Getting new customers can be tough. I get it. I really do. I own my own business, too. But I just read a new report about the effectiveness of online video that got me so fired up and excited that I’ve created an amazing offer to get you to move from “why should I?” to “why didn’t I do this sooner?”!

Over the last 2 years, we’ve seen a tremendous shift from TV commercials to website videos, from long demo DVD’s to bite-sized lessons you can watch on your computer, and from extravagant trade-show productions to clever, fun mini-segments you show on your mobile-gadget-of-choice at every event and meeting you attend.

Why is online video so popular? Strategic use of video is one of the best ways to get your website ranked higher than your competitors. Plus, it is proven to work better than website text alone in several key retail areas.

Using video online:

• increases buyer confidence
• increases conversion rates (you know, getting people to buy something…)
• decreases shopping cart abandonment (when they get all the way to putting items in the cart and then bail out)
• decreases returns after the sale

What if you could increase conversions by 25% or more AND get better search engine rankings than you’ve ever had before?  What if the production company you worked with made it completely easy to put your video on your website, share it on Facebook, post it to YouTube and carry it around on your video-enabled mobile device? That’s exactly what Digital Bard Video Productions can do for you.

“Digital Bard made my video project a pleasure…and profitable, too! Not only were they extraordinarily knowledgeable in their filming and technical fields, but their marketing-savvy suggestions helped to create an exceptional promotional video that customers raved about.” – Karyn Greenstreet, owner, Passion for Business

Soooo, what’s the offer? I’m glad you asked. For the first time ever, we are bundling our Most Wanted services and offering the whole package at 25% off! Here’s what it includes:

• First, we define your audience, your message, and your marketing weapons, online and off through 3 sessions with our Certified Guerrilla Marketing coach ($500 value)
• Then, we create a smokin’ hot 60 second web video, highlighting your top product or service and moving people to action ($750 value)
• Next, we supply that video in ready-to-go formats for YouTube, Facebook and your video-enabled mobile device along with step-by-step instructions for uploading them ($150 value)
• Then, we identify keywords, phrases, titles and metadata mistakes that are killing you in the web rankings and provide our strategic recommendations for fixing them ($550 value)
• Finally, we’ll create a new 60 second video for you next month, because once you see how well the first one works, we know you’ll want more! ($750 value)

That’s a $2700 value, yours for only $1999. We’ll even bill it to you over 2 months! But you’ve got to act now. To insure each project gets our best care, we’ll only offer this amazing package to 7 clients this month.  Call me directly at 240-566-5931 to get started.

To your success -  Whitney

P.S. Don’t wait for your competition to put online video to use before you do. Save over $700 with our Most Wanted Package now!

So we met with a gent yesterday and, tape measure in hand, walked through the new space and talked over some ideas. The good news is that the office has no interior walls except for the bathrooms. That will give us a ton of flexibility. But it does have two load bearing columns where we’d like to have a hallway. That made us get creative with a few angled walls and rethinking how big offices really need to be.

It’s going to be an adventure for sure. The space won’t officially be vacant until sometime in September, and we still have to finalize floor plans, get the permit, etc. But we’ll take some photos along the way and keep you posted.

~Whitney

When we are able to work with Kim at Kalico for the layered files, typically Photoshop .psd files, we can bring the individual layers into our motion graphics programs and animate them to create DVD menus, segment bumpers and other fun elements. By reusing the print design elements IN the video, the client’s brand is kept consistent throughout the project.

~Whitney

1. Your website

We often work with clients who had a commercial made for television but never thought about adding it to their website. Why not!? It is available for viewing 24/7 with no added fees. Once your webmaster adds it to your site, visitors can get the same marketing message a television viewer got. And since they have had to do something to land on your website, chances are very good that they are less distracted and more interested in learning more about your products and services.

Make this even stronger by planning for a slight change from your TV version to your online version. Usually, a TV commercial will refer people to your website. But if a prospect is viewing the online version, they are already on your site, so this information is redundant. Consider revising your call to action for your online version to promote a special, direct the visitor to an order page, etc. With a little pre-production planning, this change is easy and very cost effective to achieve. For help on pre-production planning, see our article “Insider Secrets to a Successful TV Commercial.”

2. Mobile devices

If you meet with prospects or want to be ready to capitalize on an unexpected opportunity to tell someone more about what you do, then having your video on a mobile device is essential. Countless cell phones, mp3 players and portable gaming devices allow you to import video to the device. Not only is it very “cool” to share a video this way, but it utilizes a device many of us have on us all the time. There’s no need to direct them to your website, fire up your laptop or scramble in your briefcase for print material.

I was recently at a networking meeting and spoke with a photographer who was thinking of adding video to her marketing mix. On the spot, I pulled out my iPod Touch and showed her a video we had created for another photographer. “Is this what you had in mind?” Two minutes later, we were setting up a meeting to discuss options for her. It was far more effective and direct than any brochure I could have handed her.

3. Your place of business

Got a showroom? A lobby where guests wait? Do you exhibit at expos or tradeshows? Adding video to these physical locations gives you one more opportunity to make an impression and let your marketing message be heard. Get your commercial on a DVD and pop-it in. You can have the DVD authored to automatically play upon insertion and loop endlessly, avoiding the need to select anything or restart it. If the player is on, the video is shown. It’s easy, efficient and makes the most of what may otherwise be “down time” on the part of the prospect.

Stretch your investment dollars and repurpose your video every chance you get. You’ll be glad you did.

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The best results come from clients who ask questions, make suggestions and collaborate early in the process, then allow the team to carry out the vision. Make sure you get the most out of your production dollars by following these tips as you prepare for the creation of your advertisement.

1. Pre-production planning

Overall, the success of your commercial is less about what happens during the taping and more about what happens in the planning. A well written script is crucial to the success of your advertising and will keep the production process on track and on budget. Recognizing that being good at what you do doesn’t necessarily mean you are good at marketing what you do, Digital Bard includes a marketing consultation and script writing in our production packages.

Your script should focus on a marketing message that will attract new customers, is true to your business and gives prospects a reason to take the next step in giving you their business. Be sure you let them know what that next step is: call, visit the store, visit the website, etc. (If you need help with this, see our report on “Four Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before You Start Any Marketing Campaign.”)

2. Production Time

This is the “lights, camera, action!” part most people think about when they picture making a commercial. When shooting in your business location, turn a fresh eye toward what a new customer might see. Make a good impression by minimizing the clutter, turning on lights and presenting a clean, professional environment. The camera’s eye is more sensitive to a crowded space than the human eye is and you don’t want a viewer distracted. Try to be intentional about what is seen, and what isn’t.

Go over any questions you or your staff may have with your director ahead of time so when shoot day arrives, everyone can focus on making the most of your time and budget. Expect about a 20-30 minute set-up of lights, camera, microphone checks, etc. before taping begins. Certain elements may be reset during shooting to ensure a consistent look and quality. Be patient and you’ll probably have fun with the process.

3. Post-production

This is where the planning and raw materials come together, get edited, enhanced and end up as your new marketing masterpiece. Make sure the team has any supporting materials (assets) they’ll need.

If you’ve asked for your logo in the spot, have it ready and available. Certificates, awards, testimonials – collect all of the relevant materials together to give to the production team. Digital copies of assets should be in high resolution formats.

Typically, you’ll first see the commercial in draft form, with all the footage in the proper place and a sample audio track laid down for timing purposes. This first look is intentionally a little rough around the edges because we want to make any content corrections early, before the technical magic starts. Pay close attention to any text elements at this stage and make spelling or phrasing corrections here.

A professional voice-over, music, color sweetening and the fancy graphics come in at the next step. Then you’ll see it again for approval before it is mastered and delivered to your broadcast outlet or webmaster.

When clear pre-planning meets with editing proficiency, you’ve got a good commercial. When it’s enhanced by creative wizardry like sharp copy and visual pop, you’ve got a great commercial. Just know that the production team is sweating the details so you don’t have to.

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How do you avoid the pitfalls? Proper planning.

Some people get so excited about the ad, commercial or flyer that they don’t really think through the whole conversion process. It’s not enough to have people notice your marketing; you want them to act on it in very specific ways. Not planning the whole life cycle of your marketing is a bit like planning the wedding, but not the marriage. The day after all the excitement is over, you may be left with nothing more than a headache and a big bill.

But you can avoid lots of wasted time and effort by asking (and answering) these four questions. It’s a list of questions we go over with all of our new clients and many have felt it has brought great focus and accountability to the decisions they were making. Don’t let this short list fool you. Knowing the answers to these questions clarifies your business and marketing goals to you AND your prospects.

1. What are the benefit(s) to your customers of doing business with you over going to another provider or not doing anything at all?

This is sometimes called your “Unique Selling Proposition” (USP) and clearly defines what you have going on. Notice it asks about benefits, not features, and they are very different animals. Features are like technical spec sheets. Benefits answer the questions, “So what? What’s in it for me?”

If you were picking a spouse, you might describe their features as tall, dark and handsome. But the benefits are really what sells them to you – they make you laugh, feel secure, feel important and loved and so on.

For example, I could talk to you all day about our 3CCD cameras and how many terrabytes of storage space we have and what whiz-bang software we use to edit with and your eyes would quickly roll into the back of your head. But, I if talk to you about a fun, collaborative working relationship where we coach you through the entire process and suggests ways to enhance your overall marketing goals through video, then we might have a conversation.

Determine what makes working with you unique and how it benefits a prospect. If you can do that, they are far more likely to become clients.
2. What business are you in?

Now, don’t say “I’m in the widget business.” This is really asking about your position or identity in the marketplace and how your services make the user’s life better. These goes hand in hand with the benefits list.

If I say that I am in the video production business, I haven’t done a thing to differentiate myself from the competition or tell a prospect how I can help them solve a problem. However, if I say that we help entrepreneurs establish themselves as experts in their fields while generating passive income though DVD sales, then I’ve given prospects a very specific example of how working with me could benefit them and make their life better.

Give this one some thought. Of all the questions on the list, this one usually takes the most time to answer with clarity. It is time well spent.

3. What is your target market? (age, sex, geography, income, etc.)

Asking this question helps you avoid disconnects between your message and your audience by putting their “face” clearly in your mind. As you prepare your campaign, you will have a thousand decisions to make  – everything from written copy to musical underscores – and you will need to keep the prospects in mind. Don’t jam a lot of words into a small space if you are trying to reach seniors. Don’t use country music in the background if you are aiming at a young, urban demographic.

Remember, when you go fishing, you don’t have to like the bait, the fish do.

Knowing as much as you can about your target demographic will also help you make decisions on where and in what way your message should be heard. Your favorite stream is not going to be effective if there are no “fish” there.

4. What action do you want a prospect to take as a result of seeing your marketing message?

I know what you are thinking. “Buy my product, silly.” Yes and no. That would be like bumping into someone on the street and then asking them to move in. While that would be great in business, most of us don’t work that way. Chances are there will be a least one more step between hearing/seeing your message and making a purchase from you.

So, to follow the dating analogy, the prospect might decide to have coffee with you (visit your website and opt-in for your VIP coupon list), then visit later for a sandwich (stop by your store to get more information or consult with you), then ask their friends what they think of you…  you get the idea.

This question gets you to think about, plan for and implement that series of  “dates” so that you can build a relationship and make the sale. People would much rather buy from friends than strangers.

There they are – the four questions that can make the difference between running an ad campaign and creating a marketing magnet. Please enjoy responsibly!

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• bring a brilliance to the lobby of the Weinberg Center for the Arts,
• restore balance to people’s skin tones in sunny outdoor scenes,
• reduce the glare on a watery alligator.

INSERT VIDEO

The Communicator Awards is the leading international creative awards program honoring creative excellence for communication professionals.  They received over 7000 entries from ad agencies, interactive agencies, production firms, in-house creative professionals, graphic designers, design firms, and public relations firms. The Communicator Awards are judged and overseen by the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA).

• Award:  “Smoothies” episode of GottaBreakSomeEggs.com
• Award:  Alivelook promo for Alivelook.com

The Videographer Awards is an international competition designed to recognize excellence in Video Productions, TV Commercials/ News/ Programs and New Media. Entries are judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), an organization that consists of several thousand marketing, communication and video professionals.

• Award:  Speaker demo for Dr. Edward Gibson
• Award:  “Make the Switch” television commercial for Woodsboro Bank
• Award:  “Pick a Pocket or Two” from Middletown High School’s performance of Oliver

Check our Portfolio area for excerpts and more details about these award-winning projects.

According Mark Robertson, founder and creator of ReelSEO.com, “…product videos sell products.  While shoppers who actually view a product video are buying at a higher rate than those who choose not to watch the video, what has proven even more interesting is the fact that people who do NOT watch the video are converting at a significantly higher rate than shoppers viewing the same product page without the option for video viewing.”

Mark was citing a report released by Treepodia in January 2010, which goes on to share 2 case studies for retailers who added video to their product pages.  In one case, the conversion rate (measuring the amount of purchases made on the site) went up by over 27% and on the other by more than 46%. Retailers also saw a drop in shopping cart abandonment and a decrease in returns after the sale.

Read the full report here.

The GFAF is the regional professional organization for individuals who work in advertising, marketing and related fields within central and Western Maryland. Established in 1989, the GFAF is one of­ 210 local chapters of the American Advertising Federation (AAF), the national organization that acts as the “Unifying Voice for Advertising.” The AAF is divided into 15 districts and our local club is a part of District 2, which includes New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.