-Yourself/dp/1567182798 Also, learn how this technique is rooted in quantum physics: https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/does-the-mind-play-dice-with-reason/

Thank you for watching this year! I do enjoy reading your comments. They always inform what comes next. I'd like to leave you with a few thoughts about making 2023 a quantum leap above than 2022. Yep, there are ads. There was a video I really wanted to use in here, and that was the price. :) Enjoy!

Your video background is a deceptively high-leverage engagement tool. Don't believe me? Well, here's what happens when you don't take it into account. See if you can recognize all ten goofs!

Some might say it’s a bit trivial, this business of having your videos locked up inside you. Unless you’re the one in the grips of that dilemma. So let’s get you unstuck. It seems that every “next step” out of any sticky wicket comes from a change in perspective. Otherwise you just keep repeating what got you caught up in its clutches in the first place. Everyone gets stuck from time to time. Here’s how I deal with that little stucker, er, gift from the universe...

When it comes to video, there is often a distinction made between "professional" and "effective". And for those in who work in professional services such as the law, medicine and finance (as well as anyone who is passionate about their field), this can create a crisis of confidence. Do I sacrifice the look and feel of my "brand" to try and go viral, or do I create these demonstrations of value as well as I possibly can? Maybe this comes down to a working definition of "better". Here's how I created mine.

If you want your video to land with impact, you need to write it for that. Even if you think you can't write, you can write one of these videos, because it leverages what you already know in the way you like to talk about it. It may seem a little tricky at first, but give it a minute. Then watch this once more, then do one of your own. It'll change your life! :)

With everything that's going on in the world right now, is it wise to use humor in your teaching, training, explainers or sales videos? You be the judge. I just felt like it was time to lighten things up a little in my world. For more on humor: https://simplicable.com/new/wit