Category Archives: Who Uses Video

Customer Testimonials: Five things to watch for. (and one of them can make all the difference in your video)

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80 percent of Americans research online before ever hitting the “Buy” button. and reviews as well as customer testimonials are powerful methods to bring the prospect one step closer to buying from you.

I see lots of websites in Cincinnati who have a page of glowing reports of their products and services, features and benefits. Unfortunately, most of those testimonials are signed “S.P.” or “Mary C.” Are they real people? You’re not really sure. Given a company that uses these kinds of customer comments and one that uses video testimonials from customers, guess which one is going to have more engagement? I hope you said video.

Customer testimonials on video are usually the first kind of web content a business owner thinks about. If done well, it’s like your customers are an additional sales force for you. Here’s the difference between doing it yourself and having someone do it for you:

1. Sound and lighting must be perfect. You want the viewer to hear every nuance and not have to strain to listen to something a tiny microphone picks up from 6 feet away. Also, don’t ask your best customers to sit in front of a camera if they don’t look their best. Bad lighting ruins more videos than you think.

2. NEVER ask someone to read a prepared script. Even if the customer himself wrote it, this is not genuine.

3. Ask open ended questions. Find out what was going on before they found the business, what led them to the business, and why they keep returning. If they’re uncomfortable being on camera, get them to talk about their hobbies or kids first. It will warm them up and they will begin to free associate your business with their thoughts.

4. It’s okay for them to ramble as they’re giving their testimonial. Although, this is the spot where all the do-it-yourselfers get in trouble. What if the customer comes up with a gem in the middle of all the other stuff? The viewer watching the video might not stay around that long. In the newspaper industry – it’s called “Burying The Lead”. A skilled video editor can take that gem and form the rest of the testimonial around it. The difference being one is something that might get watched, and the other is one that will create an emotional connection. Which do you think creates more sales?

5. I know there’s a lot of discussion over which is right and which is wrong, but I do not believe a customer should give a testimonial looking directly into the camera. Let the camera be the onlooker while they tell the story to an off-camera interviewer. It’s much more comfortable for the customer, and a lot easier to watch for the viewer.

You wouldn’t allow just anyone with a paintbrush to paint your house. So make sure you have a professional direct and edit your video testimonials for maximum punch and effectiveness in your marketing tool kit. I’d like to be your resource for producing video testimonials that get results. Contact me for details.
— that’s a wrap.

5 Reasons Video Intimidates Businesses

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I get it. After all of the statistics showing how well video performs online; after more and more case studies on businesses who use video to inform, educate, and market to their customers, you’re still on the fence. You’re not alone.
Video, from how to use it to how to deploy it, is still intimidating.

1. I don’t like myself on video. — It doesn’t have to be about you. Your customers or staff can bring compelling case studies and testimonials. There are dozens of scenarios where your “screen time” can be minimal or non-existent. I see this occasionally, but with patience, the client can open up and start to have fun.

2. I wouldn’t know what to say. I’m not good at memorizing a script. — a good producer will have multiple ideas for you, and multiple ways to present them. I shot a great video last year a few sentences at a time then pieced it together. I have some clients who need prompters. Prompter devices are simple to set up. Anyone who shoots business videos should have one. They make you look really good. If news anchors can use them, you can too.

3. I don’t want to end up with a video that’s too “Hollywood” . — Sure, in a lot of cases, simple is better. But you need the professionalism of good lighting, great sound, and a non-shaky camera. Those are the first priorities for anything that is going to represent you.

4. It’s too expensive. — costs for professional video vary widely. It’s very possible to produce some nice testimonials for less than a couple of hundred dollars. But they’re yours. They don’t vanish into thin air like commercials, or get thrown away like flyers. If you’re on a really short shoestring, do them yourself. Just remember the three principles in the previous paragraph.

5. I don’t know what to do next. — put them on YouTube, on Vimeo, on a blog, on Facebook, Twitter, anywhere and everywhere. Be sure there’s a call to action and it links back to your site.

Don’t allow your fears to get in the way of stepping up communication with customers and prospects. No matter what you sell or who you sell it to, adding video content is something you can’t delay.
— that’s a wrap.

Thanks, Steve

Behind The Scenes, copywriting, Uncategorized, Who Uses Video, , , ,

Steve owned a company that made computers. Steve wanted to buy some commercials. I was one of four radio and television stations to meet with him one day. I sat next to the account executive while he detailed the proposed buy. Then, I was introduced as the one who would write and produce the commercial.

I went through my usual list of questions, asking Steve about his business and more importantly his customers: who they were and the kinds of problems they were bringing for Steve to solve. When we finished, I had a pretty good idea of what I would write if we got the order.
The next day Steve called. “I was really floored,” he said, “Out of all the stations I met with, you were the only one to ask about my business. Everyone else just told me what I should be doing.”

We got the order. Not only that, but Steve hired me to produce all of his commercials for the entire market.

When someone asks me what sets Videos On Your Website apart, I tell them about Steve and how he doubled his business because he partnered with someone who asked and listened about his business.

Thanks, Steve.

–that’s a wrap.

Videos: Working Wonders or Wonder Why?

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I really try not to rant too much in this blog. When I do, it’s usually because I’ve just something that I find disappointing. I will let you in on a secret: when I visit someone’s website, I always look for the “footer” that is a link to the web designer.

The one I visited today did really pretty work. They just left off the page titles from their own site. That’s the title that shows up in the top bar of your browser, and it’s really important. But the real kicker was that the web firm also produces video. They have one on their home page. It’s titled “Our Commercial”.

(facepalm)

It actually WAS a commercial. And it gave no reason why someone should hire them. They also thought enough to include the line, “having a video couldn’t hurt.”

(facepalm)

I can’t stress this enough: People Don’t Search For Commercials.  Commercials are not suited for the web. Why would a web designer put a commercial on their home page?? Why not a video about how a well designed site brings a return on investment?  Or video testimonials from clients? Even a series about marketing best practices.

Content that people want to watch. That’s where video works wonders.
What’s on your website.

–that’s a wrap

How To Use Videos To Sell Products

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You have a website that sells products. It could be three or three hundred. Most e-commerce sites operate the same way: a database of products and a page for each product. But when videos are added, sales skyrocket. Here’s how it works.

VIDEOS ON HOME PAGE  Here’s where you can capture new customers and hold on to old customers too. Offer new products, stage demos talk to staff, or feature customer shot video. It will engage and you’ll keep visitors on the site longer.

VIDEOS ON PRODUCT PAGES   Show different views. Show how the item works. Show testimonials.

MAKE IT SOCIAL   Don’t forget to cross-post your videos to Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest to grow the brand.

NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS USE YOUTUBE   You can host your video there and share it or you can host anywhere else. But, yes, upload to YouTube. It’s still the number two search engine. It will positively impact your visibility and search engine rankings.

BLOG    Every time you post your video somewhere new, it counts as fresh content. Google ranks video higher than other content.  Put video on your blog sang give visitors a reason to come back.
— that’s a wrap.

Client Spotlight – Bed Bug Shield

Behind The Scenes, Video As Content, Who Uses Video, , , ,

Product demos are one of the most effective uses of online video. Customers can see the product in action, learn best practices, and see effective uses while they seamlessly slip from discovery mode to buying mode.
I have been fortunate to have worked with a number of inventors and innovators with Videos On Your Website to produce targeted and compelling demos that work. Bed Bug Shield is one of my favorites.

This area has long been on the top of the list nationally for bed bug problems. There are scores of exterminators who deal not only with primary infestations, but also with folks who inadvertently bring the little critters home from a trip. Bed Bug Shield deals with both of those problems.

When they first contacted me, one of the issues we had to solve was location – since they wanted to show the product using LIVE bed bugs. Of course, there would be absolutely no risk, since bed bugs cannot fly, and we would have a little “corral” in which to shoot them and the product at work. As it turned out, that was the least of my worries. The morning of the shoot, I developed an abscessed tooth, and made the drive to the location in more than a little pain.

After a quick set up, we started shooting footage. We got great shots of the product, closeups of the bed bugs, and easy to follow demonstrations of how it keeps bed bugs from hitching a ride on clothes, or in a suitcase during a trip.

They recently contacted me with an update on their progress:

We have picked up a contract for 8 surrounding counties with the Area on Aging not to mention a few large name exterminators refer to us on a regular basis, so things are going well. We would always like to be busier but we have tripled our volume just in the last 6 months. The video is on our website and people love it!!! We have had a good response to it

It’s always nice to hear things like that. Videos DO work, whether it’s product demonstrations, customer testimonials, or answering customer’s questions.

Here’s the Bed Bug Shield video.Bed Bug Products – Business Video

–that’s a wrap.

7 Mind Blowing Things You Can Do With Video

Uncategorized, Video As Content, Who Uses Video, You Tube for Business, , , ,

First off, you and I both know there are way more than just 7 in this list. For example, it’s mind blowing to me that videos can touch someone so personally that they get choked up. There is one piece particularly that no matter how many times I see it, I need a tissue at the end. It blows my mind that almost 30 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every MINUTE!

So let’s get to the list. And be sure to tell me what you think.

1. VIDEO CAN OFFER COUPONS.
It costs a few hundred dollars a month to get coupons included in that blue envelope that gets delivered in the mail. You can do it for free with video AND change them anytime you like. With YouTube annotations, you can control where the coupon code is placed in the video. Remove or change the annotations whenever you want.

2. VIDEO CAN MAKE AUDIENCE SPECIFIC MESSAGES.
I did this in radio all the time, and now it is possible in video. Create a custom open and close – also called a wraparound – and address a specific audience, need, or event. This works great when you have multiple targets, or multiple locations. The body of the message stays the same, but each one has a unique feel to it.

3. VIDEO CAN PUT YOURSELF IN ANY LOCATION.
Want to be in a beautiful, modern studio or in front of the Eiffel Tower or even miniaturize yourself to show someone the inside details of your thingamabob? Do it with a green screen. The same technique that the TV weatherman uses to stand in front of the map can put you almost anywhere.

4. VIDEO CAN DEVELOP YOUR OWN REALITY / DIY / COMEDY SERIES
Ten years ago if you wanted to get your message in front of a mass of people, you had to have a major publisher or network behind you. All that has changed. The gates are wide open for anyone to produce whatever content they wish. YouTube has spawned its share of stars: folks who are actually making a living writing and producing these little videos. You can too. What would you do with your own network?

5. VIDEO CAN KNOW HOW MANY FOLKS ARE WATCHING.
What can newspapers, radio, television and even direct mail never do that online does very well everyday? Tell you who’s watching. Print and electronic media know how many people they reach, but not the engagement. And when someone clicks to start a video, they are choosing to consume that content. Many analytics can tell you the communities those folks are from.

6. VIDEO CAN MAKE SMALL BUSINESSES LOOK LIKE THE BIG GUYS.
It’s not a budget statement anymore. With the right video, your only limit is your imagination. Remember the Coke and Pepsi challenge?
You can pit yourself against your competition all day and show how you’re better, safer, cleaner, greener. Tell your story to the folks you want to reach. Make them care and they will share.

Any one of these techniques has the power to blow your mind when applied properly. And if you’re not using video at all, your competitors will.

–that’s a wrap.

Friends With Content

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Ok, now you’ve got a video on your website. And maybe you’ve even put out the link on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and all those other social media sites. You’re patting yourself on the back for being such a savvy marketer.
As they say in those infomercials, “But Wait There’s More!”
You have another venue open to you: Blogs That Are Not Yours. When someone you’d like to reach is searching for what you provide, what other sources of information can they find? Tap into those content networks, and you’ve struck a potential goldmine of marketing power.
That is a primary reason not to produce a video that is a commercial. People don’t search for commercials, and they certainly don’t share them either. When you’re offering content that answers a question or addresses a need, your videos are more likely to be watched, shared, AND published on Someone Else’s Blog. It’s ok to ask the Blog owner to post or write about your video. Just remember to do your homework and only contact those blogs that legitimately relate to the info in your video.
Find new customers. Make new friends. Open new channels of distribution for your videos. That will put you a step ahead of your competition.
That’s a wrap

This May Get Technical

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Do it yourself video editing can open up a whole new set of problems for those looking for what they think may be an easy way in.
Take for example the newest consumer HD cameras. Many of them use a technology developed jointly by Sony and Panasonic called AVCHD. This is actually a professional MP4 format that was developed for use in Blu-Ray discs. It’s a big problem for do it yourselfers.
You see, AVCHD files take a lot of processing power just to play them back properly. A LOT. And before you even move the clips from your camera to your hard drive, you have to navigate the labrynth file system that comes with shooting in AVCHD.
On laptops, the video clips will look out of synch. You’ll need something with at least quad core processing to play your video. And if you cant play it, how are going to find your edit points?
Be prepared to shell out close to $3000 for an editing system with enough processing power, RAM, and the kind of video card you’ll need to edit with any kind of ease.
Most businesses who want to add video will turn to a professional – for shooting or editing or both. DIY can be fun, and somewhat inexpensive . And as they say, the devil is in the details, so if you’re going to edit professional looking video for your website, make sure you system is up to it.
–That’s a wrap.

3 Vital Marketing Questions Every Business Must Answer

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I don’t care if you’re a solopreneur or own a company with 50 employees – you know how to get or create inventory, what your profit margin is, and who your target market is. Now, let’s see how you answer these three vital marketing questions. I’ll have answers at the end.
1. WHY DO YOU HAVE A WEBSITE? What is its purpose? Is it an online brochure? Do you actually sell product and collect revenue there? Is it because everyone else has one?
2. ARE THE RIGHT PEOPLE VISITING YOUR SITE? Do you know who they are and how they found you? Do you know what phrase they put into a search engine that brought your site into the results? How long are they staying ?
3. WHAT DO YOU WANT THEM TO DO? Place an order? Subscribe to your newsletter? Call you to find out more? If you don’t ask your visitors to do something, then they won’t.
NOW LET’S SEE THE ANSWERS
1. If someone recommends you to a friend, 8 out of 10 of those folks will head to the web to check you out. If you can’t answer their questions, they’ll go elsewhere very quickly. Videos immediately establish trust and expertise.
2. You can target the right visitors all across the web with videos. Use blogs, social media, local search and more. When they do find you, make them stay with compelling videos that answer their questions and show off your product or service.
3. Whether you want visitors to fill out a form, subscribe to a newsletter or buy a product, 70% more visitors convert after watching a video.
Want to talk about more ideas? Call me. Because if you aren’t using video and your competition is, you lose.
–that’s a wrap.