Have you been thinking about video marketing but hesitating?
Not sure where to start?
Concerned how you’ll come across or worried about the cost?
Having recommended it to clients for a while, last week I finally tried it out for myself!
There’s no doubt that online video marketing continues to increase and is an attractive proposition for many businesses. But is it right for you?
Firstly, many respected agencies and organisations predict a continuing rise in video consumption and marketing. By 2017, video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic, according to Cisco. . Video-on-demand traffic alone will have almost trebled and that is one of many similar figures.
Also, there are many advantages to video marketing:
- People buy people – the human element really helps sell your business
- Videos are great for giving out search signals (after all Google owns YouTube) and showcasing your products / services
- Social media sites love videos and most sites encourage video posting and sharing
- Online videos stay online until you remove them (unlike TV), so if you invest wisely and think your content through, your video could still be getting views a year from now
- If you are lucky and create a great piece of content it could go viral.
But this still doesn’t address the questions around Is it me? and how much for one or two clips?
Recently I met with David and Ed from Business Film Booth to talk about how they package their video offering since I know I have several clients interested in video. One of the things that struck me on meeting them was that the personalities you see on their website are the genuine article. They really are very easy going and have great enthusiasm and strong knowledge of their craft.
At the end of our meeting, they suggested I get in front of the camera. I hadn’t gone prepared to do so (maybe slightly foolish I now realise), but knowing that I should be doing this I was willing to give it a go. I was impressed by the coaching I received in front of the camera and how they gave me the pointers I needed to improve my short pitch. I had 5 or 6 takes and was there for maybe 15/20 minutes. They are keen that all their clients create great videos and work with them to hone their performance and script. Their approach makes it easy to relax and focus on the job in hand without feeling totally ridiculous.
I had a great experience and will be signing up to produce more videos using their membership package, If you are toying with the idea of video marketing but are not sure where to start, look out for these guys or find someone who puts you at your ease and has a flexible offering. They do offer a free trial if you are thinking of giving it a go.
What can you do?
Whoever you work with should help you formulate you ideas into something that will work but if you’d like something to think about before hand here are a few ideas.
- Educate your audience about your products/services or other relevant topics
- Use videos to answer your FAQ’s
- Tell a story about your products – emotion is contagious
- Be creative and have some fun around a product or event
- Go behind the scenes – introduce your team or tour your office / store
You can see how I got on in the 15 minutes with my before and after video.
I’d love to hear your stories.
VM.