The Perfect Self-Introduction Video For Your ESL Business

For service businesses where YOU are inseparable from the solution you are providing, you should create a self-introduction video.

This is particularly the case for online teachers, tutors, and coaches where the potential client is trying to answer two questions.

First, do you provide the type of service I am looking for?

Second, do I feel as though I know, like and trust you enough to want to work with you?

So what format should your self-introduction video follow, if you need to address these two concerns?

Demonstrate Insight

The mistake which a lot of people make is to treat the self-introduction video as a kind of video resume. Save most of that for the “My Profile” section of your home page, or a dedicated “About Me” page. If you start your video with a list of your qualifications and academic achievements, you are going to turn away a lot of potential clients.

Clients really want to hear that you have insight into the particular challenges which they are trying to solve. When you articulate the client’s pain points for them, they automatically assume that you must have the solution. It positions you as somebody who is offering a unique answer to a specific set of problems, and not just another, garden-variety language teacher.

So open with something like:
“Hi there. Are you struggling to _______? Are your English skills holding you back from ________? If so, you are not alone. I’ve spoken with dozens of clients, just like you, who feel frustrated and overwhelmed by this problem. They tell me they have stress in their life because they need to _______ but can’t do so because they are unable to _______ “.

Explain WHO You Help

As mentioned above, you don’t want to present a laundry list of your job history or academic licenses. Simply say who you are, where you are from and who you specifically want to help.

Say something like:
“My name is Jack Doe. I’m from Canada and I help non-English speaking real estate agents who want to improve their English fluency so that they can successfully work with more international clients”.

Draw a Roadmap

Do you have a lesson program that is designed to solve a specific problem? Is it in the form of one-to-one lesson packages? Do you offer the program through group classes? Do you have video training courses that clients can purchase? Use your self-introduction to manage expectations about your solution process.

For example:
“Right now, I’m offering a 10-week lesson program that will take you through all the skills you need, to successfully ________. I’m offering this as a package of one-to-one lessons that you can use whenever is convenient OR as a group program with other students once a week.”

What Success Looks Like

So far you’ve highlighted to the client the uncomfortable point where they are at now. And you’ve also explained the “bridge” (your program) which they can cross if the client wants to escape from that predicament.

The final thing you need to do is paint a picture of the destination – how the transformation you offer will positively impact your clients.

What negative emotions will your program remove? What positive rewards will it deliver? Make the sensation of success feel as real as possible through your spoken words.

Use words that stimulate mental imagery such as:
“Imagine your life if you feel confident talking to your ______ about _______ . Picture what it will feel like when you tell your _______ that you were able to successfully ________ by using your new language abilities”.

Highlight Your Call to Action

Tell the website visitor what step they can take next if they want to get started today. What does your funnel look like? Should they book a trial lesson with you? A strategy call? Mention the one thing which the visitor needs to do if they want to start solving their problems by working with you. For example:
“If you’d like to take action today, use my booking calendar to reserve a 30-minute trial lesson and strategy session. I’d love to meet you.”

Do you have a downloadable “freebie” that they can get right now to give them a simple, “quick win” (and become part of your email marketing list)? If so, it doesn’t hurt to mention that too. For example:
“And by the way, if you want to learn about three simple ways you can _______, check out my ______ page where you can download my FREE guide.”

How Long Should It Be?

The sweet spot for a self-introduction video that presents the above points is somewhere between 60-90 seconds.

There is a reason why short video “Reel” formats are popular right now – people have infamously short attention spans. You want to make a video which doesn’t waste any time and delivers exactly the information that will connect with your website visitor and encourage them to engage with your funnel process.

Technical Requirements

You don’t need a lot of expensive equipment to make a self-introduction video. Any modern smart phone should have a camera good enough for the job. Just make sure that you have plenty of light – film in front of a window or even outdoors to take advantage of natural light sources.

There are plenty of video editing apps like iMovie (for Apple) or InVideo (for Windows) which are available for free if you want to add an “intro” segment or some transition effects. But if that seems daunting, don’t let it hold you back. Published is better than perfect. Just do the best video you can create TODAY and iterate better versions later, if you feel it’s necessary.

PRO TIP 1: It’s always a good idea to upload closed caption subtitles. You should at least include the English version but if you know that a good percentage of your target audience speaks a particular language, then get your script professionally translated and add that as well.

Be Confident on Camera

One of the more difficult skills to master is speaking to a camera. It’s feels unnatural to be directing your conversation to a little round lens rather than another human. All I can say, is practice makes perfect. Think of the lens as your friend – in fact, you should imagine you are speaking to your best friend or family member. Try to smile and project plenty of positive energy. 

Also, try to avoid reading from a script. It doesn’t come across as natural or authentic. It doesn’t matter if you have a few “uhms” and “ahhs” because your audience isn’t expecting Hollywood quality. They just want to know who you are and how you can help them.

Watch Brighton West from Subscriber Nation as he further explains some key points about creating an introduction video that connects with viewers.

PRO TIP 2: If you have brand colors for your website, try to wear similar colored clothing to match the aesthetic.

Teleprompters

If you find that your presentation topic really is a little too complicated to deliver “off the cuff”, you might want to consider a teleprompter app. With one of these tools, you can cue up your script so that it scrolls upward across the screen at a speed that matches your natural speech pace. The advantage of a tool like BIGVU for this purpose is that as you read, your eyes are also being directed to a point close by the mobile device camera.

BIGVU also has some other cool features such as the ability to easily post directly from the app to your favorite social media channels.

Interview with Ashley Griffiths (Camera Confidence Coach)

If you’d like to learn more tips on how to present yourself with confidence on camera, please listen to the above podcast which I recorded with Ashley Griffiths. We discuss how English language teachers can present themselves confidently on camera.

Conclusion

Video has been proven to be the most engaging form of communication on the internet. One study found that landing pages which employ video received an 86% boost in conversions.

It doesn’t require any fancy equipment, a big budget or ninja level video editing skills.

So, grab your smartphone, plan what you need to say, press “record” and deliver. Good luck!