Feel awkward?
Jan 24, 2023You're either born with it or you're not.
That's what a lot of people seem to think about feeling confident on camera. Especially recording yourself for video and Stories.
But I am telling you: ALMOST EVERYONE is awkward at first.
I have worked with people who were newscasters, reality tv celebrities, and public speakers... and they were all awkward at first.
YET...
We know that showing up on Instagram Stories is one of the best place to connect, convert, and keep an audience on Instagram.
It takes a little practice but feeling confident on Stories is WORTH IT!
Start with these 3 tips:
1. Use the Marco Polo app if you haven’t used it already.
Talk to one friend at least once a day on the app. This helps you get comfortable talking “to yourself” because you know someone is watching on the other side. You feel more relaxed when you know the person who will receive your message. Use this as practice for how you want to talk on Stories. Comfortable.
2. Talk to one person on Stories.
I like to say that Instagram (and especially Stories) is like having a one-on-one conversation, thousands of people at a time.
The person watching your stories doesn’t think they are in an audience of thousands of people. They feel like they are on the other side of a one-on-one conversation. So talk to one person. if you don’t know who that ONE person is, find out. Write out who she/ he is, down to their name, where they live, where they like to shop. It’s so much easier to talk to one person you “know” and it will feel more comfortable to those watching.
3. Don’t take all 60 seconds.
now that most Instagram stories can be 60 seconds long, many people take up the entire 60 seconds each time they record. That can feel really awkward and potentially waste a lot of time.
You don’t know what to say to fill the time. Or you start to ramble.
Aim to speak for 15 to 20 seconds… or less. See if it feels more comfortable when you don’t have to fill all of the time.
Just like in a conversation, you don’t have the floor for minutes at a time. Conversations go back-and-forth.
And remember: feeling comfortable on camera is a muscle you need to exercise and use. Before you know it, you'll be STRONGer than you ever thought possible on camera.
