Archive: March 29, 2013

YouTube Exceeds 1 Billion Visitors. Great News for Video-Marketing

March 29, 2013

YouTube now has more than 1 billion people visiting the site each month to consume a range of videos from pure entertainment, to viral corporate videos.

If your business has considered adding video into the marketing mix, now is a good time to explore the options. Not only are more companies using video-marketing to be heard above the competitive noise, but YouTube’s latest news shows how powerful the site can be as a  distribution channel for your video-marketing.

Read More

Report Review: Lights, Camera, Call-to-Action: Trends in Video Marketing

March 27, 2013

We often get asked by clients about the trends in video-marketing. More companies are increasing their investment in video-marketing because of data that shows videos increase sales and customer engagement.

At flycreative we like to share the reports and news we read with clients and readers, and our latest report round-up is Lights, Camera, Call-to-Action: Trends in Video Marketing, by the Aberdeen Group.

No time to read the small print? don't worry, we've got you covered below...

No time to read the small print? don’t worry, we’ve got you covered below…

You can download the report from here. You need to register on the site, so if you’re in a hurry, here are the highlights:

The Biggest Marketing Problem is Competitive “Noise”

After surveying more than 100 marketing and sales professionals, the report shows that the biggest challenge is being heard above the noise of the competition. 54% found that differentiating themselves from the competition was a bigger challenge than thin marketing budgets, not converting leads effectively, or not identifying the best prospects.

Video-Marketing Drives Conversions

The report found that Best-in-Class companies were more likely (by 38%) to use video marketing not only for lead generation, but for nurture, sales and retention.

Video can be used in many ways throughout the stages of the buying process. From viral corporate videos that catch attention, to videos that encourage sales, and video tutorials that can improve customer loyalty.

One Corporate Video = Multiple Marketing Opportunities

The companies who were successful in using video in their marketing made sure their videos could be filmed once, but have multiple marketing uses. For example, this would mean working with your video production company to make sure your corporate video format was suitable for the web, for offline viewing and high definition viewing.

It’s also important to make sure your video will still look great when viewed on a mobile or tablet device.

The Importance of Video Interaction

With your corporate or marketing video, the report discovered that Best-in-Class companies were more likely to ensure viewing was not a passive experience.

There are many ways we can make your corporate video an interactive marketing experience. We can include multiple user experiences, with customer’s choosing the endings. We can integrate and embed calls to action including subscribe, register and buy buttons. To talk about how we can make your corporate video interactive, contact us today.

Compelling, Concise Content

The report also emphasised the importance of delivering a strong story to your audience, and keeping individual videos relatively short. The average length of a corporate video was found to be 3.5 minutes.

For more information about how we work with Best-in-Class companies to deliver excellent video-marketing experiences, contact flycreative today.

Photo by: jurvetson

The 5 Employees You Should Use in Your Corporate Video

March 25, 2013

Quite often we work with clients who want to show a behind-the-scenes corporate video because they know that letting customers see how a product is made, or a service is delivered can increase value perception.

Sometimes the most fascinating video stories are from 'ordinary' processes

Sometimes the most fascinating video stories are from ‘ordinary’ processes

We often get asked to advise how to choose which employees should be in front of the camera in these types of corporate videos, and corporate documentaries, so here are our top tips:

The CEO / Founder

Many companies choose to use their CEO in a corporate video because more consumers today want to associate a person with a brand. In last year’s Edelman Trust Barometer report, it was shown that consumers place more trust in an ‘expert individual’ compared to an organisation.

Customer Service Representatives

Recently we consulted with a client struggling with an area of brand damage relating to customer service. We explained how video can help build a better bond between existing customers by sharing successful customer service stories, and also showing how employees work hard to resolve difficulties.

Another option is to also highlight a customer’s story where a problem has been resolved. By having your customer tell a story of problem-action-solution, you present your company as being transparent, open and authentic.

Sales Representatives

Your sales force is often your front line when representing your company. With video, you can feature a sales executive with a compelling and persuasive message and reach hundreds and thousands of customers in one go.

A video based on a sales rep is a perfect way to explain the benefits of your product and even cover some of the frequently asked questions your customers may have about your product.

Operations Employees

Whether you have a wholesale distribution business or a retail outlet, a story that explains how the product is delivered, from conception to sale can be fascinating to prospective clients, and also to the media.

Quite often, when working with businesses, we find that the processes they take for granted can have a huge impact on customers. A good London video production company 😉 can help you research which stories and people make for a compelling corporate video story.

Customers

Okay, they’re not strictly employees, but your business doesn’t exist without your customers. More importantly, customers tend to make much better stories for corporate video production. The intersection between your customer and your product is where the best story lies.

Think about the problem your customer has, how you solve it, and who would be willing to share that story. Mix those people with the cast of characters above and you have the potential for an unforgettable corporate video.

For more ideas about commissioning a corporate video, contact flycreative today.

Using Video for Product Demonstrations and How-to Tutorials

March 18, 2013

One of the benefits of using video to convey a message is the immediacy of the medium. Within seconds you can communicate the benefits, features and the different ways your product or service works.

Video tutorials can also work to increase sales as well as customer engagement. If you’re considering working with a London video production company this way, here are some things to think about.

Video tutorials can be a powerful sales and marketing tool

Video tutorials can be a powerful sales and marketing tool

What do you want to say?

Before you work with a video production company on a corporate video tutorial, it’s worth considering what you need to say, and the target viewer you would like to attract.

Do you want to educate your customers about a service you offer? Or communicate your vendor process to suppliers? If you spend time drafting out what you want to say, and prioritising the most important parts, you video production company will be able to produce a compelling and clear video.

Where will the video fall in your sales cycle?

Related to the above point, it’s also worth considering where your video will fall in your sales cycle. Is it at the very beginning to educate potential customers about solutions available to a problem they are having? For example, if you are selling CRM software to companies, you may want to show a video comparing the use of your software, to other methods such as manual spreadsheets.

Is the video going to be used for customer retention or increasing repeat purchases? Video tutorials for using a product can increase repeat purchases by encouraging the customer to use a product or buy further accessories to improve the experience.

For example, if you are selling hair styling products and can release a series of tutorials encouraging customers to use the product in a variety of ways, you’re likely to increase product usage and encourage repeat purchasing.

What should your viewer do next?

Every piece of content in a marketing campaign should have a call to action, including your videos. If a customer is watching your video until the end that means you have his or her attention. You want to take that momentum and encourage them to take action. Think about whether you want them to sign up to a newsletter to be updated with further tutorials, or to click through to a purchase page for accessories, or simply to share the video on social media.

For more information about how to use videos for product demonstrations and how-to tutorials, contact flycreative today.

How to Increase Value Perception With Behind-The-Scenes Video

March 15, 2013

Previously we have talked about how corporate micro-documentaries can be used to tell a compelling story about your business to your ideal customers.

One of the reasons this works well is because it shows your ideal audience what goes on behind the scenes in your business. This can be a very effective technique to use in your marketing that can increase the value perception of your product or service.

By value-perception, we simply mean how much your viewer believes your product or service is worth.

This can be very useful if you want to make your customers comfortable paying a premium price for your service. So why does this method work?

Can you increase your value using video?

Can you increase your value using video?

It reveals the value of the process

When you make a behind-the-scenes video that shows the process of how your product or service is delivered, it reveals the effort that goes into the end result. This helps your customer understand why your offering is so important.

If you sell organic oranges, and you can show the effort that goes into researching, selecting and delivering the best-quality oranges, your customer can then understand the process behind the price tag.

It reveals the importance of what you do

In the above example, if you show the story behind why it is important to choose organic oranges you can also increase the value perception of what it is you offer. This is the same for any service that is worthwhile. From finance to technology, if you can show behind the scenes what drives the desire to provide this service based on how important it is in the world, you can provide a more compelling message to your audience through video.

It gives your customer a story to tell

This is particularly true with services or products that are bespoke or tailored. When a customer knows how their product is made or the service is delivered, they are able to elevate their status within a group with an interesting story.

This is particularly powerful with hand made items and a lot of micro-documentaries are used to provide fascinating facts about how items are made, from iPads to bikes.

To find out how you can increase value-perception with a behind-the-scenes video, contact us today.

What is a micro-documentary?

March 6, 2013

If you’re thinking about using a corporate video to increase online engagement, customer loyalty and sales, you may have come across the term “micro-documentary” when searching for video production companies.

They are a relatively new approach to making corporate videos and a lot of businesses are using them to promote their product or service.

Even ordinary businesses can turn into extra-ordinary documentaries

Even ordinary businesses can turn into extra-ordinary documentaries

What is a micro documentary

A micro-documentary is typically a short documentary style video based on a specific topic. They may be anything from 1-2 minutes, 10 minutes or 20 minutes. Anything really that is shorter than a standard length documentary which is typically longer than 20 minutes.

Why do businesses use micro-documentaries?

In some cases, businesses find the documentary approach to talking about their business more effective than straight-forward advertising. A documentary typically has a strong, newsworthy narrative, so if done well, a corporate micro-documentary may be picked up by the media to gain valuable press exposure for the business.

A documentary is easier to share and reach people who would be ideal customers for the business, without it feeling like a strong sales sell. In short, a micro-documentary has more power and leverage to be shared then most traditional advertising videos.

How can you use micro-documentaries in your business?

A lot of businesses struggle with the idea of what subject they should cover in their micro-documentary but a good video production company can help you develop a newsworthy story about your business.

Some compelling ideas for your micro-documentary may include:

  • The work you do – see the dog rescue clip in this post about video marketing campaigns that went viral
  • Charitable work your business is involved in
  • Stories about your customers using your product
  • Stories about your employees and how they deliver the service
  • How the product is made, taking a glimpse behind the scenes

People love to connect with human stories rather than direct promotions of goods and services so think about how you can show something similar in your corporate micro-documentary.

Need more information about micro-documentaries?

flycreative produce micro-documentaries for businesses and organisations wanting a compelling video story about the work they do. For more information about how we can produce a micro-documentary about your business, please get in touch.

What Format Do You Need for Your Corporate Video?

March 4, 2013

If you’re thinking about hiring a London video production company to shoot your corporate video, you might have questions about what format you should choose.

Some video companies charge extra for producing videos in different formats (at flycreative our clients receive all formats as standard).

Before working with a video company, find out what formats they can provide

Before working with a video company, find out what formats they can provide

To answer the question it really depends on how you want to use your corporate video. For example:

Using your corporate video on the web and mobile

A lot of businesses want their corporate videos to use online. These can be used for online tutorials, viral video marketing campaigns, training tools, or live streaming events. Having video on your website can increase engagement and sales if it is designed to appeal to your target audience.

Most video production companies in London will provide your video ready for teh web, which is usually 720p, also classed as HD or HD ready. This formatting will look great on a computer, tablet or mobile.

Using your corporate video as a brochure

You may decide to use your corporate video as a sales tool. Something you can provide to customers to watch and find out more information about your business. Your video production company can provide a video for you on DVD, which will be SD as opposed to HD, but will still look great when viewed on a DVD player or computer.

Using your corporate video for HD screens

You may decide you want to use your corporate video to view in high definition on a HD TV, or screen. In this case you would be provided with a high definition computer file that you would be able to open and play through your computer or laptop onto a projector, or through a high definition TV screen.

Hopefully this has answered your questions about the different formats available when working with a video production company on your corporate video. If you do have any other questions about formatting of videos, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Before you go..
Download our free ebook

Mustard-Education-Video-ebook

7 Steps:
Make your school’s video
content pay for itself

  • How to use your new video to attract attention and get the results it deserves
  • How the most successful independent schools are getting all the new enrolments
  • The techniques that will give you a clear, predictable return on your video investment
  • How to track and record ROI to prove your video strategy’s working