7 strategies to help you create an effective company video…

A good video is a great asset for your company. It sends out your message clearly and independently and it can be propagated around your social networks and feed into your marketing strategy . It allows you to communicate and work efficiently and passively. How then do you make a great video for your company?

You need to start with a treatment. A plan that details the what, where, how, and why? Here are some strategies to keep you on the straight and narrow:

1. Focus the purpose of your video into an elevator pitch

Videos can have a number of objectives, from acting as sales letters to training tools and product information videos. Be very clear on how your video will be used in your sales process. This will bring clarity on who the information needs to be angled for, and what information should be highlighted. Distill the idea into an elevator pitch, which will act as the seed for all the future work you’re doing.

2. Know who you’re writing for

The first step to creating a great video is writing for your target audience, just as you would when you’re drafting a blog post or written piece of content. Who do you expect to watch this video? What information do they need in order to make their decision? What tone would appeal to them?  Take some time to understand your buyer’s thought process, concerns, and what problem or issue in their life this product solves.

3. Outline your content

Once you know where in the sales process the script will be used and who you’re writing for, consider: What features of the product are they likely to use, and what benefits will that create for them? Can you work in social proof, such as testimonials that will help build credibility?  Does this fit in with your buyer profile?

4. Make the Opening Count

What piece of information would capture this audience’s immediate attention? This is the same as a subject line, make it strong. How does it ease the pain? How does it grab their attention?

5. Use your own story

Establish a connection with your audience by making them feel like you are a person that is speaking speaking directly to them. You are not a faceless corporation, you are a person with a story. Viewers are more likely to make an emotional connection with your video if you act like a person, rather than presenting yourself in a robotic way because you mistakenly think works. Present it as if you’re talking to a friend. Buyers do business with people that they like and that they trust.

6. Keep it short

Be very careful not to make it too long. The shorter your video, the more chance you have of keeping viewers engaged. Put all the information into your script, and then edit ruthlessly. Is it necessary or does it just sound cool? Get rid of it. Test the script with people representative of your target demographic, and ask them to flag anything that loses their interest if you need help deciding what to cut.

7. Have a clear call to action

You crafted a great hook that captured your audience’s attention. You anticipated their concerns, and laid out step by step the benefits that the product presented to one of their most pressing problems. You were concise, and let them see you as a human being. Now, you’re ready to close.  What do you want people watching the video to do? If it’s taking an action, such as opt-in for an email list or download a paper, make it very easy for them to do. State the call to action clearly, and reiterate the benefits that you discussed earlier.  If your call to action is making a sale, clearly state your offer and express why it’s a great deal. Are you offering a discount, killer bonuses, or making it available for a limited time? Tie the offer back to the problem and benefits, and clearly ask prospects to take that final step.

Finally, before you go into production, test your script with prospects or existing customers to get a sense of your targeting, tone, and timing. Honest feedback is an important part of the process.