Sometimes Good Is Better Than Great: In Defense of Authentici

“If you are your authentic self, you have no competition.” – Anonymous

A standard critique of certain politicians is that they’re too polished. Their messages sometimes seem less a product of deep thought or firm conviction and more the result of constant polling and focus group surveys. Shiny pols often climb to the highest rungs of the political ladder, but they regularly fall when challenged by politicians whose messages feel more authentic. We like professional, but we love real.

The same applies to the world of music. Some of the most beloved musicians sound the rawest. Take Kris Kristofferson, for example. In more than half a century of making music, Kristofferson recorded 29 albums, which earned him three Grammys. Hundreds of artists have played his compositions, including Janis Joplin, Johnny Cash, and Willie Nelson. Kristofferson has had a resoundingly successful career by every possible measure, but the truth is that he’s not a very good musician.

 Kristofferson himself admits as much, saying, “I can't play the guitar that well, and I certainly can't sing that well." But that never stopped his fans from buying his albums and attending his concerts. His roughness worked in his favor. According to Rich Kienzle, a country music critic and historian, Kristofferson “never pretended to be a great singer—that was part of his charm. His voice was so raw and expressive he could put across certain songs more effectively than some of the mainstream singers.” His songs and performances resonate with people because they’re imperfect. Kristofferson never strived for polished; he only ever tried to be authentic. 

 When Making Videos, Be Kristoffersonian

Video is the most influential information platform on the planet. Videos allow us to convey knowledge in a way that is profoundly moving and incredibly simple. The technology most people carry in their pockets enables them to make homemade videos that have the power to launch revolutions and end wars. Such videos don’t become part of history because they’re refined. They induce action because they’re blunt and honest.

 Here are some interesting facts about online videos:   

                           

• Videos comprise 80 to 90 percent of online traffic.
• Approximately 55 percent of Internet users watch videos every day.
• YouTube viewers worldwide watch 1 billion hours of videos each day.
• More than 80 percent of all online traffic will consist of video by 2021. 
•  People are 27 times likelier to click a video ad than a conventional banner.
• About 90 percent of consumers say product videos affect their purchasing decisions.
•  Internet users upload more video content in a month than American television networks created in 30 years.
• Users spend an average of 180 seconds on web pages with videos but only 90 seconds on pages without videos.

Mark Meyers, CEO of Visionary Productions, put it well when he said, “TV viewers thought Kennedy crushed Nixon in the first-ever televised presidential debate because Nixon underestimated the medium. When smart business people tell me they don’t think it’s necessary to invest in video, I always think to myself, How are we still underestimating video almost sixty years after Nixon’s debacle?”

Video Testimonials: The New Way to Reach out and Touch Someone  

Five-star reviews are good for business, but the review system is broken. Most people know to scan reviews with a wary eye because it's easy to game the system by hiring people to post glowing appraisals. It’s much harder to cheat via video testimonial. When we watch a video testimonial, we read facial expressions and body language, which put our doubts to rest about the authenticity of the review.

Here are some other benefits of video testimonials:

·         Increasing brand awareness and retention

·         Raising product or service awareness

·         Achieving brand influencer status

·         Increasing conversion rates

·         Improving search rankings

·         Boosting sales and ROI

Video testimonials are SEO gold mines because search engines grade them as high-quality content. They help build backlinks to your website, boost likes and shares (which affect search rankings), and drive traffic to your site. And let's not forget that Google owns YouTube, so be sure that when you post YouTube videos, use a solid meta description, include an awesome title, and tag, tag, tag with keywords and key phrases!

Quick Tips for Testimonials

Roughly 84 percent of viewers watch videos on their smartphones. The ubiquity of social media means that you don’t need to pay for airtime, which means you don't need to spend as much for production. When you’re paying $50,000 for 30 seconds of TV time, your commercial needs to be polished, but when airtime is free, you can focus on being genuine like Kristofferson.

If you’re ready to give video testimonials a shot, keep these things in mind:

·         Make the video one to three minutes long

·         Keep it real because inauthenticity is easy to spot

·         Minimize mistakes

·         Use adequate lighting

·         Have a script of questions for the subject of the testimonial, including:

o   How long have you used the product or service?

o   What are the benefits?

o   Can you share a story or two that demonstrates those benefits?

o   Would you buy or use the product or service again?

o   Would you recommend it to friends and family?

Frame every testimonial with a brief intro that includes your name or logo. You want everyone to know who is responsible for evoking such positive feelings.

Once you’ve crafted that compelling testimonial, it’s time to start posting. Every video you create should end up on these sites:

·        YouTube

·         Facebook

·         Instagram

·         Vimeo

·         Your company website

Now get out there and start shooting!

One Last Thing

People are drawn to those who are authentic. "Slick" is a total turnoff. Big or small, non-profit, or for-profit—whatever the nature of your business and whatever you’re trying to achieve, do it with heart. Remember, the magic is in the message, not in the production quality.

Neill Marshall has almost 30 years of experience in healthcare executive search with involvement in over 600 hundred senior-level assignments. In 2017 he helped create and is currently a partner in HealthSearch Partners, the fifth largest healthcare executive search entity in the U.S.

HealthSearch Partners is the combination of CES Partners, FaithSearch Partners, and Southerland Partners. In 2005, Marshall founded Marshall Koll & Associates and prior to Marshall Koll, was a consultant with Witt/Kieffer in Dallas.

A serial entrepreneur who has started three successful companies, Marshall has spoken to professional groups, trustee groups and boards of directors on career, professional and personal branding, the grey hustle, growing your career, executive recruiting and other healthcare issues and has written numerous articles and promotional publications.