5 Points: How To Make A Promotional Video

Video marketing is a growing industry and everyone is jumping on board. While some companies put their marketing teams on the job to produce fantastic promotional videos, smaller businesses can struggle with all the intricacies.

That’s understandable.

Promotional video marketing is a specialized field.  There is a lot to know.  Even if a business owner decides to buy and read Blue Cranes book [Amazon.com] “Shoot Great Video with your Canon Camera”, there is much to consider.

Here are some of the top solutions that will help make your video work:

Know Your Audience

Many people in business have become accustomed to filling out creative briefs.  The brief asks a series of questions with the aim of discovering the target audience, their wants and needs, and how best to communicate with them.  Before jumping into the ring and making a promotional video, ask yourself some questions.  As tools to shoot basic video marketing are cheap these days, you must make sure the message content is quality.  Only when you’re sure of your target audience should you move ahead with your video.

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Choose Your Style

Is it a scripted piece or will it be improvised? Are you using an actor or a spokesperson from your company? Is the video a talking testimonial, and how will it be different from a product-centered video?  Will it be heavy on graphics and animation, and if so how will this affect your budget?  The answers to these questions will largely flow from a study of your creative brief.  If you’re working with a promotional video company, be sure to consider these options with them.

Related Reading: Non-Negotiables: ‘Must-Haves’ for Effective Videos

Invest in Yourself

Social Media Marketing is getting high-tech.  In the past, a businesses could get away with webcam videos shot in dark rooms.  Those days are over.  People demand quality.  YouTube has moved to HD.  Twitter and Facebook users won’t bother with a low quality video and audio.  Remember that your promotional video represents your company much like a sales person.  Investing in a top quality video will impress your clients, just as a low quality video will damage your reputation.  Either way you will make an impression – make sure you are making the right one.

Related Reading: Why Use Video as a Marketing Tool?

Should You Hire a Pro?

Is this video going on your website blog or cable TV?  Will you be making lots of these videos, or is this the one?  The importance of this video will largely determine how much you spend on a professional.  Of course you can purchase all the equipment yourself, and a tripodsetup with a simple Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera and simple lighting kitcould let you make do without a helper operating the equipment, in theory.  But remember that there is a lot more to producing a quality promotional video than simply setting up a camera and pressing play.  Use of proper lighting, audio recordings, post-production editing, graphics and animation, music… altogether these things can add up to a nightmare if you don’t have experience with them.  A professional will be fast and effective and will produce a great a great product.

Related Interview: 5 Reasons Quality Production is Vital

Spread the Word

Once your video is complete, it’s time to spread the word.  Viral Video Marketing can be the most effective means of impressing your clients, so it does little good to let your video disappear into your blog.  Upload and embed your video on YouTube (and vicariously Google), video podcast it on iTunes, use RSS video feeds to spread it around, and send it to all your contacts using Twitter, Facebook and email campaigns.  The more impressions your video gets, the easier it will be for search engines to pick it up.  With some proper online marketing, your video could be the first thing people see when they search for your industry in Google – this is key!

Promotional Video Marketing has become one of the most effective means for businesses to communicate, both at the business-to-business level as well as with the general public.  Using a professional film production team to create your promotional video will not only raise the quality of your video, but it will ensure your company receives the respect it deserves! 

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