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4 Beneficial Videos To Promote a Professional Service

Professional Service Video

What video format is the most suitable for a professional service? This type of question gets asked with production services for what a company is looking to accomplish with using video as a means to support their business.

So what types of videos should you look to create as a production company in order to accomplish the goals set out by businesses in need of content?

Every business is unique in what it offers to its customers and how they interact with the consumers they hope to attract to their products. Depending on the service or product they provide, the styles of videos created can vary greatly from one another. Choosing the right format to create with the clients you intend to work with can impact the video product you eventually end up with producing.

Let’s look at the different types of video formats you can create for professional services!

Product Videos

This video format is based around a company that needs to visually show off a product and the function it provides to its user. These videos typically show the product in use or staged around a backdrop to fully depict its form that the consumer will see used in action.

Videos like this are able to effectively show how a company can properly showcase an object and convey its intended purpose to an audience. Also these videos are a great way to increase exposure to other clients as work made in this type of content is easily transferable to other projects.

Professional Service Tutorial Video

Many uses for video formats revolve around being able to show a process or action completed for its audience. A tutorial video is exactly what it means by showing a product or process throughout its steps to get to the finished result.

These videos can be both informational to employees and existing customers as this can help businesses alleviate an essential process they provide with direct input of the desired experience they wish to create. Either if the video is centered around a physical product or an online based task, the value of showing how something works is beneficial for both the company and the consumer.

YouTube / Online Advertisement For A Professional Service

An online advertisement is the most direct way to promote a business product to its intended audience. These videos are meant to have a call to action for its viewer to see a service offered to choose a certain company over the competition.

This type of advertisement can showcase the effectiveness of the product’s company and the production company’s strengths in grabbing the audience’s attention when choosing from alternative options. From a business standpoint companies always have a need to expand interest in what they offer to customers and advertisements are the most direct way to communicate the value they provide.

Live Stream Videos

A long-form way to highlight what a company offers is to create a video that shows a live event or seminar type presentation to an audience. Whether it is a recording of the event or the actual live production of the stream, the facilitation of how this is handled is usually up to a production company through the services they offer.

This means that whether you edit the final product or handle the logistics of the event, businesses will look to companies that are able to ensure their event goes smoothly and professionally captured. Also these types of videos can be an efficient way for companies to increase the amount of work they have with clients as these streams are not usually as demanding from an editing standpoint as most of the work has been already captured.

 

Related Articles 

How To Use Video and Video Marketing For Your Business

15 Types of Business Videos

 

 

 

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What Is An Instructional Video?

Instructional Video image, video production

What is an instructional video?

An instructional video is any video that shows the viewer how to do something or gain knowledge. It can be anything from showing a process in the physical world or using a software application to teach soft skills such as leadership, customer service, values, etc.

Instructional videos are the most engaging and cost effective way to implement systems within your organization!

Every business or organization has systems in place that allow their workforce to move the organization forward, and it doesn’t really matter which industry you serve. We all can agree that effective implementation of these systems are what make business or organizations successful. There are several ways systems and tasks can be taught within an organization. The most common way this happens is by learning from one member to another, by text or by Plums Production’s favorite: An instructional video.

Let’s dive into why instructional videos outperform verbal and text as a way of teaching systems within your organization:

Video versus Verbal

Each time a new member joins the team and you have one of your old members, most likely a higher paid employee, teach the new member the systems within your organization it requires the higher end pay employee to take time out of his/her productive day to go over all the systems and information with this new member, and what happens if the new member doesn’t get the message the first time. They have to go over everything one more time…which means more time and money spent not working in your business. Here is the worst case scenario: What happens if this experienced employee leaves? Do you have another team member that knows as much about your systems as they did? If not, will you be able to recover as quickly now without that experienced team member? To overcome this, Instructional videos can be played as many times as you like, they can show visually your work spaces, usage of tools, and most importantly they will live forever.

Video versus Text

There is really no competition when comparing text and video. In this digital landscape, video is shown to generate 1,200%  more shares than images and text combined, and in terms of engagement, the chances of capturing your viewer’s attention is much higher when video is used, as opposed to plain text. This is because video can be more entertaining and engaging, plus it can visually represent the message you are trying to convey.

For example: If you own a restaurant and want to explain to a new server the systems inside your restaurant, an instructional video can show visually how the buttons on the POS system look, can show where everything is, what are the values of your organization and how things should operate. Video just uses the combination of visual aesthetics and audio to represent more clearly the whole picture.

Here are a few tips from your Plum Productions team on how to create a compelling instructional video:

  • Define the goal of your instructional video: Who is it for and what benefits will it bring for your organization or to the individuals watching it?
  • Write everything down: When creating an instructional video, time is critical and it’s important to narrow down the information to exactly what the user needs. Recent studies have shown that the majority of viewers want informational and instructional videos to be less than 20 minutes, with a preference toward the 3-6 minute ranges. (Source). This means that you should make your video as long as it should be to get the job done properly, but as short as possible.
  • Stabilize: Keep your camera on a tripod for stability,
  • Audio: Use an audio recorder to capture audio cleanly.
  • Focus: Check your focus. We don’t want blurry shots!
  • B-Roll: Support what you are saying with animations or B roll. B-roll is simply secondary shots that support what is being said. These can help simplify complicated concepts and show visually what is being said, because there is no better way to explain what you are saying than to show it!

Are you ready to create a compelling instructional video? Here at Plum Productions we do instructional videos often and we are ready to help you! Let us know if you have any questions or want to find out more information.

Possible Instructional Video


Source & Related Articles: 

The Three Types of Videos Your Business Must Have This Year!

How To Use Video and Video Marketing For Your Business in 2021

Social Video Generates More Views

Video Length

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What Should Be In A Business Video?

business video blog post thumbnail

Business Video Defined

A business video is a powerful marketing tool that can help a company to showcase its products or services, educate its audience, and build brand awareness. When creating a business video, we believe you must consider what elements should be included in order to make the video effective and engaging. Here are some of the items we believe are critical to your business video.

What Should Be In A Corporate Video?

  1. Clear & Concise Messaging – First and foremost, a business video should have a clear and concise message. This means that the video should have a specific purpose and objective, and this should be conveyed to the audience in a clear and straightforward manner. The message should be tailored to the target audience and should address their needs and concerns.
  2. Strong, Compelling Story – In addition to a clear message, a business video should also have a strong and compelling story. This means that the video should tell a compelling and engaging story that captures the attention of the audience and keeps them engaged throughout. The story should be relevant to the business and its products or services, and should be able to connect with the audience on an emotional level.
  3. Visually Appealing – Another important element of a business video is visual appeal. This means that the video should be visually appealing and should use high-quality graphics and images to help convey the message. The visual elements should be used to complement the story and the message, and should help to engage the audience and keep them interested in the video.
  4. Good Audio – A key element of business video is the use of audio. This means that the video should have clear and professional audio, with good sound quality and no background noise. The audio should be used to reinforce the message and the story, and should help to engage the audience and keep them interested in the video. In fact, we believe you shouldn’t even notice the audio. It should be good and not distracting. 
  5. Follows Branding Guidelines – A very important element of a business video is the use of branding. This means that the video should incorporate the company’s branding elements, such as its logo, colors, and fonts. This helps to build brand awareness and establish the company’s identity in the minds of the audience.
  6. Call To Action – Most importantly, a business video should have a strong call-to-action (CTA). This means that the video should include a clear and specific call-to-action that encourages the audience to take some sort of action, whether it is to purchase a product or service, sign up for a newsletter, or visit the company’s website. The CTA should be clear and concise, and should be placed at the end of the video in order to maximize its effectiveness. You should also consider tracking your call to action to determine if and what works best for your viewers. You might even think about using an A/B test to determine how to best craft your messaging. 

In summary, a business video should have a clear and concise message, a strong and compelling story, visual appeal, good audio quality, branding elements, and a strong call-to-action. These elements, when combined effectively, can help to create a powerful and engaging business video that helps to showcase the company’s products or services, educate its audience, and build brand awareness.

 

Other Related Articles: 

How to Harness Video for Business

Components of a Successful Corporate/Business Video Production Project

Got a Tradeshow Coming Up? You Might Want to Look at This

10 Tips for Creating Effective Business Videos – Entrepreneur Magazine

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Video Trends of 2021

Video Trends - 2021 Loading Bar image

How To Use Video in Business in 2021

Video Trends of 2021

Video trends seem to be changing rapidly. Remember when videos were only supposed to be 6 seconds long…we were told to keep them very short? Now they say video should be longer, mabye30 to 60 seconds. Or, they can be 3 minutes long. Why does it keep changing?

The answer isn’t as simple as you’d think and that question might not be the right question…in fact, length is almost irrelevant at this point. The goal of this post is to share how to use video to positively impact your business…whether it be sales, leads, branding, or any other metric. We’ll also hit on some trends we see happening now and into 2021.

Let’s start with why your target audience would even want to watch your video. Why should they? You’re just selling to them anyway, right? First, your potential customers are looking for information well before they reach out to you. Before they call you or submit a request via your contact form, they’ve done their research. They look for ways to understand who you are and what you do. They usually do this by viewing your video content.

If you are going to create video, you must consider your potential customers’ needs rather than tell them what you want to say. When you see that law firm video that says, “We’re the best lawyers,” or “We’ve been voted best lawyer in…” does that make you want to call them? No. What makes their clients call them is knowing they can trust them. Knowing that the law firm can do/handle what they say they can. The average person won’t make a call to any business if they feel like they can’t trust them.

Why Do People Watch Videos (of any business)?

There are several factors that go into someone watching a video. Most won’t seek out to watch a video from a brand just because they feel like it. They do it because they have to. Anytime a potential client is doing research the goal is to understand who they might be dealing with when they make the call or submit their information. It reminds me of a time I had to research hurricane shutters for our house.

After several searches, I found a company that wasn’t far away that sounded good. They had several nice reviews, plenty of information online, and it looked like they were the perfect fit. Then, I watched a video. The video was so sales laden and almost pressure filled, it turned me off. I decided to call someone else.

Here are the reasons potential customers and clients do their research. This should make you strive to communicate differently when you create video.

  1. Can You Do It? They want to know, “Can you do what you claim you can do?” Typically, when a business wants to communicate this message, they will create explainer videos that explain what product or service they offer. Having a landing page that speaks to a specific product or service is nice, but if you’re not conveying confidence in your abilities or conveying your personality properly, they’ll never make the call.
  2. Education. They want to know who you are, what is your personality, will we work well together, and do I like you. Sometimes a nice personal video can help with this or an educational video that shows your knowledge, but in a soft manner will do portray the right message. The important part is knowing what your audience is looking for, why they need it, and make them feel comfortable knowing you’re the right person for the job.
  3. Trust. This is probably the top priority, but the last thing they’ll ever tell you. If you get work from your website and videos without working too hard at it, you are probably conveying a good amount of trust. You can have 100 minutes of video on your site, but if you’re not making the viewer feel comfortable, they won’t trust you…and ultimately, they’ll never call. Search engines bring them there and your message must move them to make the call. Video ads can do some of the work getting potential customers to your site, but without the right types of content present, trust can’t be built.
  4. Following the brand. Sometimes people just want to follow a brand and watch their videos. For example, we had someone say they follow and watch all the Dollar Shave Club videos because they think they’re funny. They are but most people aren’t like that. Most people will follow a brand on social media for this reason. They like them, they want to know them, they want to be associate with them somehow. Most small businesses won’t have this type of following no matter how much content marketing they do.
  5. Accidental. And, sometimes people will stumble on a video and watch it because it looks interesting. Most times they’re not the potential customer and not much happens after viewing the video.

As a business, this information should be top of mind when creating a marketing plan or doing any digital marketing. There is already too much content out there that is useless and doesn’t do what it should. Why add to it?

Why Video Helps Business

When it comes to video for business, there are typically four main reasons to create video:

  1. Leads/Sales. A business with no sales is no business at all. The amount of sales is also critical to its success. Businesses use video to share their message and describe who they are. Most businesses use explainer videos, product demo videos, video blogs, tutorials, testimonial or customer reviews, and many others. They key here is being able to convert those leads into sales. It’s a sales/marketing balance that takes work. This includes building an SEO strategy and incorporating it into each video’s message.
  2. Branding. When a business wants to solidify who they are in the marketplace, a branding video is usually where they focus. These are best left for businesses with a substantial customer base and who wish to portray a message consistent with their core competencies.
  3. Relationship Building. In an effort to build their social media following, many businesses will craft shortened messages to be placed on various platforms. Followers can then better understand who the brand is and feel confident in choosing them as a business.
  4. Building Trust. Lastly, businesses will create video to build trust. We find most businesses do this as an afterthought; however, this should be the primary focus of any video being created. Good video marketers know this and push this to the top of any priority when creating content.

Video Trends of 2021

Based on why people watch video, why businesses create video, what direction is video heading? What should you be doing now as we come out of COVID?

  1. Live Video (or Live-To-Tape) Video. Recently we’ve seen a significant increase in live video. Whether we record it and they push it as live or it is live, there is significant growth in this category. Here’s what to know: If you do live video, have a purpose. Don’t just create live video to create content. Have a purpose. You must create this content like any other video content…with an objective and a reason; otherwise, there will be very few viewers (or viewers during your next live broadcast). Note: People tend to watch live content a little longer than preproduced videos, but the messaging must be on point.
  2. Training Videos. Believe it or not, it might be time to think about training videos. Training videos should be used right now to train your future team. As we come out of COVID and you begin adding staff, how important is consistent messaging for your new employees? Growth will likely happen quickly and adding staff even faster. Those who have trained staff will outperform those who do; therefore, create a few training videos to garner consistent messaging for each new employee and focus more of your energy on your customers.
  3. Recruiting Videos. Take one step back from above and recruiting videos should be at the top of your list as well. Create short videos that message key elements to potential employees so you recruit faster (and better quality). Each video can be short and on point so the potential recruit know what you need in qualifications prior to them contacting you.
  4. More Refined/Produced Videos. We’re all tired of Zoom, the look and feel of Zoom, and we want high-quality video. If you want to stand out early, get highly-produced marketing videos that speak to trust mentioned earlier. Get them produced now. Have them ready and push them out when you’re staffed and ready to go.
  5. Length. We feel that length is no longer important. If you’re selling, short is good. Get the point across and let the viewer move on to deciding if they want to buy. If you’re educating, longer is better. This not only includes educating about who you are and what you do but also sharing a customer experience. Longer is better here. The message should clear early so those that decide quickly can make their decision AND those who take a little more time and need more information can do so too.

Here’s a live video we did recently.

Let us know if you see any other trends in video that we haven’t mentioned. Do you think we’re on target or are we missing something. Leave us a comment below if you have another thought.

If you need help creating your next video for 2021, give us a call. We’re happy to answer any questions you might have.

 

Related Articles:

How To Use Video and Video Marketing For Your Business

Components of a Successful Corporate/Business Video Production Project

 

Image by iXimus from Pixabay

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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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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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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.

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How to Produce and Execute Creative Video Marketing

Creative video marketing

Creative Video Marketing

If you’re looking to add digital marketing to your campaign or advertising mix, one of the elements that will float to the top in terms of importance is creative video marketing. In this blog post we share our thoughts on creating the right marketing mix and the right creative marketing video to produce the results you’re after. First, let’s talk a little background. If you already know this, you can always skip ahead to our thoughts on the How To’s below.

What is Video Marketing?

Video Marketing is simply the creating and using video to promote a product or service via various marketing channels (such as social media and broadcast, etc.). Typically video marketing incorporates an educational component directed to a specific target audience and a call to action.

Why is Creative Video Marketing Important?

The year 2020 will become the year that video reaches a new level of importance for businesses of all sizes. Businesses will start to incorporate video into their overall advertising and marketing strategy. If your business has a marketing team, they should have incorporated a video marketing strategy into their overall strategy.

One of our predictions in 2020 is that video will become so important that several businesses will be adding a video editor to their team. Sometimes this is the right move. Sometimes it isn’t. We say this because we have worked with several businesses who simply tell their employees what to do without a long-term strategy or purpose. Any video marketing campaign must have a purpose or it will simply be a waste of money. We hate to see companies waste money.

We did a little research and found that “more than 50% of consumers want to see videos from brands … more than any other content.” (Source: https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/video-marketing). And, our clients tell us that conversion rates increase dramatically when video is present on landing pages or product landing pages. If you want to improve click through rate and conversion, you simply have to incorporate video into the mix. Whether its an explainer video, social media or customer testimonial, video is valuable to the consumer or buyer. These build trust and convert.

What Are Some Types of Creative Video Marketing: 

Before you hire a video production company you’ll want to have a general idea of what type you want to create. There are several and not all are right for every occasion. Imagine arriving on a landing page and finding an educational video…how would that impact the potential sale? Probably very little, but if a testimonial video was there, you’d notice an impact. Here are a few examples:

    • About Us / Branding / Corporate Introduction Video. These videos typically help the viewer understand who you are as a corporation or how a product works. This is usually used once the prospect has arrived on your page (landing or otherwise). These videos are also important tools for a larger, over-arching branding or advertising campaign. The goal is usually to increase awareness of your company or product. A good example of Corporate Introduction or Branding Video is this one.
  • Blog, Educational, How-To, or Word Videos. These types are used to teach the viewer a new topic or idea. Why would you want to do that? The better they understand the topic, the more they want to learn. The more they want to learn, the more they might realize they don’t know and need to hire a professional. These videos are usually used to demonstrate knowledge or professionalism and build additional trust before a purchase or call. This is also referred to as content marketing, where the person on camera wishes to be viewed as an expert in his or her industry. By the way, search engines love this type of content because you’re helping people learn more about a topic. Here’s an old example of one we did many years ago. It stands the test of time!
  • Interviews. Sometimes interviewing the office expert can demonstrate a level of knowledge that your competitors can’t show. If you have someone that is called on industry-wide because they have been doing it for so long, this might be the right type of video to display.
  • Explainer videos. These are a step beyond the educational style because they go beyond helping people learn a tidbit of information, this video might include a longer storyline that helps the viewer understand how something will help them or where they can visualize themselves with the problem and how to get it solved.
  • These have become rather popular in the past couple of years. When we get calls about animation, we hear that people think these are much cheaper than live action video production, but that isn’t always the case. For example, you can use something like Toonly or Doodly to create reasonably inexpensive (even cheap!) animations, but they’re usually for very small budgets. (By the way, if you want to try them out, use the links above and we’ll get a small commission without costing you anything extra!) When someone wants to create something more realistic or true-to-form, an animation can be about the same as a small live action production; therefore, depending on what you’re looking to create, always consider both options when it makes sense. Sometimes it is more difficult to show something live action than to animate it…that’s when we recommend animation. It saves you time, money, and headaches later!
  • Client Testimonials / Case Studies. Sometimes prospects want to know proof of concept. Rather than having to show them what you’ll do for them, show them what you’ve done for others in a similar situation. We recommend using your actual clients who were happy with your results to provide you with an on camera testimonial or have them walk the viewer through a case study. Either way, the viewer needs to understand the problem they faced and how you helped solve the problem.
  • Behind the scenes. Do you do something that is cool to see or hard to imagine? Sometimes give people a peek behind the curtain can make them want to be involved. For example, manufacturing doors can be pretty boring, but what if you manufactured high-end doors? Wouldn’t it be cool to see the process and how the magic happens? This might be one of those times a behind the scenes video would work well.
  • Social media. Our recommendation is to produce one or more of the above and create shorter social videos to share on the various platforms. If you a create one of the above options, always have the production team edit a short version for social media. By doing so, you can give a tease to what you are doing/showing and make them want to watch more on your landing page or home page. Find out if there is interest by getting them to take steps closer to making a call, such as coming to visit your website.

So now the question is which one do you want to produce and why? If you work with us, we’ll help clarify which one to create and why. There are other variations of the above video too, so don’t think you’re limited to one of the above.

Once you’ve decided, you’ll need to decide on who will shoot it. We obviously would recommend hiring a professional for this (and maybe that’s why you’re reading this article) but you might also be able to shoot it yourself. If that’s the case, you might want to take a look at our creative director’s YouTube Channel for ideas on how and what to shoot. If you’re looking for a crew and don’t know where to start, you might consider using our checklist of things to know before you hire a professional video production crew. It contains tips and questions to ask before you hire them.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want some ideas! We love coming up with awesome content ideas for our clients!

 

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Key Marketing Videos for Sales Funnel

saleswoman, business terms

Marketing Videos for Sales

Marketing drives sales. Sales drives the rest of the business. But how do you use marketing videos for sales funnels and enhance your sales process? This post will share how you can create videos for the entire sales funnel and which videos will become the most important for your business.

Most marketing includes several components to maximize the dollar spend. Marketing can often include several touch points based on the target market, potential customers, what types and where products are sold. We have all seen marketing in the form of print, digital, and several other forms, but all of it should depend on the marketing mix and marketing funnel being used. It won’t come to a surprise to anyone that we would recommend using video in every step of your sales process.

A lot of people think video should be used at the top of the funnel…during the phase often described as the interest or discovery portion of the sales process. We believe it should be used as a tool along the sales process to maximize the relationship and court the prospect until the sale (and even afterward).

According to Vidyard there are general rules of thumb when it comes to where to place video content. They share that only 15% of your video content should be targeted to prospects and drawing them closer to the sale. The concept is that you should be targeting your customers according to their needs and wants, therefore, if you’re strategic in selecting where you’re placing the ad, you’ll find much better results. Less is better here (in terms of quantity of videos).

What is Top of Funnel Content?

Bringing in prospects can be tricky, but placing video topics that are broad in nature, that have a more mass attraction can attract the right client. At this stage, it’s important for the tone to be more authentic in nature and isn’t too sales focused. It should come across as informative and helpful, with you as the solution. Some ideas might include:

  • Frequently Asked Questions/How-To Content – Show off your knowledge and answer requests from your network to attract clients like who you work with now. If you’re receiving a large volume of questions that are common every time you start working with a client, this might be a strong video topic. Placing this on your website, social media, YouTube channel, etc. will help you attract those who want to speak with someone who solves their problem.
  • Webinar Content – If you conduct webinars, consider recording them and sharing them online. It not only shares your knowledge, but also illustrates your ability to answer questions and solve problems.
  • Interviews/Speaking Engagements – If you or your leadership team has been interviewed or spoken publicly, capture that to maximize the value of their expertise. You can also stage “chats” or one-on-one interviews to create the perfect content.

Above is an example of a Frequently Asked Question Video.

Marketing Videos for Sales Funnels: Evaluation Stage

When prospects get past the initial exploration stage and start to dig a little deeper into who you are and what you do, it’s time to give them information that helps them take next steps. For example, at this stage you’ll need to begin sharing testimonials and case studies to help the prospect know what you do, how you helped other clients, and improve your odds of getting a call. If your business sells a product or service that needs to be shown to be understood, it might be time to show a demonstration, product, or service video. These can often be used in your social media marketing plan in any retargeting efforts. If you get a large volume of requests for more information during this phase, you’ll likely be getting an increase in sales because of it.

At this phase, you can also schedule one-on-one calls or meetings to discuss any additional questions they have. Prior to your meeting/call, consider sending them a personalized video via email that defines what your meeting will be about and what they can expect at the end of the meeting. If you haven’t been able to line up a meeting (or cannot), this is also the best time to introduce an email capture point. This is the point where you know they have interest and may want to learn more from you. Plus, if you’ve been able to track their video watch data leading to this point, you’ll have a good idea about who they are, what they need and how to continue to market to them. This will begin to feed into your marketing research that will ultimately feed into your marketing strategy.

Here’s an example of a fun Testimonial Video.

Marketing Videos for Bottom of Sales Funnel

This is the time to reinforce what they’ve learned so far and help them make the final step…a call to action. Obviously, you’ll want a call to action along the way, but there also comes a time that you must blatantly state, “This is the time you should buy.” Videos at this stage might include:

  • Campaign video – Nurture them to decide to choose you. Time it right and you’ll get the call/sale.
  • More Frequently Asked Questions videos are perfect at this point.
  • Follow Up Videos – You’ve had the call/meeting, you’ve done what you can, now you might consider a follow up video. Make it comical to keep it light-hearted and less serious. Less pressure on the prospect is usually better than a high-pressure message (contrary to what you might think).

Above is a video that reinforces what a company has done for others…a video that might be shared after an initial exploratory meeting.

Keep in mind, marketing is the process of getting prospects to notice you and ultimately act. If you have a well-defined marketing plan and institute a current version of the Ps of marketing, you can guide your prospect to a landing page and make a sale. Special note, you might think that product price affects your marketing mix, and it does…but it shouldn’t affect your ability to make the sale. Keep in mind, if your prospect knows what problem you solve, how you do it, and that others have been very happy with your results, you can sometimes charge a premium for your product or service. On the other hand, if they can’t understand or see that value, it will be tough to sell at a premium and product price will impact your ability to make the sale.

 

Related Posts: 

How to Generate Sales Leads with Video

Manufacturer Product Marketing Videos & Increased Sales

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SOURCE: https://www.vidyard.com/blog/create-video-marketing-for-the-sales-funnel/
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How to Generate Sales Leads with Video

sales, handshake

Investing in video may or may not be a difficult decision. Some think of video as a tool in a larger process to help prospects work their way to a purchase. Others think of video as a line item expense that must have a return on the investment. Both are technically correct, but which one you are can determine if you view video as a good thing or simply an expense (therefore a waste of time and money). In this post, we’ll consider both and how to use video to generate sales leads.

Video as a Tool

If you view video as a tool, you’re probably one step ahead of your competition already. You know that it is necessary to make a solid connection with your prospect and may even know how to use video to guide them through the process. While you might still consider video production a line item on the P&L, you also recognize there isn’t always a direct correlation between watching a video and making a purchase, except in certain circumstances. For example, product videos on product pages have been tested and found to have a strong correlation to purchase intent and making a purchase (source: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/EJM-11-2016-0619/full/html). Those who believe video is a tool in a greater process of marketing also understand that it is more difficult to measure the impact of a video advertisement when use as a YouTube ad or on broadcast television. It’s difficult because the viewer can’t be directly tracked when they call (except by some savvy video marketers who do it right by using specific phone numbers in their videos, etc.). What video does is reinforces the several other tools being used to get a potential buyer to heed a call to action and make the call.

Video as an Expense

On the other hand, if you believe that video is simply an expense and must have an ROI, you feel like every dollar spent must retrieve a multiple in return. This is a great way to ensure success, but it can also be a difficult way to grow a business. When we grew as a company, we knew we had to invest in some high-quality equipment. We borrowed a little money and invested it into a high-quality 4K camera and other equipment. While this was difficult to do at the time and it showed no direct return on investment; however, it has provided us with high-quality footage that helps us stand apart from our competitor…thus nudging the prospect one step closer to giving us a call. Is there a direct correlation? No, but that camera has made Plum successful and allowed us to grow. This is something that is difficult to measure. The same goes with video content.

How to Use Video to Generate Sales Leads

The ultimate goal of generating sales leads is obtaining contact information (such as an email address), bringing a buyer to a landing page, and bringing the prospect to the sales team. While you can achieve this via text-based pages, the conversion rate may not be as high as a highly interactive or engaging lead generation process. By creating video, you will begin the prospect on a journey to discovering their needs and ultimately giving you (or someone else) a call. The next question might be, “What video do I need to create?” Whether it’s a YouTube video, a video for your website, or a video series, it must be interactive. Let’s explore the types of video you should consider for your business. Below are the types of issues you might be trying to resolve along with the type of video that will help you illustrate that you can solve it.

Trust and Confidence. Typically, people or businesses trying to build trust and confidence are the professional services field. These individuals are trying to illustrate how they can achieve goals for their clients and want to do so with a high level of authenticity. Videos that can capture the individual’s genuine personality are videos like Testimonial, About Us, and Meet Me videos. These videos usually include the person or people involved in the process achieving the client’s goals. They introduce the viewer to the people involved, explain what they bring to the job that’s special, highlight experience and credentials, and include personal details to help the viewer feel comfortable and connected.

Establishing Credibility. If you’re trying to accomplish this, you’ll want to explain why you’re covering the topic, talk to the viewer, and leave them wanting more. This type of video is typically a case study video, explainer video, product demo video, or advice video blog.

Product Explanation. A product or service that is a little more complex and requires some more detail typically needs a product demonstration video. These videos typically explain why the product exists, highlight specific components of the product, and show the end result or effectiveness of the product. These videos can be highly effective the more complex the product or service.

Recruitment. If you’re trying to recruit more and better talent to the organization, you might try a Culture video or a Position Profile video. A culture video will provide the viewer with a strong sense of what it’s like to work at the company. The position profile video is like combining a job description and job posting while showing some of the important elements of the job. Be very explicit that you are hiring and be sure to include specific details about benefits. Most of all, make it fun! Lastly, these get the best results when shared via social networks and social media. You might even be able to create this using some existing video you already have!

If you have any questions or comments, please reach out to us! We’d be happy to answer any questions!