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3 Mistakes that Business Make Related to Video

3 Mistakes Businesses Make in Video

3 Mistakes That Business Make Related to Video

Why Is This Important?

Video is an indispensable tool in the corporate arsenal, serving to engage audiences, showcase brand strength, and simplify the delivery of complex business messages. Yet, the journey from concept to execution is fraught with potential pitfalls that can undermine a project’s success. This guide identifies three common mistakes made in video production, explores why these errors occur, and outlines multiple strategies for each, ensuring your video content achieves its intended impact.

Undefined Video Objectives

Overview

A frequent oversight is entering into a video project without clearly defined objectives. This lack of direction can lead to content that fails to address any specific audience needs or business goals, resulting in poor engagement and wasted resources. Videos created without specific goals tend to lack focus, resulting in content that neither resonates with the target audience nor meets business needs effectively. This can lead to viewer disengagement and diminished returns on investment.

Why It Happens

Businesses often rush the pre-production phase due to tight deadlines or underestimation of the planning required. This haste leads to vague, unfocused video content that may lead to failure before it even begins.

Solutions

Strategic Planning Session: Before any filming begins, conduct a preproduction meeting to map out the video’s purpose, determine what must be included, what can be excluded, etc. The reason we mention what can be excluded is that sometimes saying everything is like saying nothing. No information will be retained by the viewer if there’s too much information.

In the meeting, the focus should be on deciding whether it’s for brand awareness, lead generation, or customer education.  Doing this early in the process guides the remaining production choices.

Consult with Stakeholders: Engage various stakeholders within the company, including marketing teams, sales departments, and executive leadership, to align the video’s goals with broader business objectives.

Set Measurable Targets: Define what success looks like for the project. Whether it’s views, shares, or direct leads, having measurable targets helps focus the video’s content and allows for success evaluation post-release.

Ignoring the Target Audience

Overview

Videos that fail to consider the specific preferences and challenges of their intended audience often miss the mark, leading to disengagement and ineffective communication. Videos that are not audience-specific can come across as generic or irrelevant, failing to engage viewers or inspire action.

Why It Happens

There can be a disconnect between the video creators and the actual market needs, often due to insufficient research or a one-size-fits-all approach to content creation. Sometimes an unclear target audience description or needs analysis is causing this.

Solutions

Successful video content speaks directly to its audience’s interests, needs, and challenges.

Audience Research: Invest significant time in understanding your audience’s demographics, preferences, and pain points. Tools like surveys, social media analytics, and customer feedback provide valuable insights. The more you can speak to these during the preproduction meeting, the better.

Persona Development: Create detailed buyer personas that represent your typical audience needs. Tailoring your messaging and presentation styles to these personas can greatly enhance the video’s relevance and appeal. Speak to your audience’s preference, pain points, and typical online behavior. Use this data to craft videos that address these aspects using their tone and some visuals that resonate with their demographic.

A/B Testing: Experiment with different versions of your video with small segments of your audience to determine which resonates the most. This feedback is crucial for fine-tuning the final product.

Compromising on Production Quality

Overview

Skimping on production quality can tarnish your brand’s image and send a message of unprofessionalism, significantly affecting the video’s reception and effectiveness. Poor quality (audio or visual) can severely undermine the perceived value of your brand and message. It’s too competitive out there, don’t let your branding quality remove you from competing.

Why It Happens

Budget constraints or a lack of understanding about the importance of high-quality production standards can lead businesses to cut corners. Ultimately, the client is in control, but our job is to ensure quality is as high as possible.

Solutions

Hire Professionally: Even with limited budgets, using high-quality video production teams who have the proper equipment for the production phase can make a substantial difference.

Skilled Professionals: Hiring experienced videographers, directors, and editors can elevate the production value of your video, enhancing its professional appeal. This applies to the quality of items like clear audio, stable and high-definition visuals, good lighting, and professional editing. These items, together, elevate the viewer’s experience and enhancing the credibility and appeal of your content.

Post-Production Focus: Allocate sufficient resources to editing, which can significantly improve the quality of the final video, making even less-than-perfect footage look exceptional. This is where the magic happens and where we believe we stand out.

Conclusion: Easy Fixes to these Mistakes

Navigating the complexities of video production requires a keen understanding of what can go wrong and how to steer clear of these pitfalls. By defining clear objectives, deeply understanding your audience, and refusing to compromise on quality, your business can produce compelling, impactful video content. Reflect on these questions to further enhance your approach:

  • How can we better integrate video content into our overall marketing strategy?
  • What are the latest trends in video production that we should consider for future projects?
  • How do we measure the success of our videos more effectively to ensure continuous improvement?

By considering these questions, businesses can not only avoid common mistakes but also continuously elevate their video production efforts to better meet their strategic goals.

 

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8 Questions to Ask a Video Production Company

Key Questions to Ask a Video Production Company

Choosing the right video production company is crucial for ensuring your corporate videos effectively meet your business objectives and engage your target audience. To navigate through the selection process, it’s important to ask the right questions. This article outlines eight essential questions to ask a video production company to help you assess their capabilities, creativity, and compatibility with your project needs. By asking these questions, you can confidently identify a partner who will not only understand your vision but also enhance it with professional execution.

Questions to Ask a Video Production Company

1. How Well Do You Understand and Innovate Within an Industry?

While longstanding experience in a specific industry is valuable, the ability to understand and bring fresh, innovative concepts to the table is equally, if not more, crucial. Ask potential video production partners how they immerse themselves in unfamiliar industries and how they’ve successfully incorporated new promotional ideas or concepts in their past projects. This approach can provide a distinct competitive edge, differentiating your brand from others with creative and impactful messaging. It’s important to explore how they balance industry norms with inventive strategies to ensure your video stands out while still hitting the right notes with your target audience.

2. Can You Share Some References? Can I Ask Them Questions?

A reputable video production company should be able to provide references or testimonials from past clients. Contacting these references can provide insights into the company’s reliability, professionalism, and the quality of the final product. It’s a direct way to gauge past client satisfaction and the company’s ability to deliver on its promises.

3. How Do You Approach a New Project?

Understanding a video production company’s approach to new projects is vital for assessing how they will manage your specific requirements. Ask about their end-to-end process, from initial concept development through to final delivery. Key aspects to inquire about include their methods for brainstorming creative ideas, scriptwriting, selecting locations, casting, and the types of equipment they use. It’s also important to understand their post-production capabilities, such as editing, sound design, and color grading. A detailed discussion on these topics will reveal how they transform initial concepts into finished products and how they handle project management, ensuring that each phase of production aligns with your goals and timelines. Look for a company that values a collaborative approach, one that invites your input and feedback at every step to ensure the project truly reflects your vision.

4. Ask What is Included in Their Pricing

Video production can vary significantly in cost, depending on the scope and complexity of the project. Ensure you get a detailed breakdown of costs, including pre-production, production, and post-production phases. Clarify what is included in the quoted price and what might be considered additional costs. This transparency will help you manage your budget effectively and avoid unexpected expenses.

5. How Do You Ensure the Final Product Reflects Our Brand?

Ensuring that the final product accurately represents your brand’s image and core message is highly important. Discuss with the video production company how they plan to incorporate your brand guidelines, tone, and message into the video. This conversation should include their strategy for understanding your brand’s voice, the visual style, and how they plan to maintain consistency with your existing marketing materials. It’s important that they demonstrate an ability to adapt and reflect your brand’s unique aspects, such as using specific color schemes, logos, and the tone of the communication. Ask them to provide examples of how they have successfully adapted other brands’ identities into their video projects. This will give you confidence that they can deliver a product that not only looks professional but also resonates with your audience and strengthens your brand identity.

6. What is Your Typical Turnaround Time? What Can Slow It Down?

Timing can be crucial, especially if the video is part of a larger marketing campaign or event. Discuss the expected timeline for your project and ensure it aligns with your deadlines. Understanding their scheduling and ability to deliver on time is essential to plan your activities around the video release. Also ask what can slow the process down. We have found knowing the pitfalls ahead of time will help increase the likelihood of on-time delivery. If they don’t know or can’t give specifics, this might be a good indication they are inexperienced.

7. How Do You Handle Revisions?

It’s important to understand how the company handles changes or revisions during the video production process. Ask about their policies on revisions, including how many are included in the initial cost and the cost of any additional revisions. This will help you understand the flexibility you have with your project and avoid potential conflicts.

8. How Will Our Teams Collaborate?

Finally, ask about the collaboration process between your team and theirs. Understanding the communication flow, meeting schedules, and points of contact is crucial for a smooth workflow. Ensure that their collaboration style matches your company’s expectations for interaction and updates. We always strive to ensure one point of contact on each side to streamline communication and ensure accuracy along the way.

Conclusion

Choosing the right video production company is a strategic decision that impacts your brand’s message and market presence. By asking these eight questions, you can better assess potential video production partners and find one that aligns with your business objectives, brand identity, and budget. Remember, the goal is to find a partner who not only produces a high-quality video but also enhances your message and connects authentically with your audience.

Want to ask us any question? Reach out to us! We’re here to help you get what you need.

 

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Three Tips to Winning With Effective Tradeshow Video

effective tradeshow video on display at event

Often times, digital presence is intertwined with business success and tradeshows remain a pivotal platform for direct engagement and networking. Making a highly effective tradeshow video becomes critically important. Between all the bustling aisles and countless booths, standing out becomes a challenge that many businesses face. Enter the game-changer: tradeshow videos. These dynamic tools are not just about showcasing products or services; they are a strategic medium to tell your brand’s story, evoke emotions, and engage potential clients in a crowded tradeshow environment.

The power of video content at tradeshows cannot be understated. It combines visuals, sound, and narrative to capture attention in a way that static displays or printed materials cannot. An effective tradeshow video goes beyond  promotion; it creates an immersive experience, inviting attendees to learn about your business in a compelling and memorable way. From highlighting product features and benefits to sharing customer testimonials and company values, they can significantly impact your tradeshow success.

However, creating a video that resonates with your audience and achieves your business objectives requires more than just hitting the record button. It demands a thoughtful approach to content creation, from understanding your audience and defining clear objectives to crafting a message that stands out. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of planning, creating, promoting, and measuring the success of your tradeshow videos to ensure you’re not just participating in the tradeshow but winning it.

Planning Your Tradeshow Video

The planning stage is critical in creating a tradeshow video that not only captures attention but also conveys your message effectively to your target audience. This phase lays the foundation for success by aligning your content with your business goals and audience needs. Here’s how to plan your for maximum impact:

1. Define Your Objectives: Start by defining what you want to achieve with your tradeshow content. Are you looking to increase brand awareness, showcase a new product, generate leads, or educate your audience about your services? Your objectives will guide the content, style, and messaging of your video.

2. Know Your Audience: Understanding who your audience is and what they care about is essential. Research the demographics and interests of tradeshow attendees and tailor your content to meet their needs and preferences. This ensures your message resonates and engages the right people.

3. Craft a Compelling Message: Your video should tell a story that connects with your audience. Focus on the benefits of your products or services, not just the features. Use emotional and relatable elements to create a narrative that viewers will remember long after the tradeshow ends.

4. Decide on the Video Format: There are several formats to choose from, including product demonstrations, customer testimonials, behind-the-scenes looks, or company overviews. The format should complement your objectives and be suitable for the tradeshow environment, where noise and distractions are common.

5. Logistics and Technical Considerations: Plan for the logistical aspects of displaying your video at the tradeshow. Consider the equipment you’ll need, such as screens and sound systems, and ensure it is optimized for viewing in a busy, often noisy, environment. This might mean focusing more on visual elements and using subtitles if necessary.

6. Budget and Resources: Allocate a budget for your production, keeping in mind costs for scripting, filming, editing, and equipment rental. Consider what resources you have in-house versus what you may need to outsource to professionals.

Through proper planning, you set the stage for a piece of content that not only draws attention but also effectively communicates your message and achieves your business objectives.

 

Creating Compelling Tradeshow Video Content

After laying the groundwork with thorough planning, the next step is to create content that not only draws attention but also leaves a lasting impression on your audience. Engaging tradeshow content can significantly enhance your booth’s appeal and effectively communicate your message. Here’s how to create compelling content for your tradeshow:

1. Focus on Storytelling: Humans are naturally drawn to stories. Structure your video around a narrative that showcases your product or service in action, highlights success stories, or conveys your brand’s journey. A well-told story can evoke emotions and create a memorable connection with your audience.

2. Keep It Short and Sweet: Attention spans are limited, especially in a bustling tradeshow environment. Aim for a video length of 1-2 minutes to convey your key messages without losing viewer interest. Every second counts, so make sure each moment is impactful.

3. High-Quality Production: Invest in a high-quality production to ensure your content looks professional and is engaging. This includes clear visuals, crisp audio (with subtitles for noisy environments), and a seamless flow of information. Quality production values can significantly impact how your brand is perceived.

4. Make It Visually Engaging: Use dynamic visuals, animations, and text overlays to make it stand out. Visual elements can help explain complex information in an easy-to-understand way and keep your audience engaged from start to finish.

5. Include a Call to Action: Your video should not only inform and entertain but also inspire viewers to take the next step. Whether it’s visiting your website, signing up for a demo, or simply learning more about your products, a clear call to action (CTA) is crucial for converting interest into action.

Creating compelling content that involves a blend of creativity, strategy, and technical execution. By focusing on storytelling, high production values, and keeping your message is clear and concise, you can captivate tradeshow attendees and elevate your brand presence.

Effective Promotion and Engagement Strategies

Creating a compelling tradeshow video is just the first step; promoting it effectively to reach your audience is crucial for maximizing its impact. Here are strategies to ensure it engages attendees before, during, and after the tradeshow:

1. Leverage Social Media: Utilize your company’s social media channels to tease your content prior to the tradeshow. Post snippets or trailers to build anticipation and drive traffic to your booth. Continue to share your snippets on social media during and after the event to reach those who couldn’t attend in person. Get viewers engaged. Have them tag themselves at the event.

2. Email Marketing: Incorporate your content into email campaigns targeted at tradeshow attendees and your broader audience. A well-crafted email can pique interest and encourage recipients to seek out your booth or learn more about your offerings.

3. Utilize QR Codes: Make your video easily accessible at the tradeshow by incorporating QR codes in your booth design. Attendees can scan the code to watch it on their mobile devices, providing them with an immediate and interactive way to engage with your content.

4. Engage with Live Demonstrations: If possible, integrate live demonstrations of your product or service with your video content. This combination can significantly enhance attendee engagement, providing a tactile experience that complements the visual and narrative elements of your content.

5. Follow-up After the Event: Use your tradeshow video as a follow-up tool after the event. Sending a thank-you email to booth visitors and including the video can reinforce your message and maintain interest in your brand. Take it a step further and personalize the email by mentioning things you spoke directly with them about and incorporate a short personal video message.

By implementing these promotion and engagement strategies, you can extend the reach of your video beyond the event itself, fostering ongoing engagement with your target audience and maximizing the return on your investment.

Measuring Successful Tradeshow Video

After investing time and resources into creating and promoting your tradeshow video, it’s essential to measure its success to understand the return on your investment and gather insights for future projects. Here are key metrics and methods to evaluate the effectiveness of your content:

1. Engagement Metrics: Track how many people viewed your video during the tradeshow and afterwards online. Look at engagement metrics such as likes, shares, comments, and watch time to gauge how your content resonated with the audience. You might track how many people visited your booth or how many watched the content as part of the sales process.

2. Lead Generation: Measure the number of leads generated directly from your video. This can include QR code scans, website visits, unique phone numbers, unique emails, sign-ups for more information, or direct inquiries about your products or services.

3. Conversion Rates: Evaluate how many of the leads generated from your video turned into actual sales or business opportunities. This will help you understand it’s effectiveness in driving tangible business results.

4. Audience Feedback: Collect feedback from tradeshow attendees and online viewers about your video. This qualitative data can provide valuable insights into what worked well and what could be improved for future video content. Be sure to ask specific questions about what they learned after watching rather than, “What did you think?”

5. Social Media Reach: Analyze the reach and impact of your content on social media platforms. Metrics such as shares, views, and engagement on these platforms can indicate it’s broader appeal and effectiveness in extending your brand’s visibility beyond the show.

Carefully analyzing these metrics can provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the video’s performance. This not only helps justify the investment but also informs your strategy for future content, ensuring continuous improvement and greater success in your marketing efforts.

Conclusion

Tradeshows provide a unique opportunity for businesses to showcase their offerings and connect with potential customers in a dynamic environment. In this competitive landscape, videos emerge as powerful tools to capture attention, convey messages, and engage audiences effectively. Through careful planning, creating compelling content, employing strategic promotion and engagement tactics, and measuring success, businesses can elevate their tradeshow presence and achieve remarkable results.

“Winning with Tradeshow Videos” is more than just about having a video play at your booth. It’s about crafting a narrative that resonates with your audience, stands out in a crowded space, and ultimately drives your business objectives. By following the guidelines and strategies outlined in this article, you’re not just participating in the tradeshow; you’re setting the stage for success.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the role of video at tradeshows will only grow more significant. Investing in high-quality, engaging video content is an investment in your brand’s visibility and impact. Remember, the goal is not only to attract attention during the tradeshow but to leave a lasting impression that continues well beyond the event.

 

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Keywords: tradeshow video, video marketing, tradeshow success, engaging video content, tradeshow promotion, video engagement strategies, tradeshow planning, video content creation, tradeshow ROI, business networking

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How To Use Video and Video Marketing For Your Business

Video Shoot for YouTube

How Is Video Changing In 2021?

Whether you’re a large, multi-national company or a small business, video is increasingly more important in marketing the business. How to use video is becoming an increasingly important area to explore and in 2020, we saw a huge increase in the use of video and that appears to be continuing in 2021.

Trends show that video is increasingly more important to share a corporate message than ever before. The question remains how has 2020 changed the way video is used? How will video be used in the coming years? In this post, we share some of the interesting trends we’re seeing in the corporate video production and corporate livestream video world and address the question:

How to use video and video marketing for your business in 2021?

The primary way video has been used in the years leading up to 2020 was to create a branded message with the purpose of converting a viewer into a fan and eventually into a customer. The road to conversion has shifted slightly. How it is being used and the methods that video has been incorporated shifted greatly during 2020. Many organizations shifted to creating videos that showed the viewer a behind the scenes, more intimate look at their operation. The goal was to show who was behind the scenes and how their people make up the business. The feel was directed to a “Our people are our business” mentality.

How To Use Video and What is Video Marketing and How Does It Work?

Video marketing is simply the process of creating a corporate video for the purpose of highlighting what a business does, how they help their customers, or telling their story in a compelling way. The ultimate goal of any video marketing strategy is to convert viewers to customers or clients. This conversion should be measured and converted to a Return On Investment (ROI).

If the video is compelling, more viewers convert; if a video is less compelling, less will convert. This means it is extremely important to enter the video production process with a purpose and goal. The purpose might be to share the story or show the human side of a corporation (think Publix Commercials) and the ROI might be 1 customer created for every 1,000 views (where we might assume part of the ROI is to retain or reinforce a message to existing customers).

Video Marketing usually works in the form of a commercial placed in front of the viewer (via television, online media consumption, or mobile media consumption). For example, a short video ad might be placed in front of another video that the viewer wishes to watch but must first watch the advertisement to view the video they want to see. This can be effective for forced marketing.

Another form of Video Marketing is the creation of a consistent stream of informational videos sent out to YouTube. For example, our Creative Director, Jenn Jager, created a YouTube channel several years ago to demonstrate her knowledge about video production. Since its creation, several clients have found Plum Productions because of her videos about various video production related topics. This is a form of Video Marketing that is more passive and less forced.

People search a question about a topic, find her video on Google or YouTube, watch her video, and then later reach out because they have questions and want to know if she can help. This is a much better method of gaining clients over time than forced advertisements; although, there is certainly a place for paid advertisements. For example, in her videos, she may have a paid advertiser run their ad prior to her video or she may promote a product for a company based on a paid agreement (usually noted in the video).

How Effective is Video Marketing For Business?

Let’s start with the assumption that one is placing the video in the right place at the right time to be in front of the right audience. That is the critical first step and why it is particularly important to have a purpose and goal prior to creating any video.

Now think about when you shop online for a product or service. Do you read any reviews? Most likely you do. Do you do any other research like Google the product name? You probably do. Do you watch videos related to the product or service? Most likely you do. That seems to align with the research.

According to Smart Insights, more and more marketers (those who place ads) are finding that video are a critical component of their marketing strategy. They find that the ROI on video has been steadily increasing over the years and it continues to do so this year.

One shift that Smart Insights and the marketers they’ve surveyed found that there has been a shift in where videos are placed and get a return on their investment. They are not only seeing a greater watch time (increasing by approximately 19%), but also seeing a shift from television advertising to online video marketing. The spend has grown faster in the online video segment than the television segment, which is significant and worthwhile to know.

What Types of Video Should Be Used When Marketing?

At Plum Productions, we’ve seen a shift in the past year to more online events and a growth in creating video for websites to improve search engine optimization. Here are the types of videos being used to market business right now:

  • About Us Videos
  • Testimonial Videos
  • Video Reviews
  • Corporate Messaging Videos (internal and external)
  • Demonstration/Product Videos
  • Real Estate / Construction Videos
  • Sales Tool Videos
  • Live / Livestream Videos
  • Virtual Event Videos

Here is a little more information about each one:

About Us Video

In this type of video, the company is simply trying to share with the viewer who they are, what they do and why a viewer should do business with them. Think about the traditional, “We’re ABC Company and we do X” style. This is something Plum Productions does a lot of and can help you create a script or branded message to better capture potential customers.

 

Testimonial Videos

If your company has a client base that can be asked to give a positive statement on camera, this is a great tool to help any company convert a viewer to a sale. Most people want to know they’re not the only ones who are buying from you…they want to know that others have tried you and you are legit. This should be used on any sales page that asks for the sale (asks for a payment). It will help conversion over time and help close the deal.

Video Reviews

This type of video is typically used with products. Most times this is a video that is created by someone who purchased a product and wishes to unbox and review the product for their viewers. This can be a source of income for product companies if they request a YouTube Influencer to review their product on their channel. Be prepared to offer an affiliate link or payment for their efforts and time. If their channel is the right channel for your audience, it should be worth the investment.

Corporate Messaging Videos (Internal & External)

Recently we did a video for a national company to review how they did in the first quarter of 2021. This video was shared internally with their team around the county to give everyone a sense of how they did and give the team a goal/direction to strive toward. This is a great way to communicate outward to the team to motivate them to continue to improve. This type of video can also be used to communicate outwardly to vendors and even customers. This video might include information to help viewers understand how well the company is doing and how they are grateful for their customers. By doing this, it reinforces brand loyalty with both vendors and/or customers.

How To Use Video: Demonstration / Product Videos

This type of video is for companies that sell products and want to show possible uses or the versatility of the product. For example, in this video from Epoca.

 

Or this video from the Tator Gator, both show how the product can or is used. This type of video helps the viewer understand what the product does but also puts the viewer into the situation to better clarify to the viewer if they should buy or not. If it’s not for them, they should be able to see that in the video to prevent product returns.

 

How To Use Video: Real Estate / Construction Videos

This area has grown dramatically in the past few years. Realtors are starting to create short videos to show a home they have listed to improve the possibility of a sale. The other area video is being used is in the construction market. Here, Origin Construction shows what type of work they do, how they work, and who is their client.

How To Use Vide: Sales Tool Videos

Videos that are used as sales tools are videos that walk the viewer through steps to get to a purchase. It might be a short social media that leads the viewer to a slightly longer video on a landing page followed by an even longer video that makes the purchase easier for the potential customer. These videos can also be frequently asked questions (FAQs) before calling in to speak to someone in the business before making a purchase. The other way a sales tool video is used is during a sales meeting, the salesperson uses a video to explain or show their services. It becomes a tool in the process of making a sale. If the focus is to lead the viewer down the path to a purchase, it most likely is a sales tool video.

How To Use Video: Live / Livestream Videos

One of the more complicated but highly effective videos is the livestream video. This has been on trend in the last half of 2020 and into 2021. This type of video allows large groups of people to gather without the risk of spreading disease…but more importantly, it widens the geographic area an organization can communicate. We had one nonprofit talk about how they did their livestream and learned that people were watching in all four time zones of the U.S., and they were able to increase their donations because of it. Larger audience for them meant more dollars coming in.

How To Use Video: Virtual Event Videos

Like Livestreams, this type of video is one where we produce a full event (emcee, participants, etc.) provide the video to the client and they stream it as if it is a live event. This can be helpful if you don’t want to leave anything to chance and just want the event to happen. During the “event” everything runs smoothly, and all viewers feel like they’re watching a live event…even though it is pre-recorded and highly produced. Imagine a television show captured as an event.

Why Is Video Marketing Important?

Video and how you use it to market the business does several things. First, it creates an awareness for viewers. They begin to recognize the brand, the style, etc. and begin to feel more comfortable with the company. If a viewer feels more comfortable, they’re more likely to buy because they form a sense of trust. If a viewer can go online and learn how your product works or troubleshoot by watching a video, they’ll appreciate that more than waiting on the phone for answers.

Video and Connectedness

When done correctly, viewers will feel emotionally connected to the organization if they see people. Sometimes it’s tempting to simply create an animation/cartoon video to explain what your business does, but we find this to be less effective. When you research a company to trust with your money, do you want to see who they are or have characters explain your business? Most people tend to prefer people because they want to know who they’re dealing with. Obviously, the lower the financial risk, the less important that is, but it becomes increasingly important when the financial investment rises.

With all that said, it’s important to know who your audience is, what they are looking for and where they do their research. By knowing this, you will have a much higher probability of capturing them where they are while they are going about their daily business.

If you need any help creating a video that captures attention and converts to sales, please feel free to reach out to us and we’d be happy to answer any questions.

 

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Virtual Marketing – Videography during COVID-19

woman-computer-office

Virtual Marketing – Powerful Tools during COVID-19

The issue isn’t so much if you should create video it’s a matter of how. Virtual Marketing has taken off during COVID, so how do you create video during this pandemic? It can be easier than you think, but it will take some extra planning.

During the pandemic, we were all subject to time at home. Time to think about, “What now?” While some took that time and created something new or slightly different, others waited to see what will happen next. One component that was impacted heavily was video marketing. How do you create new stuff? How do you advertise when everyone is home and they don’t want what you’re selling? Do you ramp up social media? Do you create poor quality video content? How do you create video while social distancing? All great questions, but there are answers and there is a silver lining.

It’s tough to do a full-blown video shoot with a large crew, lots of cameras, lots of people on set, etc. How do you create a video when have your staff is still working from home? You don’t. But what you can do is create a planned out shoot that will provide you with the video that shares your message safely. COVID and the lock down has created a huge opportunity for some. Here’s what we’ve been doing to help those who want to use this opportunity to maximize their messaging.

  • Show How You’re Dealing With COVID – This is one way you can use video. Show your potential clients/customers how you are currently using the proper protocols and safety procedures to keep them safe. That’s what they want to know: Can I trust them to keep me safe? Show them how you’re doing things right and how you’ll keep them safe.
  • Capture Virtual Content – We’ve edited several ‘virtual’ events where the client has a Zoom call and has it edited into a concise video featuring interviews and conversations. These videos/calls can be branded and made to look professional, even though it’s just a Zoom call.
  • Small, Short Content – Some clients are asking us to crate videos using stock video, 2D graphics, even Doodly videos. All of these options allow the business to share a story and get it out via social media or via broadcast. Branded and visual makes the message complete.
  • Create a Video Review – Get your current customers to create a video review for you. They can do it with their cell phone or they can come to our studio where they can come in the back door, stand in place (everything is all set up already) and say their few lines, and leave the back door without touching anything. Masks are required, but we’ll be socially distanced as well.
  • Being Human – If you’ve ever wanted to create your own video using your iPhone to send messages to your clients, now is the time. Video, even poor quality image video, is effective. You’ve seen the late night shows do it on television, so can you…and you can do it without the fear of looking foolish or skimping on quality.
  • Last Point – Know that people don’t want to be sold hard right now. That’s a tactic that can work during normal times. Try this instead: “We’re sure you’ve been impacted by COVID, but we have no idea how badly. We also want to say that we’re here for you when you need us. If you don’t need us now, we completely understand. If you need us in a new way, please tell us so we can help.”

Change creates fear. Instead of being fearful, it’s time to embrace it. Know that we’re doing to be dealing with this for a while moving forward. Knowing that, what changes can you make in your business to make you stand out, be compassionate, and highlight your safety mechanisms all at the same time?

Here’s an example a Zoom Call that was converted into a show:

Here’s an example of a Doodly style video we created.

The opportunities are endless. Need help coming up with ideas? Let us know. Have a different idea that you’d like to do, we’d love to talk and see if it’s something that we can do for you.

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Best Restaurant Video Ideas

Best Restaurant Video Ideas - drinks

You’re here because you likely asked yourself how to create a restaurant video or should I create a restaurant video.

In the restaurant business, there are essentially four ways to increase your sales:

Restaurant Video Idea for New Trial

Marketing activities related to new trial are used to acquire new customers. One way to get new customers is through referrals or recommendations. Getting a recommendation from a friend is one of the top ways to increase new trials. So how does video fit into this? Consider this:

One way is to send an email campaign to your current customers asking them if they like the restaurant enough to share their experience with their friends. The location should craft a message (let us know if you need help) that informs the viewer what it is they should do to share their experience. Is it do a review on Google or Yelp or TripAdvisor? Is it forward this message to a friend? There are several more, but you get the point.

Ask your customers to create their own video or photo and post it to your social media page (you’ll be monitoring, of course). Ask them to tag their friend when they do. If the friend shows up at the restaurant, ask them to show you the video and their name…give them a special price, dish, or drink. You’ll get the whole town talking about you.

Restaurant Video Idea for Building Frequency

Now it’s time to get them back in the door. Your image and reputation are critical. Before you can expect someone to return, it is important that the dining room, the kitchen, and the bar all performed to the expectation of your customer. Before they leave, you probably already asked them what they would have improved about their experience. This is important later, in your marketing materials, because you’ll want to focus your message on the things people were positive about while you work to improve items that detracted from their experience.

If you’re a large scale operation, it can be tough to get good feedback. It is critical to get email addresses from your customers to answer a survey. Keep it simple. Add a layer to this tactic by creating a video with a message of, “We want to know what you thought of us… and please be honest” can significantly increase the likelihood of getting the survey filled out. Make sure you ask about their food and beverage experience individually and collectively. Try to keep the survey to less than 2 minutes to fill out.

Incredible customer service always brings them back. Consider a quick service restaurant where each meal is made to order. What if you noticed a person coming back after their first time. The staff should recognize this, thank them for returning and ask them if they’d like to try the same meal they did yesterday with the same toppings…and list them. You’d have to jot notes down the day or two before when they came in but if you rattled off their favorite toppings before they ordered, they’d be impressed! That’s full service for your customer!

Restaurant Video Idea for Increasing the Check Size

Create a secret menu only the staff knows about. This menu should contain a drink, side, or topping that matches the flavor profile (and costs a little extra). Every dollar counts in the restaurant business, and by suggesting a drink or side dish because they taste so good together, the average check size increases.

Enter video. Your advertising should match that concept. we’ve never seen a restaurant commercial with a single item focus…there’s always a matching side dish or drink. Need help creating the right flavor profile and video? We can help you there too!

Restaurant Video Idea for Increasing the Party Size

Technically, you’re in the entertainment industry. So you should be the place to bring friends. Encourage it often…with every couple or group of four: “Please bring your friends next time.” Perhaps it’s a coupon that is for parties of 6 or more or it’s an advertisement that suggests that parties of six or more “Have more fun and get a free appetizer to get you started!” The ideas are limitless when it comes to how to increase the party size and every one of them can be supported by a video.

When it is time to ramp up the sales after we’ve come out of quarantine, let us know which area you’d like to focus on and we’ll help you get it done with video.

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Image by bridgesward from Pixabay

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Hotel Video Production Marketing Strategy

hotel video production, woman at resort hotel pool with drink

Hotel Video Production

Are you worried about how to fill the rooms? Are you unhappy with your online reputation? Do you have a desire to improve the online engagement levels with your website? Have you been anguishing over trying to get the rooms to look exactly how a guest will find them when they arrive, but you haven’t been able to create a strong marketing campaign that shows a potential guest what they can expect. Should you use hotel video production strategies to fill the rooms?

Sometimes pictures are enough, sometimes they are not.

We’ve got you covered. In this post, we’re going to share with you how creating the right marketing plan and business strategy can incorporate solving several of the above issues. Hotel video production and marketing involves several facets of activity like social media marketing, online advertisements, print, billboard, and other levels of marketing that will drive traffic to your hotel.

We’re sure you’ve done focus groups and have learned about the needs of your guests and you’ve reviewed the Ps of Marketing, but we’d like to suggest that there are a few elements that may have been missed. Potential customers obviously want to know what the location looks like, but do pictures clearly show and/or explain your products or services. Do they do it adequately enough that one would not be surprised when traveling. When we travel, we’re often surprised by the difference in photos an the actual location.

Every aspect of the tourism industry should be maximizing video to their advantage. Here’s why. When someone plans a trip to places like Boca Raton, Palm Beach, Naples, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, or Key West, they do a lot of research.

Just like you do marketing research, their research includes things like what does the hotel look like? What do the amenities look like? What about the room, what should I expect to see and feel when I enter the room? Video shows people all the elements that are important to them.

What is the Marketing Process to Maximize Sales?

If you want to attract more guests to your hotel, you’ll want to show off the grounds, the rooms, the amenities and use social media platforms to increase the likelihood of being found by a potential guest during their search. When you define your marketing to incorporate what your guests want, they’re more likely to buy. While product price can impact a guests decision, if they see, hear, and feel the value, they are more likely to spend a little more to enjoy their vacation.

Reputation is critical in the hotel business. Hotels rarely survive a long-term negative leaning review score. No amount of advertising or video can offset poor scores. If the reputation is bad it’s time to make some operational improvements and hold off on any sales and marketing activities. You’ll only make more people mad by having them show up and be disappointed.

The process of maximizing sales is in a strong process. The process should include high quality video, appropriate placement with an appropriate spend and help potential guests understand what it is they’re looking at and why they should book your hotel for their next vacation.

Loyalty, Engagement, and Services – Fort Lauderdale Hotels

Marketing includes featuring a locations strength to their advantage. If you are a Fort Lauderdale hotel that has luxurious amenities, a relaxing and beautiful spa or an impeccable golf course, it’s critical to showcase that. If you have nearby attractions or nightlife that is important to the attractiveness of your hotel, show that too. Does your food stand head and shoulders above your competitors? You should feature Instagram-worthy video of your specialties.

Hotel Video Production: Increase Hotel Loyalty Using Video

Marketing can refer to reinforcing a positive visit. What if after a guest leaves, they receive a personalized standardized (yes…do both) video that thanks them for visiting. What if you had several videos that were at your disposal to email after their departure that mentioned an amenity or service they used?

What if they used your spa and the video you send to them afterward mentions that you’re glad they were able to use the spa and that you hoped they enjoyed their experience. How powerful is that? Would they know it wasn’t made specifically for them but that it was made only for those who visited the spa? You have the data, use it!

If you’re wondering how to make these things happen and more (yes, we have a lot of ideas related to improving loyalty and reputation), we’d be happy to talk about it with you. Give us a call and we’d be happy to work through all of these areas with you. As a South Florida video production company, we’ve seen and been a part of a lot.

The hotel/hospitality business can be frustrating, but it can also be rewarding. If you’re struggling to figure out how you should be using video, let us help you by working through our marketing strategy session and let us craft a plan with you. You control the direction, we’ll provide the creative that works.

 

Image by Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

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Who is South Florida’s Best Video Production Company?

Best Video Production Company Traits and Successful people

Qualities of the Best Video Production Company

When you’re looking for the best video production company or a video agency, you may have certain things you’re looking for: quality, speed of work, and processes. But, when you start your search for a full service production company, there are several factors you should consider. Here are three areas to consider when trying to find the best video production company to match your needs.

What to Consider When Hiring the Best Video Production Company

Professionalism. Several factors should be considered before hiring a Miami video production company. Interview a few companies to determine which one can work with you from a personality standpoint. If you don’t think you can get along during a preliminary interview, you won’t enjoy the rest of the process. Remember, they might feel that way too, so it’s important to talk openly about that. To expand on that, consider their level of professionalism. Do they behave as a company that will respect your brand? Do they match your brand overall? Professionalism isn’t always the first thing most people think of when looking for a partner, but it should be.

Timelines. As a business owner, you’ll most likely have a timeline that is important to you. If you’re going to produce corporate videos, you’ll want to allot the appropriate amount of time to craft, plan, and create a high quality video project. There are many production companies in Miami, but which one can produce and execute the plan in the timeline you have allotted.

When crafting your timeline, please remember to incorporate your crew’s timeline to create your video too. Some companies like to shoot first and figure it out later and others (like us) will only shoot once we have a plan. If you’re going to shoot video commercials, you’ll want to plan appropriately. Sometimes that take a little longer, but it’s worth the wait.

If your timeline is to create something in a week, you may not get the quality you want. If your timeline is six months, you also might not get the quality you want. It all depends on the moving parts and the plan.

Quality. You know it when you see it, but it really is subjective. What you deem to be quality may be subpar (or over the top) to someone else. Communicate what quality is to you and have them communicate what quality is to them. Most important, if you see work that you like on their website and their Vimeo or YouTube page, then they’ll most likely be able to hit the mark on your project.

If you’re looking to do quality video marketing in Miami Florida, you’ll want to make sure they know your quality specs before you start. You can read more on this in another blog we posted called How to Choose the Best Video Production Company.

Best video production process

What Are the Keys to a Successful Shoot?

Whether it’s a corporate event, a corporate video production project, or simply media marketing, you’ll want your shoot (and project) to be successful. Why put forth all that energy and money and not have a successful outcome? What does it take to have a successful shoot? There are three things we like to think are what make all our shoots successful.

Planning. The planning process must answer the Who, What, When, Where, and How questions before a shoot date is even scheduled. That goes with any video production service. For example, there must be a preproduction call or meeting that occurs where you discuss who will be on camera, who is writing the script, who is approving the script, when the call time is, where the shoot will happen, what equipment will be used, how the project will be executed, and how the editing process will work.

There are usually other questions to be asked (from both sides) that are more specific to a situation, but discussing this before the shoot ensures everyone is prepared before it begins.

Pre-Work. Once a script is approved, its important everyone does their part to be ready. Sometimes the client needs to approve a script or provide feedback or changes so that the shoot can be executed without wondering what the final product will look like. If props, talent, or other items need to be obtained, they need to be done well before the shoot date. No one likes a surprise and neither do we.

Communication. Planning and communication go hand-in-hand, but both are critical to a successful shoot. As an agency, we want communication from the client so we know what they need, want and are worried about. We want to communicate to the client as often as necessary to be clear on what needs to happen next and ensure a successful shoot.

Where? Finally, all the planning and prework are important but so is knowing where the video will be used. What is the point of creating this video if where it will be used isn’t clear. If it’s for use on social media, then certain elements must be present to brand it accordingly.

If it is for a music video (something we don’t do much of) then other shots need to be included. Remember, corporate video is usually pretty structured unless you’re trying to communicate a message of individuality and distinctiveness. We more information about all of this at Steps to Video Production.

If you’re looking for the best video production company of South Florida, you now have the tools to decide which one to hire and why they really are one of the best. Happy searching and let us know if we can help you.

 

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Business and Video Marketing for 2020

Covid graphic

Wow! That escalated quickly! If you’re run or own a business, the entire landscape changed drastically sometime around the beginning of March. By now you’ve been locked down for some time and are trying to figure out who might still be potential customers and who won’t be around much longer. A little scary, yes. Impossible? No. We can do this.

First, let’s start with the obvious trends. Business is down. People are not out and about. Most people are home and working. Some are more productive than others, but they are working. This is the time that most people have started to go through a set of emotions and thoughts that will either bring them out quickly or suppress them into depression. Many people are angry and in denial about the direction things are headed. “What do you mean we need to lock ourselves down in our homes for a month? How am I supposed to make a living?” We’ve all thought it.

With all these changes, who really knows what is going to happen. One thing is for sure, at some point, businesses will be open and people will be happy to get out of their homes. This might be an excellent time to create a strategy. What opportunities lie ahead as we approach the end of this quarantine? What should I be doing now that will bring me out and open for business faster than my competitors?

Before you get too far ahead, we want to share something else with you. Here’s what we’re noticing.

Right now, we have observed something incredible. The number of people online every day is incredibly high. There has been a HUGE spike in online video viewing. We’ve seen it with Jenn Jager’s YouTube page. We’ve heard on the news that Netflix and YouTube have decreased streaming video quality to keep the bandwidth open.

Here’s the secret opportunity that’s happening right now

Everyone is at home. They’re watching more videos on YouTube than ever before. What typically plays before a video? Advertisements. That’s where the magic is happening right now. Now is the time to seize the opportunity. It’s time to create a small business video that can talk about your who you are. This is particularly true if it relates to a product or service that serves the community well.

Not only are the number of viewers up, the number of companies paying for advertising is way down. Simple supply and demand says prices are falling for ad placement. Are you taking advantage of that? Here’s one trend you should not miss!

If you don’t have a landing page, now might be the time to create one. It takes a little bit of work, but if you do it right, you can place an explainer video that brings a potential customer to a sale. Almost any landing page product works. Make it easy to buy and easy to understand what the offer is.

We still need to stay connected…just do it separately.

How do you build trust but not sit across a table to sell? Think digital marketing and video. With YouTube Ads (and even television ads) you have the opportunity to speak directly to your target audience to possibly garner trust. Depending on the type of content you’re creating, your video content should promote connection and relationships. If you’re going to create online video, you’ll also want to think about how to keep it branded.

Brand videos speak to the overall brand of the business, the people who work there, and the mission of the business. Do you need to have a big video production company come in to your videos? Maybe. But for now, doing it yourself is not all bad. Need some tips on how to do it yourself? Check out Jenn’s YouTube Channel (Video Marketing Your Business) where she educates viewers about apps, lighting, and equipment that she recommends if you’ll be doing it yourself.

When it’s time to really increase sales, you might consider hiring a crew to create a more brand sensitive video that sells you and your business. You might consider starting that process now so you can be one of the first on the crew’s schedule once they can come out of their homes.

How Do I Create a Video While Under Quarantine?

If you want to create videos while under quarantine, you’ll need to think about how to do it without other people being involved. There are a couple of ways…

Footage. First, there is the use of footage you had shot professionally before the lock down. You can use those clips of B-Roll (secondary shots) by adding professional narration, some licensed music, and 2D graphics. This can be all you need to keep your brand out in front of your target audience.

Graphics. Another option is the use of only 2D graphics as the entire video. We’ve all seen the CDC’s graphics video that shares who is at risk and what we should be doing now to protect ourselves. This video contains just graphics and music. It’s effective because the viewer can follow along while getting the point of the video. In that video, its more of a public safety message, but the same can be done with any business. They’re rather straight forward to create and reasonably effective. Here’s that video:

Whiteboard. Another option is whiteboard video. This isn’t something we do a lot of, but we do have a course that we share how to use some of the features of Doodly. Jenn created it and a lot of people have bought it so they can be better at using the software. Here’s a link to Jenn Jager‘s new page where the lessons are and where you can get a copy of Doodly.

Stock Video. Finally, there’s stock video. We sometimes use stock video to add some depth to a video. This might be a good time to use it since you can’t shoot more video. Consider using some footage you’ve already captured and adding some stock video to make a point you hadn’t in a previous project. Or, simply use stock video to create an entirely new video. We’d simply add narration and some graphics to give a fully finished feel. Here’s one we created using only stock video, professional narration and animation.

All of these are valid options to shooting a video with a crew. It can certainly get you by for the next several months. If you plan correctly, you’ll be positioned to be the first company to call when the restrictions loosen up.

If you have questions, reach out to us. We’re happy to help.

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Top 3 Ways Video Can Help Business During Coronavirus Outbreak

Hand signaling for help

With the Coronavirus pandemic affecting us in the United States, there are a few things you can start to do to prevent a complete shutdown of your business if you have online options for sales. Obviously, you can count on having to stay home to work, but that doesn’t mean people aren’t shopping and watching YouTube videos or television while they’re working. That means, they’ll see more commercials than they normally do.

That’s not all. More than likely, after working a while from home, they’ll be media fatigued. They’ll be tired of all the negative information and need a break. That’s when they’ll be turning to social media or YouTube to watch something they can control and less taxing or stressful on their emotions.

Instead of being stuck at home watching President Trump talk about the Coronavirus outbreak, they’ll be watching something more fun. The World Health Organization is hosting live broadcasts of their statements about public health and the current state of health care around the world. It’s a little overwhelming sometimes, think San Francisco or New York’s situation. The health system may be in trouble in the near future.

The stock markets are taking daily up and down turns as Coronavirus continues to spread. So what can you do to help your business during this odd time? Here are three tips we’d like to suggest you and your team create while taking social distancing seriously.

Top Three Ways Businesses Can Use Video During the Coronavirus Outbreak

Create Videos. If you’re a client of ours, we probably have a lot of footage that can be created into short 15 and 30 second ads that can be placed online, on broadcast television and other places to keep your brand top of mind. A lot of people are using video conferencing while remote working, but the bottom line is, they’re still at home. They are still working. They’re also watching TV or YouTube.

One thing we’ve heard is that people are afraid of having a video crew come over to shoot a video. We don’t blame you. And we don’t want to come to your space either! 🙂 People have asked us, “How can you create videos if you can’t shoot?” It’s not as difficult as you think.

Think Graphics and Animation. Graphics and animation videos are the safest way to create video right now. The benefits are: you can create what you want from scratch, you can change it easily, and you can have a professional narrate your video and create something from nothing.

The cons are few: it’s not personable and, depending on the level of animation, it can be come pricier. 2D Animations are the simplest (along with text, etc.) and typically are on the lower end of the investment scale. 3D Animation with high detail work will slide up the investment scale. Here’s an example of each type of video.

Example of Stock Video and 3D Animation


Example of 2D Animation

To Sell or Not to Sell. Now is probably not the time to sell to anyone. Unless you have a product that everyone needs or wants (think toilet paper or hand sanitizer because supply chains are running behind), you’ll want to send a message that is helpful, reassuring, and a reminder that you’re still around. If you’re reaching out with a video, please check that your audio sounds good too. The number one thing we hear people missing is the audio.

Reaching out with video might also mean creating short, personalized snippets for current clients or potential clients sharing how you might be able to help them. This needs to come across personable, relatable, and not like sales pitch.

Create a Strategy. Best case scenario this problem only lasts a few months and we start to move forward. Worst case, we might be looking at a year or more. Based on that we would recommend creating a strategy for the future. Create a strategy for the short-term and the long-term. What marketing activities should be done now and what should be done later?

We don’t want you to be one of the many who are choosing to do nothing. That is not a strategy and not a direction you should choose because many companies are working on what they need to do now and in the next several months. By focusing on the video strategy now, you can find and hire a video production company to execute it quickly when things begin to turn for the better.

One thing to keep in mind, when things start to move forward, they’ll happen quickly. Just like there has been a shortage of supplies like toilet paper and sanitizer, there will likely be a shortage of video production crews. You’ll want to line up those contacts now or you may be waiting while they finish up the work they have. We can see this happening based on our experience from other slowdowns in the economy.