COULD YOUR VULNERABILITIES BE YOUR SUPER POWER?

Last week, I looked at how ViDEO can help to Boost Your Mental Health.

(By the way, I often present these blogs live as a ‘Tuesday Chat’ in my free Facebook group, Be Seen Be Heard Be Known! which you’re very welcome to join.)

Continuing in a similar vein, it might be time to think about your vulnerabilities and whether or not you want to show or share them in your business and, more specifically, in your ViDEOs.

YOUR VULNERABILITIES COULD BE YOUR SUPER POWER

Sharing your vulnerabilities can be your super power – if you do it wisely.

If you want to be seen as authentic…

If you don’t want to come across as being salesy…

Then tell your story!

Everyone loves a good story!

I spoke some time ago about emotionalising your information and how powerful that can be - because it really can!

Remember, people buy from people!

ARE YOUR VULNERABILITIES RELEVANT?

So, what are your vulnerabilities and are they relevant to what you offer people in terms of your products or services?

Think about the difficulties you’ve had.

And think about what you’ve overcome.

And also consider what you’ve learned from those experiences.

Do your products or services stem from anything you’ve dealt with on a personal level?

Could sharing your vulnerabilities help your Target Audience relate to you?

And you don’t need to bear all and tell us all your deepest darkest secrets!

Share as much as you can.

Share as much as you feel comfortable with - it's entirely up to you how much you share or keep private!

And you can reach out to the members of your Target Audience who will be able to relate to what you’re talking about.

For example,

I produce ViDEOs and I teach and coach people in ViDEO production.

I have the skills and the knowledge when it comes to ViDEO making.

But I also have the experience of having been in the place where my Target Audience is.

I totally understand where people are coming from when they say they don’t like the thought of being on camera or they’re worried about all the tech.

Because I’ve been there too!

MY STORY

I used to be SO camera shy!

As a Director for BBC Television, I was always behind the camera.

I was quite happy being in shot when we needed some feet walking along the street or a hand opening a door or even if we needed an over the shoulder shot.

But I never talked to camera as I do now! I would’ve run a mile if I’d been asked to do that!

Obviously, that had to change when I was setting up my business!

And it didn’t help that I was in a marriage for years which completely annihilated my confidence and my self-esteem. I had to build those up again from scratch – and to be honest, it made getting in front of the camera harder but doing it also felt liberating and empowering!

And, likewise, I’ve never thought of myself as being a techy person.

I do know how it feels to be scared of having to tackle the technical side of things.

But at some point in my career, the BBC introduced multi-skilling which meant that I could work on one programme as a Director and go out on shoots with two camera crews, presenters, contributors and so on to direct.

I could then go and work on another programme where I’d be given a camera kit and a lighting kit and told, See you later! And I’d have to go off and effectively direct and be a 3-man camera crew all by myself!

I never thought I’d be able to do that!

But it’s amazing what you can do with a wee bit of training and a push in the right direction.

SPEAK FROM THE HEART

It also means that I can speak from the heart when I say to people, I know how you feel.

Because I know, from my own experiences, how it feels to be camera shy.

I know how it feels to be scared of the tech.

But I also know how to get over that!

Because I overcame those difficulties.

I made myself comfortable and confident in front of the camera.

As a director, I knew what needed to happen and how to make it happen.

I learned what I needed to know about the tech and practised until I was good at it – and yes, I got some training from the BBC and that’s what I can help pass on to people.

THINGS CHANGE

It’s also true that things are always changing and evolving when it comes to ViDEO making so I’m constantly having to check what’s new and learn how to use anything useful – and work out which things I can disregard because they’re not going to help.

But some things don’t change.

Like knowing your Target Audience.

And understanding Branding.

Like being confident in your Presentation.

And framing your Shots and checking your Sound is clean.

Like knowing how to Edit Footage so it runs together smoothly.

These things don’t change.

BACK TO YOU!

So, back to you!

What are or were your vulnerabilities?

What could you share with your Target Audience to let them know that you understand what they’re going through?

Or is it a case of the trials and tribulations of starting and running your own business?

Maybe that’s what you can lead with.

Perhaps your Target Audience would bond with you over your hard work and any difficulties you face – when you’re tired, when things aren’t working, if you have disabilities or something that holds you back, when you’re struggling to fit your business around your family…

I don’t mean make it all doom and gloom but if people can appreciate the effort you put in, they can sympathise and empathise with you.

Maybe in seeing behind the scenes as you set up your camping ground or turn your barn into a holiday home.

Maybe it’s the renovations and the work you do as you create your studio.

Or the work you do in collecting plants for your herbal remedies and then having to sort them and dry them and whatever you do to make them into your lovely products.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

So which areas do you have some vulnerabilities in?

Are you willing to be open about them?

Do you feel able to share?

Could your Vulnerabilities become your SUPER POWER?!