Whether you’ve been practicing massage therapy for a while or you recently graduated from massage therapy school, you understand the importance of getting the word out about your business. After all, we’re always looking for new clients.
You’ve heard us talk about blogging, LinkedIn, and social media previously because it is so super important! Today, we want to teach you how to create smart phone videos as a way to market your massage practice.
Even though technology may not be your forte, have no fear! It’s a (fairly) easy way of marketing your amazing massages without going to great lengths. In fact, these days you don’t even need a video camera. With the use of a smart phone, you too can connect with your current and potential clients.
Why video?
First off, social videos are really popular. How many times have you been suckered into watching a video via Facebook that one of your friends posted? Videos are easy to share and can be appealing to people who are less apt to read articles.
For most people, it is simply easier to watch someone do something and listen to instructions than it is to read a long and possibly complex set of written instructions or explanations. Not everyone is a writer and for many it just takes too much time, effort, and frustration to compose engaging blog posts or articles.
Most of us have a video camera or webcam on our laptops, and it’s much easier to look into the camera and just talk like you’re having a conversation with another person. Using images, facial expressions, props, and narration can be the perfect solution to communicating with your audience and teaching them something valuable.
Videos are a great way to connect with your clients. Use some of your video time to share brief stories about yourself, your schooling or even funny stories about when you were first starting out as a massage therapist. We know it’s important to maintain some healthy, personal boundaries, but it’s also okay to let your clients see your personality shine through. After all, people love REAL people!
Ready to get started?
Here’s what you’ll need: a smart phone, a mini-tripod (or something to prop your phone up while you shoot), good lighting, and a quiet place to shoot.
Before you begin, decide on the message you want to deliver that will help your audience achieve a desired result quickly. Is the video just for fun? Are you sharing something educational about massage? Make sure your video has a point.
Just in case you need some ideas for videos, here are some short “how to” video ideas we think are just great:
- How to stretch at your desk
- How to sit correctly in a portable massage chair
- How to put together an aromatherapy kit
Choose a location in your office or home (wherever you’re filming) that’s quiet and well lit. If you’re starring in this video, make sure it’s a place that you feel comfortable. Solid color walls work well as a backdrop, even if it’s in your kitchen or living room.
Place your phone on a tripod or propped up against books or other objects. Be sure you have the camera on the phone facing you so that you can shoot and watch yourself on the screen at the same time. If you need help remembering what you want to say, write down key points on a sticky note and place it above your phone. You don’t want it to sound too rehearsed or memorized, so try to speak off the cuff (if that’s comfortable for you).
We recommend shooting a 5 second test before you actually shoot the video. Check that your lighting is bright enough that you can see yourself but not so bright that you look washed out. Make sure the sound is loud enough that you can be heard without background noise. This is also a great last-minute check of your hair.
1-2 minute videos are optimal. If they get much longer, you’re more apt to lose the audience’s attention, so keep that in mind.
As you wrap up your shoot, don’t forget to encourage social sharing by asking your viewers to like your video and comment on it if they found it useful.
Review the footage. If you need to crop the footage, slide your finger along the clip bar at the top of the video screen until a cropping prompt appears (instructions will vary by phone type and model).
When you feel the video is ready to share, click the share button (it’s a rectangle with an arrow on it) then choose the YouTube icon. Be sure to add a title and detailed description.
You can create a video channel on YouTube for free. There are multiple benefits to hosting your videos on YouTube. First, you get extra exposure and views from people who are searching for videos on YouTube. Second, it is really easy to embed and share YouTube videos on your website or social media profiles.
Post the video to all of your social media profiles. We recommend embedding it on your website since it’s a great way to teach people about you and your business. It’s also a good idea to show off your video by embedding it within a well-written blog post to supplement your educational articles.
That wasn’t so bad, was it? Now that you’re a video pro, we recommend honing your skills by making more videos! In fact, we recommend that you do it consistently. It’s easy to take an hour or so to film several short videos, and then schedule them to go out throughout the month. Your audience will get used to expecting a new video from you, the expert, on a regular basis. That keeps you, your business, and massage fresh in their minds…and more likely to keep booking appointments or referring you to friends!
Happy video-ing!