Web video is becoming a must have for companies and for good reason. Video, unlike online text or print, combines auditory and visual elements to create a more memorable and emotional experience. But just how to use this relatively new and powerful tool – video on the internet – can be daunting. So, let’s take a look at just a few ideas. Here are ten easy ways to start making video work for your company.
One – Video Press Release
For years, PR companies have been suggesting the addition of video with a press release. Many online press release services allow you to upload video to your press release. In this case, you can add any type of video, perhaps a visual that enhances your message.
But, consider this as well. Simply take your press release as it is, and send it to a professional video production company and have a spokesperson read it on camera. Send your video production company a few photos, and they’ll be able to produce a much more compelling press release than you could deliver using text and photos. Then, upload your video press release to your website, to youtube.com, to Facebook, and to video sharing sites. You can also upload it to sites such as freepressrelease.com.
A video press release is easy and affordable. There’s no scripting, storyboading, or location shooting. A video press release can be used any time you create a written press release. But, keep in mind, if your video press release names and involves a lot of people, it’s much more likely to be shared. For instance in the example video press release above, the winner and finalists of a bird photo contest were shown. Those people, since they got recognition, shared the video on their social networks.
Two – About Us Video
Most companies have an About Us section on the website. That’s because potential customers want to know more than what you sell. They want to know who you are. Why not give them a bigger picture, create an emotional connection, and show customers your story and your passion. Below is a brief outline that shows you how to organize your About Us story.
First, focus on today:
Your mission and values
Your unique selling proposition
Then, focus on your history:
How did the company start?
How did the company grow?
What challenges did the company face?
Did the values and mission evolve?
Next, focus on your future:
What is the vision for your company?
What is the strategy to reach that vision?
What challenges do you face in getting to your next step?
This is just a brief outline, but it can serve as a way to get the conversation going. Also, try allowing managers and employees to tell the story in a relaxed, interview style rather than coming up with a prepared script. My background is in television news reporting, and I love allowing the story to be told naturally through conversation.
The value in the About Us video as described above is that your potential customers and current customers will see the human side of your company. They’ll see the passion and enthusiasm of your team and by allowing them to understand how you want to grow, they may feel more connected to you and want to help you reach your goals.
This type of video doesn’t take as much planning as you might think. Simply create an outline and some bullet points. Your video production company should be able to conduct interviews and create the script around the great stories your employees tell.
The About Us video has so many uses. Obviously, having the video on your site for your potential customers not only helps you connect and build loyalty with current and future customers, it also teaches those customers about your unique story. Therefore, they can articulate it to others.
The video can also be used by the Human Resources Department. H-R can use it in recruitment as well as in new employee orientations. Having every employee really understand your company’s story, with its focus on what’s happening now, how you started and where you’re going, will help them better understand their role as part of the team. Consider this, if every one of your employees were asked by a friend, what is it that your company does and what are its greatest strengths, what would they say?
Three – How To Videos
How to videos are the most commonly searched segment of all types of videos. Giving your customers a how to video shows them you are the expert in your industry and you want to help them with valuable information. For instance, when Fabric.com wanted to promote its brand, focus on being a leader in the sewing community, and sell more of the popular fabric minky, they created a video called “Sewing With Minky”. The video was used again and again in campaigns to promote minky. Customers who enjoyed sewing with minky were happy to share the video with friends in the sewing community. Not only did Fabric.com sell more minky, they built loyalty with customers and further branded the company as “experts” in the sewing community. As always with video you have to stay focused on the goals. Another thing that makes this type of video even easier is that you can also use a spokesperson and visuals with no location shooting, keeping the cost of the video quite affordable.
This is another example of another how to video. This video feature was shot on location. It’s is a step by step video on how to apply makeup.
Four – Recruiting Videos
Have several positions open at your company? You may want a video to get the word out about these opportunities. Consider how likely people are to share videos and how much information you can convey. Video helps you elicit emotion which can be a key element in encouraging someone to consider the job or to send the video to a friend who may be a perfect fit for the position. The video in this example is very affordable. It uses stock images with narration and there’s no need for location shooting.
Five – A Video Feature
Many companies promote and license the use of videos that have been produced by a news station or by a network such as HGTV. But, you don’t have to wait for Diane Sawyer to call before you can create your own television video feature. When you take editorial control, you can cover your story without concern for adding drama. You want to make your company look good. So, your goal is different than that of a network trying to build an audience by any means.
If you take this route, consider bypassing the script and storyboard. Ask your professional video production company to conduct interviews and develop the script from the interviews, just like a reporter does when they do a feature story. Your aim is to make your feature look like it could have aired on a television show or on the news. If the video looks like someone else had creative and editorial control and simply chose you as the expert to interview, the video has a lot more credibility. A straight sales pitch just doesn’t have the same impact, and it’s a lot less likely to be shared on the internet.
The video feature should follow a formula. Tell the story through the eyes of a client. The client talks about how your product or service impacted their life, what concerns and research did they do before purchasing, what the process was like, why they did business with you, and what they would say to others about your company. You are the expert, guiding consumers through the process of shopping for your service or product.
This video featured below never aired on television, but it looks as if it did. Another advantage of the video shown below – it’s being shown on various web sites, simply because they found it entertaining.
Below is another example of this type of video feature. It uses elements of drama and storytelling to elicit emotion and drive home its point. This video wasn’t terribly expensive because it uses stock footage instead of expensive location shooting using actors. The footage dramatically shows potential clients the impact of the company’s service. It uses a basic problem/solution formula and emotional story telling to dramatize the message.
Six – Medical Office Tour
Showing off your medical office can be a great way to help prospective customers feel comfortable with you. This is becoming a more popular among doctors because they realize the value of showing state of the art equipment as well as a warm and inviting atmosphere. The doctor or business owner simply “takes the viewer on a tour” just like they would if the person were in their office.
Seven – Physician Profile Videos
These types of videos are designed to give potential patients or customers a sense of who the doctor is. In the physician profile video above, you’ll see one of many videos produced by Marietta Video Productions. Each video lets the viewer learn about the doctor, find out about his or her education, training, philosophy, specialty, and hobbies. It’s an effective way for viewers to get a clearer picture of the person they are considering. These type of interview and narrative story telling video is much more effective than putting together short clips of the doctor. This same style can be used for any professional who wants to let customers or patients get to know them before the actual meeting.
Eight – Process Videos
Sometimes your process is your a big part of your unique selling proposition. Perhaps you go to great extremes to make your process easy for your clients. A process video can be used before and after the sale. Seeing your process video lets your prospects know exactly what to expect. So if they like and appreciate your process, they’re more likely to purchase. The video can also be of use after the sell, helping to ease the stress your clients may have during the process, especially if what you sell can be stressful, such as home renovations or swimming pools.
Nine – Corporate Video Newsletter
Need to keep employees informed about what’s happening in your company. Chances are you already have an online or printed newsletter. Now, it’s easy to create a video newsletter. Below, in this example, the CEO of The News Group, greets employees in a more personable way by putting the monthly newsletter into a video.
Ten – Testimonial Videos
Obviously testimonial videos can have a big impact. My advice on using testimonials is to opt for concentrating on one great, compelling, and powerful story using one customer or patient as opposed to five or ten quick testimonials that don’t have much impact. If you have a 30 minute or 60 minute video, several testimonials are effective. But, if you don’t have a lot of time or a lot of money to spend on the production, one well told story is worth more than several quick interviews. The video above is a 60 second ad using one powerful story.
This post certainly won’t answer all your questions about video and video marketing, but it may give you new, fresh ideas about how to use video. For more information on video production, contact us at 678 290 8953 or email us at MVP@MariettaVideoProductions.com.
