“Ain’t nobody got time for a video that’s more than a few minutes long.”
Shawn Hanks, the CEO of Premiere Speakers Bureau, joined us on the podcast with Grant to chat about demo videos.
Here are the top 3 takeaways from their conversation:
How long should your demo video be?
When it comes to length, less is more! If you have a single demo video, you want it to be between 3-5 minutes.
Your demo video or a sizzle reel should capture the essence of your experience, personality, and ability to capture the audience’s attention. It’s important to remember that event planners often look at multiple speakers for events and have a limited amount of time to watch lengthy videos.
What kind of investment should you make in your demo video?
Your demo video should scale with your speaking career. A good rule of thumb is that one of your speaker fees should cover the cost of your video. It can be hard to think about shelling out that kind of money initially but having a video that presents you as the expert you are can help you get paid.
What makes a great demo video?
A great demo video can be made up of different elements depending on the level of speaking gigs you’re after, but a few pointers across the board are:
- Have multiple shots/outfits/audiences.
- Make sure you’re capturing audience reactions when applicable.
- Update your footage frequently as you continue to speak. Replace 1-2 clips as needed until you completely update and refresh your video.
If you want to learn more about creating a demo video that stands out, listen to the whole episode!
Check out Episode 468 of The Speaker Lab podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts.
