MASTERING THE VIDEO SALES CALL With Filmmaker Expertise
As we continue to adapt to a half-digital, half-physical world, one thing is certain: This is our new normal. And in the business world, you adapt or you die. While in-person sales meetings and lunches will never be a thing of the past, mastering the video sales call to present yourself, your company, and your product is vital. After all, you want the most memorable part of your call to be the product you’re pitching — not your cluttered background or the tinny sound. To appear like a pro, try these three tips from filmmakers to make your video calls the envy of your competition. Tip No. 1: Use what you have. While moviemakers, vloggers, and podcasters have advanced equipment to make them look and sound great, you can provide a professional video call without blowing your budget. Start with lighting. Shine a lamp toward the wall facing you, and turn on a light behind you to softly illuminate your face while creating background light for depth. Good sound quality can be just as simple to achieve. Rather than rely on your computer or laptop’s microphone system, plug in your AirPods or headphones. These items have built-in microphones that better capture your voice due to their proximity to your face. Tip No. 2: Get the camera angle right. Aesthetically speaking, one of the worst angles for a camera is pointed upward at the subject being filmed. However, you’re often looking down at your laptop or monitor’s camera. Instead, stack your laptop on books or risers for meetings, or purchase a separate camera to mount at eye level or just above you. This is a much more flattering and commanding angle. Tip No. 3: Look again. In the moments leading up to a video call, remember to do two things. For starters, quickly scan the background behind you. Will your prospective clients see anything unflattering or unduly distracting? A simple background, like a plain wall or a bookshelf, is great for bringing attention to you and not what’s happening in the background. And before you join that meeting, rehearse looking into the camera as you speak, not at the screen itself. That will create eye contact for those in the meeting. You don’t have to be an Oscar-winning filmmaker to master these techniques. All it takes is a little practice to upgrade your video sales call.
When most kids first start earning some money for themselves, they either put it in a savings account or spend it on something they want. However, that’s not what 11-year-old Cartier Carey of Hampton, Virginia, decided to do with the money he made from his summer lemonade stand. Instead, he decided to use the money to give back — primarily to the single mothers in his community. Some of the biggest expenses for single mothers are diapers and wipes for their babies. Carey decided to focus on getting these crucial supplies to the mothers who needed them, after he visited his grandmother who lived in a low-income neighborhood in the city. While visiting, he saw how many women in the neighborhood were raising children on their own and decided to do something to help them. Carey started his lemonade stand early in the summer, making it apparent that his mission was to use the proceeds to buy diapers for single mothers in need. By the end of July, Carey had raised $5,000 from selling lemonade and from donations. That was enough to buy and distribute 6,500 diapers. By September, he had donated 22,000 diapers — within reach of his goal of 25,000. While Carey has done more than most 11-year-olds have to give back to their community, this actually was not even his first community initiative. During the previous summer, Carey distributed care packages for homeless people, called “Carti packs.” They included essentials like deodorant, soap, and tissues. Additionally, Carey founded his own nonprofit organization called Kids 4 Change 757. “Others can make a difference just like I’m doing right now,” Carey told ABC News. “You’re never too young.” In a world ravaged by a pandemic and an economic crisis, Cartier Carey proves that anyone can help out in big ways in their own little corner of the world.
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