Dr. Cliff AuD is by far one of the most recognizable faces in hearing care.
With over 220k subscribers, 200k weekly views, and a permanently full patient list, it’s safe to say Dr. Cliff dominates hearing care search results.
But of course, you knew that.
What you might not know is how he has managed to achieve this feat in consumable audiological content, and furthermore, how you might be able to achieve something similar for yourself.
In this article, we bare all and share Dr. Cliff’s 3 biggest video-creating secrets.
But first, a reality check…
It’s easy to look at Dr. Cliff’s videos as they are now and think “goodness, I could never do that”, as the quality of them are so strong.
The scripting’s good, the lighting and graphics are good and of course, the audio’s great, but that wasn’t always the case.
“My very first video did not go down very well. I recorded it on my iPhone and the whole quality was terrible, and in the first few months it only racked up 100 views.”
Dr. Cliff proudly admits that he was a novice when he first started out and believes, like anything, you can’t expect to be brilliant from the off, you have to persevere to get it to a point where you’re proud of it.
In fact, Dr. Cliff candidly discloses that, when he decided to start doing audiological video content, he’d commit to recording 2 videos per week for 6 months just to see if it gained any traction, which, leads us nicely into secret number 1…
🤫 Secret #1: Do It With Purpose, But Don’t Expect Anything Back
As a hearing care professional, the chances are you have a very busy daily to-do list, so, the idea of investing energy into something that might not give you any – never mind instant – return can feel a little…‘well why bother’.
But, as Dr. Cliff describes, that’s where the secret starts, as it’s only when you do something without the expectation of it to be a success do you often uncover true brilliance.
Let’s face it, the audiology space isn’t exactly rife people toppling over themselves to be hailed as the queen or king of great content, and there’s a reason for that…
…because people don’t want to put in the effort as there isn’t the promise of a payout.
However, when Dr. Cliff decided to film his videos and make that commitment, he had a purpose, which was to create content that, even if it only helped a handful of people, would mean he was getting his expertise out there and answering questions that he knew people needed answering.
“My main intention with the videos was never to get new patients through the door, but instead to educate people on hearing aid issues, as no one was doing that for them”
And so, if you’re considering starting your own video channel, take Dr. Cliff’s advice and first consider what your main motive for doing them is, then, once decided, do so without expectation of instant gratification.
🤫 Secret #2: Decide What You’re Going To Talk About And For Goodness Sake, Cut The Fluff
We’ve all clicked off videos mid-way through because they just didn’t get to the point quick enough, right? Right.
Whether it’s a how-to on clearing cache from your computer, or the easiest way to poach an egg, if you’ve decided you want to make videos, then it’s probably because you want to help people learn how to do or understand something, in which case, you need to be really clear on your message and really concise in your delivery.
Dr. Cliff scripts his videos, however, that’s because reading word-for-word suits him. If you’re someone who’d prefer to improvise a bit more, then his advice is to write down the main points of what you want to say and stick them, so as to not go off on a fluffy tangent.
Knowing what you’re going to say before filming and even practicing it a few times before you hit record may just save you time and energy in multiple takes!
If you’re stuck for topics, simply write a list of all the common questions you get asked day to day and eventually you’ll have enough content to last you a lifetime.
🤫 Secret #3: Invest In Some Good Equipment And Outsource The $10 An Hour Jobs
Although it’s true you don’t need fancy equipment to get started, there are some things that, if you want your videos to be of a good standard, you don’t want to scrimp on, such as the audio equipment.
Dr. Cliff makes a good point that, as an audiologist, the one thing you don’t want to be pulled up on is the sound quality!
He recommends the Insignia Lapel Mic, which he realizes affords him the freedom to move about in his videos, so he’s not stuck sat on a chair.
For the actual recording of the videos, Dr Cliff advises checking out some inexpensive recorders, however the quality of the recorder is certainly not as important as the audio and the lighting, which he advises a 3-point-lighting kit is enough to do the trick.
Then, once you’ve recorded the videos, Dr. Cliff strongly advises hiring someone to do the $10 an hour jobs, such as editing the clips and adding subtitles – things that, if you were to do it yourself, would likely take an age and exhaust your energy.
Because, let’s face it, you already wear a hundred hats as a practice owner – how on earth can you be expected to wear a hundred more as a video content creator, too?
What Can Happen When You Get This Stuff Right…
Since Dr. Cliff decided to commit to doing his videos, he’s noticed a few unexpected, yet excellent perks, such as:
#1 People are already pre-qualified before they walk through the door
As a result of people watching Dr. Cliff’s videos and choosing him as the audiologist they’d like to see, they have already decided that they need help and are aware of what is involved in the hearing care service, as well as the costs associated with it.
This means that there’s a lot less effort and energy spent on convincing people they actually need any help, and makes the sales process a lot easier.
#2 Proving that clinics which work under a ‘best practice’ mentality have a hopeful future
It’s no secret that the hearing care industry is facing some tough challenges, what with the rise of OTC and big box retailers undercutting clinics on price. However, as Dr. Cliff has realized since undertaking his YouTube journey, the clinics that value and offer great service through best practice methods will always be OK, as that’s always going to be a clinic’s best USP.
By showing expertise through content and by always offering a brilliant standard of service, people will naturally gravitate to the place where they’re treated like an individual and not a number.
We’re absolutely delighted to have interviewed Dr. Cliff AuD, and want to thank him for his unwavering commitment to positively promoting good audiological practice, as well as making audiology accessible for everyone.
Thank you Cliff!
We’re absolutely delighted to have interviewed Dr. Cliff AuD, and want to thank him for his unwavering commitment to positively promoting good audiological practice, as well as making audiology accessible for everyone.
FYI, if you’d like more information about Dr. Cliff AuD, you can find him at HearingUp, or his YouTube channel.
