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How to Harness Video for Business

Video For Business - Plum Productions Corporate Video

It is amazing how so many people are using video for business. Whether your business is small or very large, using video to improve digital marketing efforts is the trend, and is likely not going to go away. Whether companies are creating promotional tools or educational segments it’s important to keep in mind that it must be engaging and worth watching.

In this post, we’ll cover some tips for making great marketing videos to how to harness the power of video marketing to get results in your business. We’ll cover which videos are must haves and which videos are nice to have, but not as critical so that you can focus your time on getting results quickly.

Tips To Creating Awesome Marketing Videos For Business

There are several elements that must be present in a quality business video. Besides shooting with a quality camera, using quality audio, and inserting supporting shots, there are some important aspects every video needs to have. First, it must have a message or a story.

Story/Message

The real message may not be what you think. What are you trying to convey? What is the point of creating this message? These questions seem obvious, but we’ve had clients ask us to create a video for the purpose of having a video, but when it came time to using it, it wouldn’t drive results. We knew it wouldn’t create results because the video just spoke AT the viewer, not TO the viewer. We helped them craft a message that spoke to the problem people face and how their product was the solution by telling the right story. Here’s an example of a video that does exactly that.

Video Mission vs. Product Mission

What we mean is you want people to relate, not watch. Viewers only relate when they put themselves into the story. We created a nonprofit video a while back that was shown at a breakfast. The crowd was engaged because it supported the mission of the organization and everyone could put themselves into the situation that was being described. When the video was done, people were wiping their tears because they could imagine themselves facing the same problem…that it could happen to them. They realized they needed to give to the cause because they could just as easily be in need and that others in the future may too. We were told this was a highly successful event. Here’s the video:

Where To Use Video For Your Business

Once you have the video, where you put it and how you use it can make a difference. If you simply place it on your website, how will you drive traffic to your site? If you’re placing it on YouTube, how are you doing the proper research to make sure the video will be found? Are you using all the tools at your disposal? If you’re using the video in your email program, are you measuring click-through and other data points to ensure you know what’s working, what’s not working, and what is producing the results you desire?

Are you using video to create a blog post? Answer questions for potential customers/clients? Or are you just posting video to post video? If you don’t have a measurement component toward a goal, we would not recommend investing money or time into video. It’s important to keep measuring results versus goals as often as possible when posting video.

If we can help you create video for your business at any time, we’d be happy to help! Post any question you may have and we’ll see if we can answer them for you.

 

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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.

 

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Image by iXimus from Pixabay

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What Length (How Long) Should A Business Video Be?

How Long Should a Business Video Be, video camera and lens

How Long Should A Marketing Video Be?

We get this question a lot…”How long should a marketing video be? Especially for a business?” Most people think a video should either be short (15 to 30 seconds) or long (4 to 5 minutes). Both might be right; both might be wrong. Here are our thoughts.

The length of your video depends on your goals and objectives. Are you looking for leads? Are you looking for sales? Are you looking to inform? Bring them to a funnel? Provide education? There are several reasons videos are created, but not all perform the same and not all should be used for any given situation.

How Long for Informative Videos?

Video marketing is a bit science and art, so let’s first identify where you’re using the video. That’s going to drive content and length. For example, many popular videos on YouTube are longer videos. Longer videos are popular because they are providing information and viewers watch longer to learn more. Their content is giving the viewer information that they need or want (think How to Create Your First YouTube Video or How to Use Doodly). These online videos are informative and provide insights into something extremely specific. It has nothing to do with a viewer’s attention span because they want to know the information.

How Long for Facebook Videos?

On the other extreme are Facebook Videos and Instagram Stories. These tend to be shorter in length because they are more social in nature and typically more promotional. Instagram limits the length of your video, but most companies are finding that 30 seconds for an Instagram video is most effective. If someone is scrolling through Instagram, they’re usually doing it to relax or waste time while waiting somewhere. Ads can be effective, but you must get to the point quickly.

Facebook videos are remarkably similar to Instagram in that they’re being watched while relaxing or waiting somewhere. Also, like Instagram most of the time people are scrolling along on mute; therefore, when creating social media videos, it is important to incorporate graphic punch words like this below.

How Long for Corporate Video?

Video content used for the purpose of marketing tend to be 60 seconds to 2 minutes. Most of our clients tend to keep their videos around 90 seconds so that the overall message can be shared yet keep the length short enough to hold their attention. Long videos can perform if used properly. For example, an Explainer Video typically requires a little more time to illustrate how something works. But an About Us video typically requires less time and people typically won’t watch the entire video.

What About A Corporate Website Video?

For any video production project, we’ll want to know where the video is being placed. This usually drives length as well. We might recommend editing a variety of lengths to give you flexibility in where to use each. For example, videos for a corporate website should be 30 to 90 seconds…just long enough to make the viewer want to learn more or take action (call you or fill out a submission form).

How Long for Landing Page Videos?

If you have a landing page to sell a product or service, once again, these videos should be 30 to 60 seconds, less than a minute long. People are not watching these videos long because they want to hear your key message and decide to purchase or not. Typically, this happens within 10 to 15 seconds. Any video on a landing page should be placed high up on the page…above the fold so that viewers see it immediately and know what to do.

Email Marketing Campaigns

While these videos can be any length, think about who you’re sending this to and why they should watch any longer than they must. These are typically slightly longer because they’re sent with the intent to educate and inform…not to sell. Using the word “video” in your email title should help your open rate (just make sure there’s a video to play!)

Explainer Videos

Explainer videos are typically meant to help people understand your product or service and explain how to use it. If you want to do these, you’ll want to keep them between 60 and 90 seconds…and get to the point rather early (by about 30 seconds) so they can feel like they should keep watching.

What About Case Study Videos?

Depending on the content, these videos can be 5 to 10 minutes, but can also be made into shorter chunks to make them easier to consume. We’ve seen long form versions perform well and short form videos of this type perform well. If it’s more complex, we recommend shorter chunks.

And for About Us Videos?

This is a video that can vary a little too. If you sell something that needs to earn trust before you make the sale, a longer video might be appropriate. That might mean it runs 3 or 4 minutes. This gives the viewer some time to consume and make some trust-level decisions. If they like you and your team and your culture, they’ll call you. These videos are typically about your culture, your team, and who you’re trying to attract to your team.

What about Interview Videos?

Interview videos are typically informative and internal (or sent to a specific audience). They provide insights into the company and what he or she is working on to achieve objectives. We would recommend lengths of 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how engaging the topic is. Please don’t make people sit through something they don’t need to know. 🙂

Thought Leadership Videos

If the leaders of your organization want to stand out from the crowd as a thought leader, this video is ideal. Think TED talk or presentation style video. The speaker doesn’t have to be on stage, but the concept is similar. This content should be used for industry presentations or other relevant situations. These are typically 10 to 20 minutes in length, depending on the complexity or needs.

Video Reviews/Testimonial Videos

Have your customers/clients tell your prospects how good you are. These are highly effective for a landing page (under your main video or interspersed into the main video). Prospects often need validation to their decision. They need to know they’re making the right decision and don’t want to feel alone. This is a highly effective way to do that. These typically are short (30 to 60 seconds) and can be combined into a longer piece if needed. You can also use these in email campaigns after someone has hit a landing page but has not purchased.

We hope this post helps you decide what length your video should be based on where you are using it and what your objectives are. If you have any questions, please reach out and we can answer them.

 

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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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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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Best Video Production Trends That Will Carry Into 2020

YouTube icon on iPad

Video has made a huge impact in the marketing world. In fact, video is oftentimes mentioned as one of the fastest growing categories in marketing. Many say that video is growing at an incredible rate and the number of hours being watch is astounding. We take issue with some of this. We take issue that video is growing so fast. We concede that video is growing rapidly, but we also believe companies like Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon are driving the viewership and hours watched. When it comes to productive business video and video marketing, the number of hours has increased, but we don’t believe it’s as quickly as the overall video world. There are several components that drive video interactivity, and that’s what business owners want. Getting people to watch the video is one thing, getting people to act is another. In this post, we’ll share with you the top 4 Video Trends that any business should be keenly aware of before 2020.

If you asked what some of the video trends would be two years ago, you would have heard stuff like 3D video or 360-degree video or Virtual Reality video. All those types of videos have a place, but they certainly weren’t the trend for the year 2018, 2019, and probably won’t be for 2020. If you want to be on the cutting edge of trends related to video, you can get very experimental, but it’ll be tough to get a high (or mediocre) return on that investment. That starts by understanding what is important when measuring ROI. Is it search results on any one of the search engines? Or is it calls or orders? Whether the business is a product or service business, it doesn’t matter…video content can help. By varying the marketing campaign slightly, one can get slightly different results. The key is to have some online video because there is online activity happening 24 hours a day.

Marketing agencies will push you to build the brand according to the marketing strategy…and this is critical and why stuff like 3D video or 360-degree video is just hype and cool stuff…but not necessarily for you. That type of video typically needs a lot of planning, a larger budget and more time to get the perfect video. The issue at hand is on the consumption side of the equation. How do people view a 3D video if they don’t have a 3D television? Or how does one view a Virtual Reality video if they don’t have the headset? That’s why we don’t think it’s the right tool for most businesses.

The reality is people are using all kinds of methods to access answers to their questions, including voice search and artificial intelligence. Most digital marketing agencies will tell you that you must have all the bases covered by having digital pieces that support stuff like voice search and the like. For a small business, a medium sized business or a large business, it’s tough to know how to exactly create brand awareness or to have a budget for stuff you don’t know will be worth the investment until much later. More so, even the largest of companies that invest in these types of videos are finding that it’s tough to measure whether it’s worth the work and the investment. Typically, they’ll use one of those videos to get some chatter or shares online. Does that convert to new sales? Probably not.

What are the best video trends to follow for success?

With the above in mind, what are the marketing trends and the video trends that will provide the best results to the most amount of businesses? Here’s our list:

Explainer Videos. This may seem to be elementary and unexpected when talking about trends, the explainer video does several things for the business. It provides transparency for the viewer that helps them feel a level of comfort to take action. Businesses that provide a level of frankness in their messaging can provide a disarming feeling and a sense of integrity. For example, in this video below, the viewer gets a sense that the company can deliver what it promises with it’s Primula cold brew coffee carafe. Want one after you’ve watched this video? Click the link!

 

Bite-Sized Videos. Our potential clients typically ask us how long their video should be and then blurt out that they think it should be short. While that may be the case, it’s not always the case. Sometimes longer videos are better. For example, a long video might be helpful when its answering a question, explaining something complex, or providing better insights into who or what something is. Think of these types of videos as a silent level of customer service. But, shorter video can be highly effective when used appropriately. We find shorter videos are more productive when used in marketing materials and social media. No one wants to watch a long video that sells to the viewer; therefore, keep a sales message video a little shorter than you think. Below, this video is shorter (relatively speaking) but allows the viewer enough time to understand how and what the product is and does.

 

Product Videos. Product videos will most likely never go out of style. These videos help the viewer understand what the product does and how it solves a problem without having to purchase it. Once the viewer understands, they can make a will informed decision to purchase it. We’ve heard from many sources (such as from Impact Learning Center & HubSpot’s Importance of Product Videos for E-Commerce, and there’s more) that video increases product conversion to sales by an incredible amount. This happens because of the educational and informational way that product videos will present the product.

Story Videos/TV Style Videos. This type of video is one that feels like a television show and not a sales tool. For business, the three videos above are important, but they also are very promotional in nature. That can be good and can create results, but sometimes at the cost of irritating the viewer because they must sit through the promotional nature of the video. A trend we’re noticing with our clients is the acceptance of slightly longer videos that tell a story. For example, the video below shows the viewer what is about to happen and the challenges they may face. It provides a little conflict to the story. Then, we do a mid-point check in. This allows the viewer to see the project complexity and the challenges first hand. Ever wonder what your contractor would be doing during your project? This gives a glimpse into the construction world and what a high-quality construction contractor would be doing. Finally, the reveal. Here’s what the contractor did to complete project and how the project turned out. Obviously, the concept showed how the complexity was overcome by the competent team. This company was able to boast and show how they completed a difficult task. Who would you call after viewing this if you were a restaurant?

 

Another example of this type of video is the ChairSpeaker video. This video shows (in a slightly comical and relatable way) how those who have lost their hearing often times feel left out of conversations when they try to watch television with a headset that helps them hear. The ChairSpeaker solves this problem by providing a product that helps the hearing impaired stay engaged in conversation while still being able to watch and listen to television (just like everyone else).

 

SEO Videos. SEO videos are used to help improve search engine optimization while answering questions the viewer wants to know. These videos are typically topical in nature and typically answer a question that someone has typed into Google or Bing. For example, this attorney answers why Uninsured Motorist insurance is important to anyone who owns a car and drives on the roadway. The purpose of the video is to answer the question and to serve as an indicator to Google what their website is all about. We also might recommend doing some additional live videos with a mobile phone and answering questions with viewers on Facebook or YouTube. This serves the same purpose, only on those social media sites. Google and the like love content. Anytime a business website can provide more content it gets rewarded.

While this may sound like a boring list and one that doesn’t include the coolest, latest and greatest technology, it does include video options that will create a return on your investment (if used properly). One of the biggest changes we are seeing in the industry is the use of videos that feel like a television show and not a sales tool. This is nothing new, but we’re seeing it used more and more… and we think that’s a good thing. It requires a little more flexibility and planning, but if done correctly, it can provide the viewer with an experience that is much different than the typical sales piece. We will always go back to the point of how it is used. One of the ways we recommend using that type of video is prior to the call. Let the prospect find the video and understand who you are in a different light; thus connecting with your purpose and style before the call. This goes a long way to create an emotional bond prior to making the phone call.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss some possible video ideas for you and your business, give us a call or drop us a line via our contact us form. We’d love to find a creative way to make your business stand out from your competitors and get more business!

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What To Do To Maximize Your Investment In Video Production

return on investment in video

Regardless of your financial goals, there are several steps you’ll want to take to maximize your investment in video production. You’ll need to consider time, money, and resources before and after you start. We know its common to hear that your company should be using video to leverage your business growth. If you aren’t using it by now, you might be leaving some money on the table. The key is knowing where you want to use your video and how you do it. In this post, we’ll share some common issues and problems that people face when maximizing ROI.

Common Issues that Affect Your Investment in Video

Too Many Options

Too Many Production Companies. If you’ve never created video before, you’ll find you have hundreds of options to choose from in terms of video production companies.

Content Ideas. The next issue will be what you want to create. Do you want to create a marketing video? Social media video? Product video? There are several ways to slice up marketing content that it can quickly become overwhelming.

Where to Place It. The next issue will be where to place the video (or videos). Very quickly, you’ll learn there are thousands of places to publish your video…and each one will have their own reason for doing so. All of this shouldn’t stop you from deciding to move forward. It’ll be worth it.

Getting More From Your Investment in Professional Video

Who is Your Audience?

Think about something you’ve watched in the past that really resonated with you. Why did it? It might have been because it was about something you wanted to learn or know more about, the person speaking was personable and they may have described the world you see in a similar way. Maybe they spoke in terms or jargon you’re comfortable with. Or maybe they had the same or similar personality as you. When creating your video, you’ll want to know who your audience is, what they like or dislike, what they need to know, why they need to know it and how they like to be spoken to. Use that information to compile the viewer’s demographics, location, where they consume information, and what social media outlets they view most. The more you know about them, the better you can speak to them.

Your Viewers

  • There are several types of personas that you might be speaking to, for example, you might be dealing with a “Give me the information, get out of my way, and let me decide” type of person. This might be someone who is at the top of the corporate structure, like a CEO or similar level.
  • You might also be speaking to someone who is more interested in learning about how your customers feel about you. They might want to read or see more reviews about the business. These are the ones who need to obtain verification that they are making the right decision. They like to include others in their decision making and reviews are a good way to get this information.
  • Another common viewer might be a detailed, technical type. They want facts, figures, and as much data as possible to make the decision to pick up the phone to call. This type of person needs to have support data incorporated into the video so they can make an appropriate decision.

Regardless of the type of viewer you’re reaching out to, you’ll want to craft a message that taps every type of personality possible. Perhaps there is a way to show and describe important information to a couple of personality types at the same time. Use all of this information to craft a solid script. We typically take care of script writing for you, but, we work with all types of clients; some who like to do it themselves and some who want to have someone take care of it for them. The next step will be to craft a solid shot list that must be captured to illustrate what is being said and targets each persona.

The Video Production Process

The video production process contains several components: pre production, the shoot, post production, and delivery. During the pre production stage, you’ll deal with the persona, the long term goals of the video, and what video content that should be created. Investment goals are important before we start so we know what needs to be set aside for the production and what needs to be set aside for the placement of the video(s). During the shoot, we’ll deal with the shot list, the camera operator, the equipment, the location, and any talent that is important (whether it be from the team or hired talent). Finally, during the editing process, we’ll deal with the video editor and any post production items required to complete the project.

So what is the key to maximizing your ROI? We find that clients who work with us to understand why they’re creating the video, where they plan to use, and how they plan to place, we can help streamline that process to improve their ROI. When clients can’t answer these questions or don’t want to share this information, there can be a little hiccups and changes along the way that can increase costs…not because we want to, but because we didn’t know something and had to backtrack or make significant changes. We write this to share with you so we can prevent this from happening to you.

 

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Four Strategies for Video Marketing on LinkedIn

Video Marketing on LinkedIn logo

Video Marketing on LinkedIn

Video on LinkedIn has 3 times the level of engagement versus regular text posts. You read that right, three times! This tells us that if you’re trying to stand out against your competitors, video is the way to go. For this blog entry, we’re sharing with you four types of video you can use on LinkedIn to market your brand. We’ll also pepper in some strategies for using video marketing on LinkedIn.

Initially, LinkedIn seemed a little behind the times when it came to video because they didn’t offer native video posts until the year 2017, well behind Facebook, Twitter, and the rest. But that’s not true anymore. To define native video, they are videos that are uploaded directly to their server and shared on their platform. If you upload a video to YouTube and share it on LinkedIn, LinkedIn may not treat that post the same as if you upload it to their server and shared on their platform.

Does it Work on LinkedIn?

We also learned that LinkedIn videos perform better in terms of watch time…meaning LinkedIn videos have more views once they’re posted versus other platforms. Your connections on LinkedIn will watch your videos because they’re closely related to business, which is what your LinkedIn audience is primarily focused on. They’re not looking for what you did this weekend or what you ate for lunch; rather, they want to learn more about you and how you can help them.

When creating video content, you’ll want to consider this before crafting your message. We know this will come as a surprise, but no one buys because they viewed your video. They buy because they’ve been convinced (by the video) to pick up the phone and call you (a.k.a.: engagement). Since people buy from people, you’ll want to incorporate into your marketing strategy a call to action. Posting a video and adding a call to action will ensure it performs better than those that do not contain a call to action.

Here are the top 4 video marketing strategies on LinkedIn

  1. Answer an FAQ. Consider your target audience. What do they want to learn? To get to a common list of FAQs, you can simply think about your current clients/customers. What are the most common questions they ask you when or before they work with you? For us, they typically ask questions like, “Can you help me write a script?” or “What color shirt should I wear?” or “Where should I upload this video?” To add a layer to this tip, you should also post this video on your website’s company page…specifically the FAQ section. You can share each video (if you have more than a couple of FAQs, we’d recommend a video for each) on LinkedIn. Again, by posting one FAQ video there, you can drive traffic to your website and increase brand awareness.
  2. Case Study Video. There is nothing better than sharing what you did for a client or customer. You can take this to the next level by sharing a video where the client speaks to the issues they’ve been struggling with and how things changed once you’ve engaged with them. By having the client tell their story, you’re gaining credibility from the viewer. Consider this, which do you find more credible, sponsored content or a client sharing how they benefited?
  3. Share a Breaking News Update. If you’re a campaign manager, you’ll want to incorporate into your social media strategy a breaking news segment. Has something changed in the industry? Has something improved in your business? Have you hired someone new who can help you improve your client’s experience? If you’re a real estate agency, you might talk about the latest trends in staging or home sales or mortgage rates. If you’re an air conditioning company, you might share new tax implications to buying a new unit or upcoming government regulations affecting new units moving forward. Whatever the topic, your social platform should reflect your level of experience and knowledge of trends to warrant a breaking news video on occasion.
  4. LinkedIn Video Ads. Whether you’re a product or service, crafting a LinkedIn message that considers your target audience’s needs and wants can provide a substantial return on investment. Video ads are one of the last ways you should use video on LinkedIn. We say this because there are several ways to use video without additional costs before you should find the need to promote the video to your followers (or outside your network). Our guess is you haven’t reached every one of your connections directly (whether via phone call or email) to introduce yourself or ask if they’d like to talk more.
  5. BONUS: Introduction Video. Why not craft an introduction email that you can email directly to your contacts? We wouldn’t recommend spamming people, rather, why not send a short video to say thanks for engaging with me on LinkedIn? Or thanks for connecting with me and let me know how I can help you? These are effective tools to help you better connect with your contacts and help them better understand what you do. They can be generic in nature and captured professionally and are sent directly to your contact once you’ve connected. Make them warm, personable, and inviting. Be a partner, not a salesperson.

We hope these tips are useful for your LinkedIn experience. Whether you’re answering an FAQ, helping a potential client understand what you’ve done for others, sharing a breaking news article, or crafting the perfect video ad, it all comes down to engaging with your prospects or referral partners. The more people understand who you are, what you do, and why you do it, the more connected they feel.

 

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If you’re in a professional field or need to present yourself professionally, you’ll want to hire a production crew who can help you craft the right message and give you that professional look. If you’re not sure who to hire, here are some questions to ask before hiring a production crew… These questions will help you decide if they’re right for you.

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Manufacturer Product Videos & Increased Sales

Manufacturer Product Videos, image of manufacturing (milling cutters)

Manufacturer Product Videos

At Plum, we’ve shot and edited several Manufacturer Product Videos to help them market their products to retailers and end users. While most manufacturers use a wide range of techniques to market and sell their products, only a few use video as a driver for business.

We believe in creating high quality video that tells a story about the manufacturing process and the benefits of the finished product. For the purpose of this blog, we’re sharing a few ways a manufacturer should be using video to show what their product is, how it’s produced, and how it’s used.

Process Video. This type of video is created to illustrate the full production and manufacturing process is completed. Usually this means showing manufacturing from start to finish and how the product is put together. This is also where you’d highlight that your products are made in the USA or illustrate how the production line works together to create a high quality product.

We recommend this video be approximately 90-seconds in length to ensure you show all the important qualities of your process and product. Keep in mind, the best marketing campaign videos tend to be shorter in nature, yet adequately inform the viewer.

Social Media. Manufacturing companies also need to feed their social media funnel. Plum will work with the marketing team, sales team, and management to ensure the messaging matches the appropriate branding components for consistency.

Most manufacturers don’t think of social media as a way to sell, but by selling to the end user about their unique selling proposition and the benefits of their product, manufacturers can pull sales through the distribution channel without relying on retailers or distributors. By using social media, manufacturers can create a strong first impression and increase engagement.

Hiring? Whether the company is just starting out or has been around for awhile, capturing and retaining the best employees is critical to its success. Whether the company finds new employees through email marketing or various hiring websites, it’s critical to craft the perfect message to the target audience. We recommend featuring a career video on the company’s career page that can differentiate you from other manufacturers.

Demos. If you’ve already shown the production process, the next step is to show how the product works. That’s where manufacturing marketing works best. We recommend creating a video marketing campaign that illustrates how the product works and the benefits it solves. We also recommend that it highlights the pain points that relate to the end user, even at a high level. By digging into the pain and costs of not purchasing the product, a video can help the buyer know whether the product is right for them.

If possible, when seeking any type of video production services, we recommend you ask to see how they’ve helped other manufacturers describe the most important pain points the buyer might face and show how each one is solved after purchase. This can be shown on a website, direct marketing, emailing, or trade shows. Here’s an interesting example of a demo video.

Video Reviews. Our clients have shared with us that there seems to be a point of differentiation when someone buys. When a product has a supporting video, they tell us that sales are greater than those products without video. On the other hand, when a product has a testimonial video, sales increase even more.

What they tell us is that video helps a buyer understand what a product is and how it works, but a testimonial will help a buyer know that someone was happy after their purchase and was comfortable sharing their experience with others via video. While we’d love to shoot that testimonial professionally, it can be just as powerful when shot by the customer him- or her-self on their phone or webcam. The results are positive either way… it’s just a matter of how professional the manufacturer wishes to appear. Below is a nice video review for a legal office…but same rules apply for any manufacturer.

Referral Requests. Many times it’s helpful to ask an existing client for a referral. Why not ask via video? As a manufacturer, you could shoot a short video asking an existing client for a referral. It might sound something like, “Hi there! You recently shared with us that you felt your purchase was a positive experience. Why not share that experience with others? We love referrals! In fact, great referrals are someone like…(describe who). If you can think of anyone who fits this description, would you mind emailing me their contact information? I can mention your name, or go without mentioning it, just let me know.” This is a simple, consistent message that can be sent out after every positive customer experience.

 

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How to Choose the Best Video Production Company

stamp stating best quality

How To Choose The Best Quality Video Production Company

Now that you’ve decided to add video to your digital marketing strategy, how do you choose the best company to work with? Do you employ the same tactics you do with other vendors, such as putting out an RFP, waiting for everyone to bid, interview all the ones that look the best, and then decide which one to use? That depends on whether you’re looking for a vendor or a partner.

Our clients have told us they’re looking for a partner to help them improve their video game or they want someone from the outside to help them identify opportunities to sell more of their product or services. If you treat them as a vendor, will you get the best out of them? If you’re looking for the best video production company, you’ll want to do some research and find an awesome partner. Here’s what we recommend.

Traits of a Great Video Production Company

  • Good Fit. If you’re looking for a fit within your company, you’ll want to consider your culture and ask questions related to you company’s way of doing things. If you work in a top down organization, you’ll need a vendor. If you work in a collaborative environment, you’ll need to find a solid partner who can fit in and who doesn’t think they’re more important than you. Choosing the right video production company is more than just the selection, it’s also about the fit.
  • Don’t Get Dazzled. While you are looking at their work, you may come across their demo reel. When you do, don’t get too dazzled by cool graphics and animations that you’ve never seen before. Chances are they’re templates they’ve inserted. Yes they’re cool, but did the production team identify the target audience and market to the needs of the potential clients? Did the video perform? If all you see is their demo reel, you may not know what any of those finished projects actually looked like in the end. They might just be the best parts of a poor performing video.
  • Recently Produced Videos. When you choose a video production company, dig into their previous work. Video companies are usually working hard to create quality videos, but they are sometimes not the best at posting current stuff. If you don’t see any recent work, check out their Vimeo page because that’s where they probably posted the most recent stuff. The other area to check out is their social media pages. If they’re a full service video company, they’ll have stuff posted there too. Here’s a link to Plum’s most recent work and you can always look at our portfolio.
  • Get A Few Quotes. When compiling your list of video production companies to create your corporate video, you’ll get a few quotes. One thing we’ve learned is that pricing can vary dramatically. One time we found out a client posted a job on a website to get quotes. Without talking to 80% of the companies who responded, they said they had quotes from $850 to $21,500…for the same job! How is that possible? We don’t know. We just recommend that you consider the value for the price your being quoted.
  • Value. This is simply an area of “You Get What You Pay For.” If your budget is $850, you’ll be able to find someone who wants to do it for that. They may be brand new in the business, but they’re hungry to build their portfolio. On the other hand, if your budget is $21,500, you’ll be able to find someone to do it for that as well. Your expectations will be high, so make sure they can handle what you’re giving them. Professionals who require a larger investment are able to command that because they are confident in their results and will be able to make your video a success.

Regardless of your project, finding the right video production company will be the key to your video’s success. The time you invest to finding the right one is critical and we recommend using the ideas above to find the right one for you. Obviously we can answer any questions you have, but we also may not be the right one for you…only you can decide that (and we promise we won’t be offended if you tell us we’re not the right one). If you’ve never done video before, you might want to read some of our other blog posts to help you learn as much about the process and critical factors to a successful marketing video production process.