Does this conversation sound familiar to you?
“We really need a corporate video to boost our sales and improve our reach. It’s got to be really creative and it should show how passionate we are about the work that we do.”
“Sounds great! How about we start with the office – we’ll get some great shots of the team working at their computer – and we’ll make sure we include some close-ups of the awards you’ve won too. It needs to look really high-end.”
If you’ve ever approached a video production company before, it’s likely that this might be the kind of conversation you’ll have had.
Initial meetings with clients are really important; they help set the tone for the working relationship, encourage new ideas to develop, and hopefully provide some reassurance that making a corporate video is worth investing your money in.
The trouble is, if the kinds of conversations you are having from the outset are anything like the above, you’re unlikely to ever get the results you are looking for. Surely you want to reassure your potential customers, and win some new business?
Let’s break it down…
“It’s got to be really creative”
We hear this a lot, and we get it. In a world of marketing where standing out is everything, the pressure is on to do things differently. It’s no surprise, then, when businesses feel the need to make their marketing video as “creative” or “wacky” as possible.
But wait; before you start delving into planning arty shots and creating an inspired (and potentially irrelevant) storyboard, we urge you to stop for a minute. Does your video really need to be “creative”? What is that bringing to the table? How is it aiding the message you are sending to your target market?
So often, people get so caught up in the production of the video that they forget that, at its heart, this is a marketing tool… and of course, the focus really shouldn’t be on how creative the video is. This isn’t about winning an MTV award, it’s about selling to your customers! After all, it’s less about you and more about your potential customers. Or, in other words, it’s about reassuring your customers that your product or service is something that they need or want.
And that, ultimately, is where all initial meetings and brainstorming of ideas should begin. The creativity can come later (and only if it helps boost that message to your customers!).
And talking about creative – wouldn’t you expect that enyway?
“It should show how passionate we are about the work that we do”
Guess what? If there’s one thing that almost all UK businesses have in common, it’s that they are passionate about what they do!
Here’s another thing – when you’ve only got a few minutes to capture your audience’s attention, engage them, and ultimately persuade them to buy from you, it really doesn’t matter how passionate you are.
The truth is, you’d expect any company that has built a successful business around a product or service to be passionate about it. But actually, when it comes to selling that product or service, it really isn’t about you and your passion; it’s all about your customer and their needs.
“We’ll get some great shots of people playing on the pool table – and we’ll make sure we include some close-ups of the awards you’ve won”
Unless the aim of your video is to hire new people into the company, your customers probably don’t need to see how fun, modern or inspiring your office is. (Although this is an interesting point to consider – it’s just about being clear about the objectives from the start).
And while it might feel like you’re doing a great job of selling by highlighting all the awards you’ve won, all you’re really doing is taking the focus away from your customer and their needs, and putting the focus back on your company. Which, in all honesty, can be really disengaging!
So, how do you effectively engage with your potential customers? That really depends on what it is your business is trying to promote. If your selling point is your expertise, it’s important you convey your wisdom and specialist knowledge in your video. Of course, don’t forget to focus on how that knowledge can benefit your customers.
Even better, include some client testimonials in your video. Reviews from real customers give a huge boost to your sales by building trust, reassurance and reputation in your brand.
“It will look really high-end”
Of course you want your marketing video to look professional; after all, it’s a representation of your business.
But looking good shouldn’t mean you lose sight of the messaging behind your video. And in reality, any companies who does ‘video production’ is more than capable of shooting good video…
The crux of all good marketing comes from knowing what it is you need to say to your audience to entice them to say, “Yes, I’d like one of those”. Without that messaging at the heart of it all, you’ll end up with just another corporate video that looks mediocre and delivers little to no new business for you.
So, how do you go about delivering the right message to your target market while also producing a video that looks as good as it sells? And perhaps crucially, how can you avoid losing sales to your competitors?
Well, it all starts with a conversation…
If you’d like to know a bit more about how we do things at Life Media UK, and how our videos have helped our clients improve their reach and boost their sales, we’d love to speak with you – please do get in touch for a friendly chat.
We’ll listen, and we’ll not be shy about coming forward with our ideas!
