Video Marketing for Small Business

by Pesi Unwalla, www.MediaStreams.ca

Before you spend another cent on your website or advertising, you need to know what your viewers have come to expect and promote your business in a way that actually makes money!

Technology has created amazing, new marketing opportunities – in the form of streaming video. Video for Cable TV, email marketing, websites and even Live Events – video allows small businesses to even the playing field with their larger competitors. From simple & inexpensive video streaming via an email to the full-blown production TV ad with hired actors, even small companies and home-based businesses can now make video a very viable option for their advertising budgets.

Now you might well ask why you should consider it at all when your current advertising seems to be working just fine… But is it really? When was the last time you compared the results from your conventional advertising efforts to the much more powerful promotion you get from streaming media? Aside from the fact that adding a second (or third) strategy to your marketing plan is a good idea, videos make your message so much more personal. Who better to discuss your service or product than you or your representative?

It brings a familiarity to you and your company, which makes the prospect feel like they already know you. Whether your message is directed at your current customer base or your employees, this audio-visual medium reinforces the feeling that you are presenting your message directly to them.

Some videos are professionally presented and others not so professional. Most of us cringe when we hear a salesman yelling through the TV set about that amazing deal just waiting for you, but only if you call in the “next 10 minutes!” These stereotypes of TV advertising may be available to all business owners, but is that the right way to advertise?

Cable TV ads are pretty cost effective because you can specify where your ad dollars are being used. However, advertising on prime time TV can be an expensive proposition and you need the budget (and guts) for it.

But video isn’t just for cable TV. You can now create videos which can be linked to your websites, newsletters, social networking sites and email signature lines, or run off the sites of your affiliates and customers. They are used for advertising, introducing a new product or service or just as a reminder to current clients. These videos are also used for on-line training and even instructions to learn how to use a new networking website. Apart from posting your videos on a social networking site like YouTube, business owners can be more focused and post them on business networking sites like http://www.OneDegreeConnected.com

There are companies like Mediastreams (http://www.mediastreams.ca) that can help you produce highly professional video presentations for a fraction of what it used to cost just a couple of years ago.

These videos can be scripted or can even simulate a talk show or an interview format. Make sure your presentation is professional though – this form of advertising can be extremely persuasive or can be become an embarrassment to your company’s image.

You can even create your own video while sitting in your office if you have a video camera or a webcam connected to your computer. you can create your own video stream to be inserted into emails or on your website. A word of caution though – keep it short – less than 90 seconds is suggested if you’d like to maintain viewer interest.

Video has created the perfect environment for business owners to star in their own commercial. Consider the examples mentioned earlier of what video advertising could – but shouldn’t be. Luckily, these are the exception and not the rule; most ads are professional from writing the ad copy to the production. It’s important to remember that the familiar saying “garbage in, garbage out” holds true for video as much as any other medium. 3 elements need attention – message content, visual quality and sound quality.

If you choose to star in your videos, it’s advisable to receive some coaching – whether before the event or even (if your producer is willing) during the shoot. Public speakers, politicians, CEOs and others consult with a professional voice and speech coach and so should you, if video presentation is going to be a regular part of your advertising strategy. You will have total control over the message, but a coach can help you say it with professionalism.

Technology today has made marketing with video extremely affordable, even for individuals with a small budget. There are a variety of methods and one of them will certainly fit your needs as well as your budget. A business that has not thought to include video in their next marketing plan, is missing out on a powerful tool that the competition is already starting to make use of to their advantage. This not so new medium, now being distributed with the latest technology will allow your business to take a fresh approach to making your message heard and to eliciting a positive response by making it so much more personal.

‘If You’re Not Using It, You’re Losing It!“

Pesi Unwalla
www.MediaStreams.ca

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