Gillian Whitney, Video Marketing Coach, Launch4Life
Gillian Whitney is a Video Marketing Coach specializing in LinkedIn video. She believes every business professional needs to be using video to market themselves. Video boosts your online visibility, increases sales, and promotes your business like no other marketing tool. As a video marketing coach, Gillian helps business professionals make videos in a way that is comfortable for them. She loves sharing easy peasy solutions to help folks get started with video. Gillian is a citizen of four countries - Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Israel. She's become a global digital nomad. Have laptop - will travel. Gillian is currently residing in Las Vegas with her husband and beloved frequent flyer dachshund.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn is my social media platform of choice. I love the ability to connect, converse, and collaborate with business professionals worldwide. I liken LinkedIn to the world's biggest cocktail party.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
As a marketing coach for over six years, I have become acquainted with all the different ways that business professionals can use to market their business, from email marketing to blogging to Search Engine Optimization. Based on my experience, video marketing gives business owners the biggest bang for their marketing buck. Nothing leapfrogs you to the top of the Google Search results than video. After deciding that video marketing was my preferred niche, I narrowed my focus specifically to LinkedIn video. This allowed me to combine two areas of interest, my passion for helping people with easy peasy video solutions and working specifically with clients that want to have better visibility on LinkedIn.
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
I get great joy from helping people feel empowered. Getting started with video is very difficult for many professionals. So many people are nervous about being on camera, don't know what to say, and feel overwhelmed with all the tech involved. I love it when people begin to believe that they can dip a toe in the video marketing pool and make a video. That first step can be a game-changer for so many, and I love to support people with developing their self-confidence.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Learn to say "Yes! Yes!" to every growth experience you are presented with. Even if you have no idea how to do something, feel it's outside your comfort zone, or it scares you. When we say "Yes!" the first time, we call in a positive new mindset. And when we say "Yes!" again, our certainty is cemented. It's the most powerful two words I know.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
I believe in the magic of ideas. I truly believe that the universe does not give us an idea to do something if it's not in our best interest. As such, I have learned to trust my intuition and not second guess myself. If I have an idea, I write it down so that I never lose a thought. While I might not always take action quick enough, I have so many bright ideas at the ready that I need to wear shades.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
I am brave and don't let fear hold me back from trying something new. I have lived in many countries in my life. I have seemed to develop a funny habit of moving to new places sight unseen. I look at each place as an adventure, and every place I've lived is simply a chapter in the story of me. I am proud that I embrace the journey and don't worry too much about the destination.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
I am a self-professed introvert. As such, I prefer getting to know someone slowly. Being a book lover, it's only natural that I find words comforting. I have learned to read between the lines and can tell a lot about someone by reading their messages and email. Once I feel comfortable that we're both on the same page, I am more than happy to meet someone one-to-one using Zoom.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
I worked as a Telephone Reference librarian for several years, right after college. Those years provided me with the best education I ever had. I learned how to learn. More importantly, I learned how to search for answers. As a result, I became a top-notch researcher and was trained in Boolean logic. That is why I refer to myself as the Google Goddess because I can literally find the answer to anything under the sun.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
That it's important to document your business processes, you need to develop clear plans to create Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for your business from day one. And that this is even true for solopreneurs and small businesses. If you don't have all your workflows documented and in place, then it becomes a nightmare to hire help. This can stop you from succeeding in your business because you are spending too much time being disorganized.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
One of the people I admire the most is John Espirian, who is a relentlessly helpful technical copywriter, author, and LinkedIn nerd. I admire his creativity, technical expertise, video skills, and mastery of the English language. He's an incredibly gifted writer, speaker, and teacher. However, what I admire the most is that he achieved success by helping others. He leads by reaching down and pulling the rest of us up. I will forever be indebted to the kindness and mentorship he extended to me when I was first getting started on LinkedIn. John Espirian is a real mensch.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
I have been an active member of Toastmasters for over eight years. I have served in many leadership positions at the club level, from VP of Membership, VP of Public Relations, and President. Each position was an opportunity for me to grow and improve my communication and leadership.
I also have a passion for reading. It is not uncommon for me to be reading several books at once. I love hard copies and eBooks. I've always felt that there are so many books but not enough time, which is why if a book doesn't grab me right away, I dump it and move on.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
At the beginning of the pandemic, it had a significant effect on my business. It felt awkward trying to market premium services when everyone was experiencing fear and financial hardship. However, that downtime allowed me to shift my focus on learning more about what my ideal client needed. I kept up my skills by focusing my efforts on expanding my network, creating valuable free content, and even offering some pro bono coaching. As we moved through the worst of the pandemic, business began to pick up, and I'm now in a great place with my business.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
With my extensive experience as a marketing coach, I have been mentoring others for years. I have also served as an official mentor within Toastmasters to assist others in improving their public speaking skills.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
The most important thing is to figure out who you want to work with first. Who is your ideal customer? Then once you know that, begin to focus on what their problem is. What is keeping them up at night? Then evaluate what services you have that helps solve that problem.
Finally, zero in on why someone should choose you? What makes you unique? For anyone that would like to get into the field of video marketing, become a student of YouTube. You can learn anything and everything about video... by watching other people's videos. Become a master student, and then you'll be ready to become a master teacher.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Many people fall victim to one of two things. They either don't give it enough time. Success requires putting in the work on a regular and consistent basis. Sometimes you may feel like you are moving forward at a snail's pace. But, you've got to put in the time. There are no Disneyland Fast Pass folks.
The other killer is comparing yourself to other people. Especially people who have been working with it for a long time. We all need to stay in our own lane. While you may think everyone else is a success but, that's usually not true.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
"No one will ever complain that you've made things too simple to understand." - Anne Handley.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
I admire companies that make their work environment fun. I especially admire Google. I once had the opportunity to have a tour of Google's headquarters. It was one of the best days ever. I loved everything about their fun corporate culture. They allow their employees to bring their dogs to work.
They provide pods for the staff to take short naps. And they have an excellent cafeteria the serves free and healthy food to everyone that works there (and even people touring the place - like me). Best of all, Google provides their employees with downtime to be creative.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
I define success not by dollars in your bank account but instead by the difference you are making in the world. It's the deposits into our emotional and spiritual bank account that really count. I truly believe that when you lead with value, the universe will find a way to reward you. Nothing is more rewarding than when people have told me."I didn't think I could do it, but now I know I can."