How To Use Video In Your Marketing | Cups To Gallons
video marketing small business strategy

How To Use Video In Your Marketing Strategy

Video is a powerful marketing strategy for small business owners.

CEO of VaynerMedia, Entrepreneur and Best-Selling Author Gary Vaynerchuk says, “The single most important strategy in content marketing today is video. Whether it’s video on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat or YouTube, the content you need to be thinking about creating and marketing on social for your business is video. Period.”

Use video to share your story, explain your value proposition, build trust and authority and bond with your customers, clients and patients. Videos are memorable and effective because they help people process, understand and retain more information more quickly. In fact, research shows that not only do videos increase your visitor’s understanding and retention (viewers retain 95% of a message when watched in a video compared to 10% when reading it in text), but people are 85% more likely to buy a product or service after viewing a video on them. Plus . . .

  • Including video on a landing page can increase conversion by 80% (Source: EyeView)
  • Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users (Source: VidYard)
  • By 2019, Internet video traffic will account for 80% of all consumer Internet traffic (Source: Cisco)
  • 54% of consumers want to see videos from brands they support in comparison to email newsletters and social media images (Source: Hubspot)

The most common types of videos along with a few extra ideas are:

  • Explainers – This type of video is used to help your audience better understand why they need your product or service. It’s common for explainer videos to focus on a fictional journey of the company’s ideal target customer who is struggling with a problem and then overcomes it by using the company’s solution.
  • Product Demos – Use these to overcome objections and show how simple it is to use your product or to overcome fears if it’s a service
  • How-To’s
  • Testimonials
  • Case Studies – Highlight a problem your customer, client or patient had that was solved by your solution and include the results
  • Expert Interviews – Interview experts and thought leaders from your industry to build trust and authority with your target audience
  • Event Videos – These might include a highlight reel or short snippets of interesting interviews or presentations from the event
  • Personalized messages – Use these to get the attention of someone who is not responding via email or another communication channel. Record yourself recapping a conversation or an important meeting and give personalized recommendations.
  • Live Videos – On social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Periscope, etc.

Complete This Checklist BEFORE You Press Record

Before you start your script or press record, use this checklist and define the following elements:

  • The goal of your video. (Is it to build awareness, sell more widgets, fill an event, launch a new product, etc?)
  • The product or service you are highlighting.
  • Who your target customer is.
  • The moment your customer is in. YouTube advertising expert and CEO of Viewability Tom Breeze says, “Three types of customers have always existed. It’s just we tend to bombard people with the same message. Breeze says to break it down like this:
    • Window shopper
    • In-store browsing
    • People at the checkout
  • The big problem your customer, client or patient is facing
  • The solution and what it provides or enables your customers to do or achieve, etc.
  • Where the video is going to be live. Will it begin on Facebook or YouTube? Or on a landing page? While you’ll want to repurpose your video, it’s important to get clear on the one target location of where your audience will discover the video in the beginning.
  • What your budget is to create the video
  • What the creative requirements are. With your budget, skills, tools, and resources in mind, think about any roadblocks you might encounter when creating the video and plan on how you will address them
  • What constitutes success for your video?
  • Your call-to-action. You’ll want to place a call-to-action at the end of the video, such as watch another video, subscribe to your YouTube channel or visit your website.

Creating the Script For Your Video

While there are times when your videos will be off-the-cuff and unscripted, such as when capturing a testimonial or when witnessing an exciting unplanned moment, most business videos needs a script.

Scripts help you avoid:

  • Wasting time on editing
  • Releasing videos that are too long
  • Losing your audience

To save time, start with an outline. If you are doing something other than a single backdrop for your video, create two columns for your outline. On one side, you’ll insert your audio script and on the other side, you’ll insert visual ideas you have.

When writing the script, start with a hook. Early on, within two sentences usually, state the purpose of the video. Use conversational and relaxed language. Be concise. Avoid jargon or buzzwords. Write in the first person. And use visual language.

Realize that you won’t have a lot of words. For example, a 60-second video only has 150 – 170 words, a 90-second video is approximately 225 – 250 words, and a 2-minute video is between 300 – 350 words. Note: Nearly two-thirds of consumers prefer video under 60 seconds (Source: Animoto). Keep things short and succinct and as easy as possible for the viewer to understand so there is no barrier for them to take the desired action. Convey complex ideas in as few words as possible.

Breeze suggests the following approach for your messages:

For Window Shoppers (people that are interested, but not necessarily doing research yet) Use a message that is “more about why they should be interested in what you have and give the kind of motivation to actually be interested.”

For In-store Browsers (people doing specific research or looking for information about what to do or how to do it) Go straight into content and give good advice or a demonstration.

For People at the Checkout (this group has done their research and made a decision about what they want to buy) Create a video that is mainly about structuring a deal for them. This could be talking about an incentive or bonus you are offering or something where you give assurances to the customer such as guarantees or warranties you offer that will help customers decide to buy from you.

Sample Video Script

Hi! <your name> here to answer a question I keep getting about how to <big goal or problem your customer, client or patient has>. If you are <description of ideal customer, client or patient you are targeting> <Accomplishing verb> <broad term for goal related to your product or service> can be really <discouraging/difficult> Especially, when <reason why that hits pain point>

We’ve discovered the best way to solve <problem> is to <your solution>. Here’s why . . . <product/service> enables <target customers, clients, or patients> to <accomplish types of things>, while making it easy regardless of <challenge 1 your company handles>, <challenge 2 your company handles>, or <challenge 3 your company handles>. Plus, <a unique feature you have> that <enabling verb> to <benefit you provide customers, clients or patients> will <something you guarantee or ensure> all while providing <something awesome you provide>. And best of all <a limited time offer you’re making or something that makes your product or service irresistible>

If you are experiencing <problem>, <call to action>, <company name and how they should contact you>

Shooting Your Video

Before you shoot, read the script aloud several times and time yourself. Smooth out any places where you stumble and shorten your script if you run over the allotted time.

  1. Decide what the background should be for your video.
    • A place you are comfortable will help cut down on nerves.
    • An environment which is more natural rather than staged (such as your porch or in your office/store versus in a studio or with a green screen is more authentic and can help people relate to you better)
    • Thinking about who your audience is and what they see behind you is important. For example, if you are a chef targeting an affluent audience you might show top quality fresh produce in the background perhaps filming at the farmer’s market where you shop for your ingredients or in your kitchen where you have fresh ingredients sitting on a cutting board beside you.
  2. Equipment doesn’t have to be complicated. For example, for a single backdrop video, you can use your iPhone or Android. Before you start, check to make sure you have enough storage on your phone. Turn on the “Do not disturb” feature to avoid distracting notifications from interrupting your video.
  3. Flip your phone horizontally to create the best experience.
  4. Move close to your subject and avoid using the zoom feature which can pixelate your video and make it look blurry or shaky.
  5. Check your lighting. Don’t shoot into the sun or in a place where it’s too dark. If you plan to consistently make videos, invest in some basic lighting.
  6. Be aware of the sound. Nothing is worse than shooting a great video and realizing your sound quality is not good. Do a couple of short tests before you record for real. If you are in a quiet setting, you may get away with using your iPhone or Android for a short video like we are talking about here. However, long-term, invest in an external mic and/or clip-on mic for your lapel and/or enhance sound in a video editing software. Also, regardless of the sound setup you use, be aware of distractions such as dogs, kids, dishwashers running, etc. Even the refrigerator running or the clicking on a keyboard can be picked up and make it quite distracting to your listener.

What other tips would you add when it comes to using video in your marketing? Share in the comments below.

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About the Author Stacey and Dave Riska

Stacey and Dave Riska, aka "The Cups To Gallons Champions" are on a mission to help independent coffee, smoothie, juice bar, ice cream, dessert and snack shop owners learn how to get into lucrative catering. They transformed their coffee/smoothie business from $500K in debt to a 7-figure profitable business (yes you read that right!) by doing catering. They're the author of "Cups To Gallons where they share the 5-step CATER system that can give you $800 a day (or more!) in profits. Join Stacey, Dave and your fellow small business owners in the FREE Facebook Cups To Gallons Group

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  • Bruce says:

    Great article. I need to create more videos!

  • diana says:

    This is awesome!

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