This is some groundbreaking information . . .
As in, information that you should have when you plan to break ground.
Whether it’s a new building, foundation work, a tunnel, a bridge, or really any other complex construction project, the data that the team at GEO-Instruments provides to their clients around the world is essential to a safe and effective work flow. And it’s not just “what” GEO provides that sets them apart, but also “how” they partner with clients throughout the life of a job. When we first met with the GEO team to plan a sequence of videos, it was clear that a demonstration of that “how” would play a key role in their video marketing strategy.
Enter the Process Video. By breaking a complex topic like Geotechnical instrumentation down into a sequence of smaller steps, we’re able to:
- Speak to a buyer base with varying degrees of technical knowledge
- Demonstrate the expertise of the GEO-Instruments team
- Create a feeling of comfort and familiarity with the people at GEO
And best of all, unlike even your very best, most dedicated business development person, a process video is at work 24-7, accessible to your potential buyer exactly when he, she, or they needs to know – “Hey, how will this work?” And that, my friend, is a groundbreaking approach to sales.
Born on Saturday . . .
Sound familiar?
Like a lot of entrepreneurs, Tony Thompson of KWAME Building Group first started his now 30 year old construction management firm by working on the weekends before leaving his previous employer. The origin story is such a vital part of his company that he named it KWAME, which means “Born on Saturday”.
We are often asked to help companies celebrate milestones with a legacy video. We love crafting these stories! While we create legacy videos in many styles, we always keep these goals in mind:
- RELATABILITY – Focusing on elements of the story that other business owners can relate to helps to create a feeling of familiarity. Stories are most effective when other people can see themselves in the “hero”.
- INDIVIDUALITY – While many business owners share a number of traits, challenges, and inspirations, every business has a story that makes them uniquely them. These are those things that help your story, and your company, memorable, and the things that your clients love about you.
- LONGEVITY – Ideally, a legacy video remains a viable part of your marketing toolbox for years to come (until you’re ready to make your next milestone video, at least). Focusing on how this amazing foundation sets you up for future success is a great way to structure a story that will continue to be relevant as you move forward.
When you’re ready to celebrate your next milestone, let us know! We’re here to help.
When you’re looking for more . . .
More people, that is, with more experience, more commitment, and more promise, a recruiting video can become your HR team’s best friend.
Did you know that video is shared 20x more than any other content type on LinkedIn? Or that job postings with video have a 34% higher application rate than those without? (source)
Want to learn how to make your next job posting more effective by using video? Here are a few quick tips:
- Feature the people who are already making your company great. After all, attracting more of that type of people will just make your company more great (ok, improper grammar. But you get my point!)
- Speak to the true benefits that your company offers employees. It’s often not about compensation and healthcare, but about opportunity, and freedom, and those other intangibles that attract good people and keep them.
- Stay on point. Recruiting videos are great place to stick to that wonderful marketing tenet of “What’s in it for me?” Potential employees don’t need to know everything at this stage, just what will impact them in their everyday life at your company. Keep the rest of it for your onboarding video 🙂
And when you’re ready for more video advice, call us.
When golfers like Tiger Woods, Jason Day, and Phil Mickelson will be lounging in your trailer, you want to make something really spectacular.
And when a client like TaylorMade is thrilled to hit the PGA Tour circuit in your creation, you want to make a spectacular video about it.
Word of mouth is one of the strongest forms of marketing for companies of all types and industries. And a well produced video testimonial creates word of mouth opportunities that last. That’s why we love when an innovative company like Craftsmen Industries invites us to create a video testimonial like this one.
Even better? When we receive a testimonial in return!
“I could not be happier. You nailed it. The shorter version is 100% customer as it should be and he used the tag line perfectly. This would be an Olympic perfect 10. Thanks to you and your team for such fantastic work. You ROCK! I hope you are as proud of this as we are with this production. What an awesome testimonial. Nice work. Hugs and high fives all around. “ — Mark Steele, President/CEO
When you’re ready to spread the word about your happy clients, give us a call!
Reach for the skies . . .
When your firm has been innovating engineering, design, and construction for almost a century, why wouldn’t you “reach for the skies” with a first of its kind project like the World’s Tallest Modular Hotel, the AC NoMad, soon coming to New York? And when your incredibly talented team has the opportunity to share the story of this project to a wide audience, why wouldn’t you create a Project Case Study Video?
I’m proud to share with you this fantastic story of the innovation and expertise of our client, Epstein Global. And I invite you to share your success stories with us! We have a team on standby waiting to tell your story . . .
Your brand is more than just a logo.
It’s your culture. Your mission. Your vision. The way you present your business to the world.
A branding video tells the story of your brand in ways that your logo can only dream of.
Let your brand out of the box. Call us to begin crafting your branding video.
You know that moment.
That moment when all of your careful planning, all the decisions that you’ve made that have led up to this place, this product, this service, or this video all come together and you get to sit back and see it all in action.
One of the most basic tenets of effective storytelling, and effective video production, is “Show, Don’t Tell”. When you give an audience the opportunity to experience your product, service, or other offering through a truly visual, and visceral, technique, you heighten your chances that your audience will remember your brand, your story, and most importantly for business owners, your offer (which leads to three of our favorite letters: ROI).
80% of an audience will remember a well crafted video ad up to a month after viewing it, and 40% will take action.
So how do you “Show, Don’t Tell”?
Be honest and authentic. What are the selling points of your product or your service? What are the ways in which those selling points add value to your customer base? Where will they use this, what impact will it have? What scenarios can you play out that will demonstrate those selling points in action?
Humor never hurts. (Side note: No skateboarders or trash receptacles were harmed in the making of this video). If you can get a laugh out of your audience, your video becomes that much more memorable. Just be sure that any moments of humor also honor tip #1, and that you stay honest to your brand.
If you can show it, you don’t have to say it as well. A lot of video makers fall into the trap of stating everything that is seen onscreen. Use as few words as possible, and let the action speak for itself. Trust us, it does anyway (Actions do Speak Louder than Words, it’s not just something your mother told you).
Keep it simple. One video, one message. Your audience should be able to tell someone else about the video, the product or service, or the offer in less than one sentence.
Want some help Showing (not telling) how your prospect base will benefit from your business, your product, or your service? Give us a call!
The strength of an organization like NECA depends on the strength of the membership.
And the strength of an interview driven video depends on the strength of the interviewees.
I’ve said it many times, and I’ll say it many times again – a good video starts with good preparation. A key piece of that prep is determining who will be interviewed and identifying which pieces of the story that individual can best illustrate. It’s like putting together a puzzle, or designing a building, or inventing a new product – each piece should complement the piece next to it to create a stronger, better, more interesting and more effective whole.
Here’s a couple of quick tips for deciding whom to interview in your next video:
1) Diversity is key to a great story. This can be physical diversity, such as race or gender, diversity of roles within the company or organization, diversity of experience or point of view, or diversity of client types. The more colors you add to your story the more vivid a picture you can create.
2) Interview subjects should reflect your audience. We love great actors because we can see something in them that we also see in ourselves. Corporate video can engage in that same way and help you attract more of the types of people you’d like to surround your business or organization with.
3) Interview subjects should be natural advocates of your story. This seems pretty intuitive, but we have been on set and found ourselves coaxing answers out of a reluctant interview subject. If someone genuinely does not buy in to your story, they won’t make for a good interview. On the other hand, if they do buy in and are truly advocates of your business or organization, a good director can capture a great interview even with people who are not used to being on camera. Authenticity is more important than on camera or speaking experience.
4) It never hurts to have a sense of fun. When the production has been well prepped out, the day or days of filming should be a great experience. Your interview subjects are already expert at what they do, and a good production crew is expert as well. Have fun, joke, smile, relax. It not only makes for a better day, it makes a much better video (and creates much better results!)
Want to learn more? Give us a call . . .
A short, well-messaged Explainer Video is always a strong choice.
What do you do when your concrete structure is showing signs of wear? Reach out to an SRS trained contractor, of course! (such as our friends and clients over at Western Specialty Contractors)
And, what do you do when a large portion of your business development and sales time is spent on explaining what it is that your product or service actually does?
Create an Explainer Video!
So, what makes an Explainer Video an Explainer Video?
1) It answers a prospect’s most common questions in a clear and concise manner
2) It demonstrates the features and benefits of a product or a service
3) When well presented, it leads to a “how do we get started?” sales conversation instead of a “now what is this?” exploratory conversation.
Simply put, an explainer video helps good prospects qualify themselves and saves sales and business development teams hours of time. And they are kind of like potato chips – once you have us produce one, you’ll be ready to come back for another (and another and . . . )
Have any questions about how Explainer Videos might work for your business? Give me a call .
