This week's guest blog is written by Terry Livesay of DT Studios UK
So, you’ve decided to have a video done....why?
Okay, that question might seem a little strange coming from someone who specialises in videos (or more precisely, visual marketing) but it’s a valid question!
You see, when we sell a video it’s not just a case of saying, ‘Great, there you are, thank you for your business, here are my bank details’ because we want the video to work for you and your business, and that way you’ll come back again and again!
So I’m going to go through some of the things you need to ask yourself before getting a video filmed, as these are the things we would go through with you in an informal chatty way - you’re just going to have to read them!
Why do you want a video?
If your answer is to get more sales (which is valid) then we need to go down the rabbit hole a little bit more…
Do you have a delivery method for your video?
Email marketing, LinkedIn, website, tik tok, etc?
Note: Please be aware that one video might not be suitable for every marketing channel (actually it rarely is, and won’t work if you don’t narrow it down)
Are you targeting a specific audience?
“No” - So this is just a generic video to go on your website because you just want a video?
“No” - How do you plan on talking to everyone on their level?
Yeah, that’s not going to work, so who is the best target audience for your product or service - and by best I mean the one from which you currently attract the most buyers - or one that you want to reach with your current marketing plan? Don’t try and talk to everyone, it just won’t work.
“Yes” - You’re a super star!
Do you have a hook to attract your audience at the start?
This is something your video company should get out of you so be prepared and think about it; after all it’s your business and you know your customers the best.
Do you have a call to action at the end of the video?
Again this is something your video company should get from you and again it’s best to be prepared. Oh and don’t over complicate this, short and sweet is always better, this isn’t the time to offer the world on a small screen; it’s just to get your customers to make the next move.
If your answer is to demonstrate how a product works then you need to think of your audience: how much detail they will need and how your video company will present it to them so that they have the best customer experience. The important thing here is creating something which is perfect for the target audience and not just because you want to demonstrate every feature of your amazing product and get the most value for money from the video company. Think of your audience, their attention span and needs.
Types of Video
I was going to show loads of different samples of videos but I didn’t want to make this a sales pitch from us, I just wanted to give you information; so sorry it’s just boring text from me (which is strange as I’m all about the visual)
Brand / Promo
This is a great video to push your brand or shout about your product and is usually fast paced and designed to make your audience get excited about what is being shown. Great for websites / expos / showrooms / tv adverts / etc.
Product
This is all about the product; it can be in a studio and show every aspect up close and in high detail or it can be in the product’s natural environment so you can see it work. It can also be both but most importantly it’s about the product and nothing else.
Case Study
This is where you explain, using one of your clients, how good you or your product is and you take the audience on a journey from the customer’s problem to the solution that you provided.
Testimonial
This is basically your customer talking to the camera and saying how great you are.
Explainer
This is where you explain all the benefits/features/how-to of your product or service, to help your customer decide if it’s the right fit for them. It can also be a sort of instructional video but with a more salesy slant to it.
Roundup
Okay, these are just a few things you need to consider and you might have already thought of them but it’s amazing how many people don’t unless they have a dedicated marketing professional working on their team or they really have their finger on the pulse within the business and understand marketing ... and if that’s the case, why are you reading this?!
We realise not all video companies (very few actually) work out what you actually need within your business and even then it’s all about the money. So hopefully this will get you thinking before you approach a video company to do your next video, but if you ever just want to chat over what might work for you then feel free to give me a call and I’ll ask a few pertinent questions to get you thinking and point you in the right direction; even if you plan on doing the filming yourself with your trusty iPhone (these can be magnificent for video) or, heaven forbid, another videographer!
At the end of the day, as a small family business, I want you to succeed and I understand small budgets but that doesn’t mean you have to go it alone.
