I’m nervous in front of a camera.

I’m a doctor, not a model.

What if I don’t know what to say?

As an account manager, I hear these concerns a lot from our clients. And I get it! You probably got into dentistry to care for people and create beautiful smiles, and while you were powering through all your years of training, learning how to market yourself was probably not the first thing on your list of priorities. 

More than that, technology and media have changed so much over the years, and having your image and your voice on your website and social media is more important than ever before. If you’ve been in the dental industry for a long time, you’ve no-doubt noticed this trend, but it’s a hard thing to adjust to when you have your hands full of more important things - like people’s health. 

Not to mention it’s sort of offensive. You’ve spent so much time and effort already to become an excellent dentist. Shouldn’t people trust your credentials without everything having to be picture-perfect? If marketing yourself doesn’t come naturally (trust me, you’re not alone), it can be frustrating and insulting to have all these extra hoops to jump through.

I know. I have clients all across the spectrum, from more media-savvy than me (a Millennial who works in digital marketing!) to feeling super behind the times. The truth is, you should be able to show people what a brilliant, compassionate dentist you are regardless of how much you understand digital marketing. That’s where we want to help. 

Why video is important

No matter how media and marketing change, authentic human stories never get old. One could argue that especially in this day and age, when we’re inundated with ads and media constantly, authentic stories are like a refreshing oasis in the land of marketing. That’s why we like to focus so much on your story, and video is one of the best ways to do that. 

There are many practical pros to videos, like their attention-grabbing nature, benefits to SEO, and versatility. Video holds our attention five times longer than photos and is one of the most cost-optimal forms of marketing through social media (Forbes). Adding to that baseline value of videos is telling your story with excellence, in a crafted but authentic way.

Maybe you understand the importance of video, and you’ve decided to incorporate that into your website. We love that for you! But for most people, knowing the facts doesn’t make it any easier to put yourself in front of the camera. For some, being front and center is actually not when they feel like their most authentic selves. If that sounds familiar, the video team and I have put together some tips and encouragement just for you!
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5 Tips for telling your story on camera

1. Use our tools and use them well

Our whole marketing strategy can be broken down into three parts – Discover your story, tell your story, share your story – and we’ve created tools to help you do that. Discover our process and download our 3-part guide to story-driven marketing. Our clients can also use the Brand Creator workbook. 

The Brand Creator is a series of exercises and questions designed to bring out the main values of your practice. We use it to identify your voice, come up with questions for video interviews, and write copy. But this tool isn’t just for us! When clients take some careful time and consideration with the workbook, they’ve already done the bulk of the hard work. I always encourage my more camera-shy clients to refer back to their Brand Creator the day before their video shoot, that way it’s fresh in their mind (but not memorized!) for their interview.

“Clients don’t have to script what they say in order to sound professional. Speaking from the heart always comes across more natural and authentic.”
-Joel Hafner, Lead Video Producer

2. Find a good pace

Our videographers are brilliant at conducting interviews – it’s what they do! They will give you the space you need to think before speaking, but also encourage you to keep going if you stumble. (They're also very good editors 😉)

“It’s a conversation between you and me. If you need a break, just take one, and if you want to start something over, just do it. Don’t censor yourself! As marketers, we can pick and choose the best soundbites and present you in the best light.”
-Jake Lawson, Video Production Specialist

3. Practice

We don’t want you to have a script, but you are allowed to practice! This is especially helpful if you’ve never had the opportunity to tell your story out loud. You can talk to yourself in a mirror, have a member of your staff “interview” you, or even give your 30-second elevator pitch in an actual elevator! However you decide to practice, saying the words out loud is a tried-and-true method of relieving the jitters. 

4. Trust the team

Many clients have a lot of questions about what to prepare for their video shoot. There’s a list of things that I and our other Account Managers will provide for you ahead of time, but for the most part, we want you to be as natural as possible. 

“The doctors don’t have to have a plan for the entire day of the shoot. Our videographers are trained to guide them through the day so they can just focus on enjoying their story being captured.”
-Joel Hafner, Lead Video Producer

5. Have fun!

One of the top, very much, absolute most important things about video shoot day is smiling. We want you and your team to enjoy the day and be as relaxed as possible! This video session is going to allow you to communicate who you are, what you love about dentistry, and why you’re proud of your practice, and those are happy thoughts.

“Sometimes when we sit down with clients, they feel that there’s only one shot to get everything right, but that’s the farthest thing from the truth. Treat it as a conversation, not an interrogation. Take your time, enjoy the process, and just be the most sincerest you!”
-Drew Hawley, Video Production Specialist

As an Account Manager, I function as the liaison between you and our creative team, and I hope these quotes give you a sense that our videographers are empathetic experts invested in telling your unique story. We care about our clients as much as you care about your patients, and we want you to know you’re in good hands. 

If you’re feeling ready to show the world who you are on video, let us know! We’d love to help.