Use Video to Enhance Your Marketing
There are many ways to reach your customers and those avenues are evolving constantly. One of the newest, but most effective, is the use of online video (”videocasting”). It requires very little financial investment and just a little know-how to get started. Before you know it, you will be able to offer short video clips on your website and via YouTube to reach new customers and offer a service to your existing clients.
Any type of business can use videocasting in their marketing. “Main Street” type businesses can video record basic maintenance techniques, like changing a faucet washer, as a free service to their viewers, which builds interest and loyalty. Retail business owners can tour potential customers through their stores and share key features of the business to the viewer.
Service businesses benefit from using video as well. Your potential clients get to meet you and your team online ahead of time while YOU tell them about your business. You can offer short training videos as well and create relationships built on trust. This makes it much more likely for them to enlist your company’s services because they get to see, in advance, that you have real content to offer them.
Using video is an inexpensive process. You can buy an excellent high definition camera for $150 or less, or your personal digital camera may have video recording capabilities. The clips you record should be short, 3 minutes or less. Purchase an inexpensive tripod to use when you are sitting at a desk talking. If you are recording a training video about a process, having someone manage the video camera for you is better.
Natural lighting is always preferred, but make sure whatever you use is of decent quality. Keep your filming area quiet. But, do note that many successful entrepreneurs have built loyal followings while breaking every recording rule, like walking when talking or having moderate quality video. In the end, it is about offering something unique to your viewers. Be prepared to do several takes at first while you get used to the recording process.
Don’t worry about purchasing expensive video editing software. More than likely your video camera came with it or there are inexpensive and “freeware” programs available online. All of these will allow you to load your video to your YouTube account, which you should have set up in advance. There are additional benefits to YouTube like the social networking features which allows you to interact and network with viewers. Be sure when you set up your account, you have a link to your company website in your profile!
Once you have saved your video in your software, upload it to YouTube and make it public. After it is loaded, you will have the “share” feature, either a link or the actual code that you can easily add to your website. This allows you to put your video on your website easily. With just a little practice and a small financial investment you can easily add a unique marketing feature for your business that many of your competitors haven’t even considered yet.
With 30+ years consulting experience, Steven Schlagel provides training and coaching for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Check his site for more articles to increase your success!