Using videos can drastically change the way that customers perceive your products or services. According to Forbes Magazine, 90% of customers believe that videos make buying decisions easier and 64% of customers say watching a video makes them more likely to buy the advertised product or service. With those numbers in mind, it is necessary for corporations in 2019 to bring video production into their marketing tactics in order to grow sales. However, not all corporate videos are created equal.
The most effective marketing videos are those that are well-planned and thoroughly, proactively organized. When creating a home, you begin with a strong foundation that will last for years to come; you do not start with furniture and decor planning. Sure, you’ll have a beautiful interior design, but what good will that be if the home isn’t functional and doesn’t fulfill your needs. Similarly, without taking the pre-production steps in creating a corporate video, it can be easy to lose a clear focus and inadequately convey the message that you are hoping to provide customers with. Especially when collaborating with a large group, the risk of inefficiency during video production further increases without proper planning and implementation.
1. Consider Your Target Audience
It’s crucial that at the beginning of planning, everyone involved is certain of who the viewers of the video will be. The following questions must be answered: Who will listen to what we have to say? Who will find the most value in what we have to offer? The best way to do this is by creating marketing personas. A marketing persona is a fictional character created to represent a larger group of customers. This persona will be created based on location, age, sex, socioeconomic status, etc. By creating fictional characters dependent upon real customers and the product or service being marketed, it allows employees to fully envision the needs of said customers and keep them in mind during every step of the production process. This ensures that the target audience is not forgotten in the midst of the video creation.
2. Focus on Logistics
After considering who the video will impact most, it’s time to consider the fundamental logistics of the creation of the video. Who will produce the video? How much will it cost? How much money will be allocated to each category of the video’s expenses? Where will the video be shot? How long will it take to create? How many employees must collaborate to create the video? The person at the head of the project should have the leadership skills to answer these questions and get production in motion. Missing the mark on the logistics, whether it be budgeting, hiring, preparing the set, etc., will likely degrade the quality of the video and leave all parties involved disappointed with the final result.
3. Plan a Story That Resonates with Customers
When you think of your personal favorite corporate videos, they are likely from top-selling, multi-billionaire companies such as Coke, Nike, Gillette, Chevrolet, and so forth. Although these massive corporations have a larger budget than most, this is not necessarily what makes their videos the most popular. Instead, it is the storylines that are humorous, emotional, encouraging, and touching. It’s important to remember when you are attempting to appeal to the masses that we are all humans with similar emotions, not robots waiting to submissively consume the information a company has to offer. By creating videos that relate to the intended audience, customers will feel more connected and understood by the company.
Nike’s “Find Your Greatness” Campaign is a “Great” example.
4. Create Captivating Visuals
Your video doesn’t have to be a cinematic marvel, but that doesn’t mean you should allow messiness and unprofessionalism to distract the viewer from the core message. The best way to avoid that is by hiring professionals. Corporate videos should be treated similarly to any other marketing project in that money must be spent in order for money to be made. If you attempt to cut corners in order to save money, it will show in the final product. For that reason, it’s in your best interest to leave production to the professionals.
5. Decide How to Achieve Optimal Reach
Once production is finished, it’s time to share your completed video. It would be easy to throw in the towel after the long weeks, or even months, that went into production. However, it’s imperative that a marketing plan is in place in order for the video to reach as many people as possible. To do this, a marketing team should be distributing your video to as many outlets as possible. This can include uploading to the company website, blog, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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We specialize in producing internal and external communications for businesses. At New Pace, we believe video has the power to engage your customers, educate your employees, and inspire your target audiences on a regular basis like never before. Dedicated video strategy is essential to keep pace with the competition.