What To Do To Maximize Your Investment In Video Production

return on investment in video

Regardless of your financial goals, there are several steps you’ll want to take to maximize your investment in video production. You’ll need to consider time, money, and resources before and after you start. We know its common to hear that your company should be using video to leverage your business growth. If you aren’t using it by now, you might be leaving some money on the table. The key is knowing where you want to use your video and how you do it. In this post, we’ll share some common issues and problems that people face when maximizing ROI.

Common Issues that Affect Your Investment in Video

Too Many Options

Too Many Production Companies. If you’ve never created video before, you’ll find you have hundreds of options to choose from in terms of video production companies.

Content Ideas. The next issue will be what you want to create. Do you want to create a marketing video? Social media video? Product video? There are several ways to slice up marketing content that it can quickly become overwhelming.

Where to Place It. The next issue will be where to place the video (or videos). Very quickly, you’ll learn there are thousands of places to publish your video…and each one will have their own reason for doing so. All of this shouldn’t stop you from deciding to move forward. It’ll be worth it.

Getting More From Your Investment in Professional Video

Who is Your Audience?

Think about something you’ve watched in the past that really resonated with you. Why did it? It might have been because it was about something you wanted to learn or know more about, the person speaking was personable and they may have described the world you see in a similar way. Maybe they spoke in terms or jargon you’re comfortable with. Or maybe they had the same or similar personality as you. When creating your video, you’ll want to know who your audience is, what they like or dislike, what they need to know, why they need to know it and how they like to be spoken to. Use that information to compile the viewer’s demographics, location, where they consume information, and what social media outlets they view most. The more you know about them, the better you can speak to them.

Your Viewers

  • There are several types of personas that you might be speaking to, for example, you might be dealing with a “Give me the information, get out of my way, and let me decide” type of person. This might be someone who is at the top of the corporate structure, like a CEO or similar level.
  • You might also be speaking to someone who is more interested in learning about how your customers feel about you. They might want to read or see more reviews about the business. These are the ones who need to obtain verification that they are making the right decision. They like to include others in their decision making and reviews are a good way to get this information.
  • Another common viewer might be a detailed, technical type. They want facts, figures, and as much data as possible to make the decision to pick up the phone to call. This type of person needs to have support data incorporated into the video so they can make an appropriate decision.

Regardless of the type of viewer you’re reaching out to, you’ll want to craft a message that taps every type of personality possible. Perhaps there is a way to show and describe important information to a couple of personality types at the same time. Use all of this information to craft a solid script. We typically take care of script writing for you, but, we work with all types of clients; some who like to do it themselves and some who want to have someone take care of it for them. The next step will be to craft a solid shot list that must be captured to illustrate what is being said and targets each persona.

The Video Production Process

The video production process contains several components: pre production, the shoot, post production, and delivery. During the pre production stage, you’ll deal with the persona, the long term goals of the video, and what video content that should be created. Investment goals are important before we start so we know what needs to be set aside for the production and what needs to be set aside for the placement of the video(s). During the shoot, we’ll deal with the shot list, the camera operator, the equipment, the location, and any talent that is important (whether it be from the team or hired talent). Finally, during the editing process, we’ll deal with the video editor and any post production items required to complete the project.

So what is the key to maximizing your ROI? We find that clients who work with us to understand why they’re creating the video, where they plan to use, and how they plan to place, we can help streamline that process to improve their ROI. When clients can’t answer these questions or don’t want to share this information, there can be a little hiccups and changes along the way that can increase costs…not because we want to, but because we didn’t know something and had to backtrack or make significant changes. We write this to share with you so we can prevent this from happening to you.

 

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Four Strategies for Video Marketing on LinkedIn

Video Marketing on LinkedIn logo

Video Marketing on LinkedIn

Video on LinkedIn has 3 times the level of engagement versus regular text posts. You read that right, three times! This tells us that if you’re trying to stand out against your competitors, video is the way to go. For this blog entry, we’re sharing with you four types of video you can use on LinkedIn to market your brand. We’ll also pepper in some strategies for using video marketing on LinkedIn.

Initially, LinkedIn seemed a little behind the times when it came to video because they didn’t offer native video posts until the year 2017, well behind Facebook, Twitter, and the rest. But that’s not true anymore. To define native video, they are videos that are uploaded directly to their server and shared on their platform. If you upload a video to YouTube and share it on LinkedIn, LinkedIn may not treat that post the same as if you upload it to their server and shared on their platform.

Does it Work on LinkedIn?

We also learned that LinkedIn videos perform better in terms of watch time…meaning LinkedIn videos have more views once they’re posted versus other platforms. Your connections on LinkedIn will watch your videos because they’re closely related to business, which is what your LinkedIn audience is primarily focused on. They’re not looking for what you did this weekend or what you ate for lunch; rather, they want to learn more about you and how you can help them.

When creating video content, you’ll want to consider this before crafting your message. We know this will come as a surprise, but no one buys because they viewed your video. They buy because they’ve been convinced (by the video) to pick up the phone and call you (a.k.a.: engagement). Since people buy from people, you’ll want to incorporate into your marketing strategy a call to action. Posting a video and adding a call to action will ensure it performs better than those that do not contain a call to action.

Here are the top 4 video marketing strategies on LinkedIn

  1. Answer an FAQ. Consider your target audience. What do they want to learn? To get to a common list of FAQs, you can simply think about your current clients/customers. What are the most common questions they ask you when or before they work with you? For us, they typically ask questions like, “Can you help me write a script?” or “What color shirt should I wear?” or “Where should I upload this video?” To add a layer to this tip, you should also post this video on your website’s company page…specifically the FAQ section. You can share each video (if you have more than a couple of FAQs, we’d recommend a video for each) on LinkedIn. Again, by posting one FAQ video there, you can drive traffic to your website and increase brand awareness.
  2. Case Study Video. There is nothing better than sharing what you did for a client or customer. You can take this to the next level by sharing a video where the client speaks to the issues they’ve been struggling with and how things changed once you’ve engaged with them. By having the client tell their story, you’re gaining credibility from the viewer. Consider this, which do you find more credible, sponsored content or a client sharing how they benefited?
  3. Share a Breaking News Update. If you’re a campaign manager, you’ll want to incorporate into your social media strategy a breaking news segment. Has something changed in the industry? Has something improved in your business? Have you hired someone new who can help you improve your client’s experience? If you’re a real estate agency, you might talk about the latest trends in staging or home sales or mortgage rates. If you’re an air conditioning company, you might share new tax implications to buying a new unit or upcoming government regulations affecting new units moving forward. Whatever the topic, your social platform should reflect your level of experience and knowledge of trends to warrant a breaking news video on occasion.
  4. LinkedIn Video Ads. Whether you’re a product or service, crafting a LinkedIn message that considers your target audience’s needs and wants can provide a substantial return on investment. Video ads are one of the last ways you should use video on LinkedIn. We say this because there are several ways to use video without additional costs before you should find the need to promote the video to your followers (or outside your network). Our guess is you haven’t reached every one of your connections directly (whether via phone call or email) to introduce yourself or ask if they’d like to talk more.
  5. BONUS: Introduction Video. Why not craft an introduction email that you can email directly to your contacts? We wouldn’t recommend spamming people, rather, why not send a short video to say thanks for engaging with me on LinkedIn? Or thanks for connecting with me and let me know how I can help you? These are effective tools to help you better connect with your contacts and help them better understand what you do. They can be generic in nature and captured professionally and are sent directly to your contact once you’ve connected. Make them warm, personable, and inviting. Be a partner, not a salesperson.

We hope these tips are useful for your LinkedIn experience. Whether you’re answering an FAQ, helping a potential client understand what you’ve done for others, sharing a breaking news article, or crafting the perfect video ad, it all comes down to engaging with your prospects or referral partners. The more people understand who you are, what you do, and why you do it, the more connected they feel.

 

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Stock Video vs Company-Captured Video, Which is Better?

Stock Video vs Company-Captured video? Plum Productions

Stock Video vs. Company-Captured Video: Which Is Better?

Video is a powerful tool for businesses of all sizes. It can be used to tell stories, educate customers, and promote products or services. But creating high-quality video can be expensive and time-consuming. Supporting b-roll shots can make or break a video…so which is better? Stock Video or Company-Captured Video?

Stock video is pre-shot footage that can be purchased and used in your own videos. It’s a great way to save time and money on video production. However, there are some drawbacks to using stock video. For one, it can be difficult to find footage that perfectly matches your needs. Additionally, stock video can sometimes look generic and impersonal.

If you’re looking for a more unique and personal video, you may want to consider capturing your own footage. This option will give you more control over the look and feel of your video. However, it will also require more time and effort on your part.

So, which is better: stock video or company-captured video? The answer depends on your specific needs and budget. If you’re looking for a quick and easy way to create high-quality video, stock video is a great option. However, if you need a more unique and personal video, you may want to consider capturing your own footage.

Here is a more detailed comparison of stock video and company-captured video:

Stock Video

  • Pros:
    • Inexpensive – Stock video is typically much less expensive than hiring a videographer or film crew to shoot original footage. This can save you a significant amount of money, especially if you need a lot of footage.
    • Quick and easy to use – Stock video is typically very easy to use. You can usually find the footage you need with a quick search, and you can usually download it and start using it right away. This is a great option if you need to create a video quickly, such as for a marketing campaign or a website launch.
    • Wide variety of footage to choose from – There is a wide variety of stock video available, so you can find footage that perfectly matches your needs. Whether you need footage of people, places, or things, you’re sure to find it in a stock video library.
  • Cons:
    • Can be difficult to find footage that perfectly matches your needs – There are a lot of stock video libraries out there, but not all of them have the footage you need. If you have specific requirements for your video, it may take some time to find the perfect footage.
    • Footage can sometimes look generic and impersonal – Stock video is often used by many different people, so it can sometimes look generic and impersonal. If you want your video to stand out, you may want to consider creating your own footage.
    • You may not have the rights to use the footage in certain ways – When you purchase stock video, you are typically only granted the right to use it in a certain way. For example, you may not be able to use the footage in a commercial or for broadcast. It is important to read the licensing agreement carefully before you purchase any stock video.

Woman at desk

Company-Captured Video

  • Pros:
    • You have complete control over the look and feel of the video – When you capture your own footage, you have complete control over the look and feel of the video. You can choose the location, the time of day, the camera angles, and the editing style. This gives you the flexibility to create a video that perfectly matches your brand and your message.
    • You can use the footage in any way you want – When you purchase stock video, you are typically only granted the right to use it in a certain way. For example, you may not be able to use the footage in a commercial or for broadcast. However, when you capture your own footage, you can use it in any way you want. This gives you the freedom to use the footage in a variety of marketing and promotional materials.
    • Footage can be more unique and personal – When you capture your own footage, you can capture the unique personality of your company and your team. This can make your videos more engaging and relatable to your audience.
  • Cons:
    • Can be expensive – Capturing your own footage can be expensive, especially if you need to hire a professional videographer and use high-quality equipment.
    • Time-consuming to produce – Capturing and editing your own footage can be time-consuming, especially if you are not experienced in video production.
    • Requires specialized equipment and skills – Capturing high-quality video requires specialized equipment and skills. If you don’t have the time or the skills to shoot your own video, you may need to hire a professional videographer. That’s where we come in!

Ultimately, the best choice for you will depend on your specific needs and budget. If you’re on a tight budget and need a quick and easy way to create high-quality video, stock video is a great option. However, if you have the time and money to invest in creating your own footage, you may be able to produce a more unique and personal video that will better connect with your audience.

Overall, company-captured video is a great option for businesses that want to create high-quality, unique, and personal videos. It gives you the flexibility and control to create videos that perfectly match your brand and your message.

To keep your video in budget, we recommend that you plan your shoot in advance. This is something that we help with on every project. In fact, we require it. By planning appropriately, we make sure we are spending less time editing and more time being creative with what we captured. Creativity during the edit is where the magic happens, so we always want to have a plan when we shoot.

By the way, if you’re not sure what to do or how to do something along the way, ask! You control what happens. Our job is to make it look even better!

 

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Manufacturer Product Videos & Increased Sales

Manufacturer Product Videos, image of manufacturing (milling cutters)

Manufacturer Product Videos

At Plum, we’ve shot and edited several Manufacturer Product Videos to help them market their products to retailers and end users. While most manufacturers use a wide range of techniques to market and sell their products, only a few use video as a driver for business.

We believe in creating high quality video that tells a story about the manufacturing process and the benefits of the finished product. For the purpose of this blog, we’re sharing a few ways a manufacturer should be using video to show what their product is, how it’s produced, and how it’s used.

Process Video. This type of video is created to illustrate the full production and manufacturing process is completed. Usually this means showing manufacturing from start to finish and how the product is put together. This is also where you’d highlight that your products are made in the USA or illustrate how the production line works together to create a high quality product.

We recommend this video be approximately 90-seconds in length to ensure you show all the important qualities of your process and product. Keep in mind, the best marketing campaign videos tend to be shorter in nature, yet adequately inform the viewer.

Social Media. Manufacturing companies also need to feed their social media funnel. Plum will work with the marketing team, sales team, and management to ensure the messaging matches the appropriate branding components for consistency.

Most manufacturers don’t think of social media as a way to sell, but by selling to the end user about their unique selling proposition and the benefits of their product, manufacturers can pull sales through the distribution channel without relying on retailers or distributors. By using social media, manufacturers can create a strong first impression and increase engagement.

Hiring? Whether the company is just starting out or has been around for awhile, capturing and retaining the best employees is critical to its success. Whether the company finds new employees through email marketing or various hiring websites, it’s critical to craft the perfect message to the target audience. We recommend featuring a career video on the company’s career page that can differentiate you from other manufacturers.

Demos. If you’ve already shown the production process, the next step is to show how the product works. That’s where manufacturing marketing works best. We recommend creating a video marketing campaign that illustrates how the product works and the benefits it solves. We also recommend that it highlights the pain points that relate to the end user, even at a high level. By digging into the pain and costs of not purchasing the product, a video can help the buyer know whether the product is right for them.

If possible, when seeking any type of video production services, we recommend you ask to see how they’ve helped other manufacturers describe the most important pain points the buyer might face and show how each one is solved after purchase. This can be shown on a website, direct marketing, emailing, or trade shows. Here’s an interesting example of a demo video.

Video Reviews. Our clients have shared with us that there seems to be a point of differentiation when someone buys. When a product has a supporting video, they tell us that sales are greater than those products without video. On the other hand, when a product has a testimonial video, sales increase even more.

What they tell us is that video helps a buyer understand what a product is and how it works, but a testimonial will help a buyer know that someone was happy after their purchase and was comfortable sharing their experience with others via video. While we’d love to shoot that testimonial professionally, it can be just as powerful when shot by the customer him- or her-self on their phone or webcam. The results are positive either way… it’s just a matter of how professional the manufacturer wishes to appear. Below is a nice video review for a legal office…but same rules apply for any manufacturer.

Referral Requests. Many times it’s helpful to ask an existing client for a referral. Why not ask via video? As a manufacturer, you could shoot a short video asking an existing client for a referral. It might sound something like, “Hi there! You recently shared with us that you felt your purchase was a positive experience. Why not share that experience with others? We love referrals! In fact, great referrals are someone like…(describe who). If you can think of anyone who fits this description, would you mind emailing me their contact information? I can mention your name, or go without mentioning it, just let me know.” This is a simple, consistent message that can be sent out after every positive customer experience.

 

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How to Choose the Best Video Production Company

stamp stating best quality

How To Choose The Best Quality Video Production Company

Now that you’ve decided to add video to your digital marketing strategy, how do you choose the best company to work with? Do you employ the same tactics you do with other vendors, such as putting out an RFP, waiting for everyone to bid, interview all the ones that look the best, and then decide which one to use? That depends on whether you’re looking for a vendor or a partner.

Our clients have told us they’re looking for a partner to help them improve their video game or they want someone from the outside to help them identify opportunities to sell more of their product or services. If you treat them as a vendor, will you get the best out of them? If you’re looking for the best video production company, you’ll want to do some research and find an awesome partner. Here’s what we recommend.

Traits of a Great Video Production Company

  • Good Fit. If you’re looking for a fit within your company, you’ll want to consider your culture and ask questions related to you company’s way of doing things. If you work in a top down organization, you’ll need a vendor. If you work in a collaborative environment, you’ll need to find a solid partner who can fit in and who doesn’t think they’re more important than you. Choosing the right video production company is more than just the selection, it’s also about the fit.
  • Don’t Get Dazzled. While you are looking at their work, you may come across their demo reel. When you do, don’t get too dazzled by cool graphics and animations that you’ve never seen before. Chances are they’re templates they’ve inserted. Yes they’re cool, but did the production team identify the target audience and market to the needs of the potential clients? Did the video perform? If all you see is their demo reel, you may not know what any of those finished projects actually looked like in the end. They might just be the best parts of a poor performing video.
  • Recently Produced Videos. When you choose a video production company, dig into their previous work. Video companies are usually working hard to create quality videos, but they are sometimes not the best at posting current stuff. If you don’t see any recent work, check out their Vimeo page because that’s where they probably posted the most recent stuff. The other area to check out is their social media pages. If they’re a full service video company, they’ll have stuff posted there too. Here’s a link to Plum’s most recent work and you can always look at our portfolio.
  • Get A Few Quotes. When compiling your list of video production companies to create your corporate video, you’ll get a few quotes. One thing we’ve learned is that pricing can vary dramatically. One time we found out a client posted a job on a website to get quotes. Without talking to 80% of the companies who responded, they said they had quotes from $850 to $21,500…for the same job! How is that possible? We don’t know. We just recommend that you consider the value for the price your being quoted.
  • Value. This is simply an area of “You Get What You Pay For.” If your budget is $850, you’ll be able to find someone who wants to do it for that. They may be brand new in the business, but they’re hungry to build their portfolio. On the other hand, if your budget is $21,500, you’ll be able to find someone to do it for that as well. Your expectations will be high, so make sure they can handle what you’re giving them. Professionals who require a larger investment are able to command that because they are confident in their results and will be able to make your video a success.

Regardless of your project, finding the right video production company will be the key to your video’s success. The time you invest to finding the right one is critical and we recommend using the ideas above to find the right one for you. Obviously we can answer any questions you have, but we also may not be the right one for you…only you can decide that (and we promise we won’t be offended if you tell us we’re not the right one). If you’ve never done video before, you might want to read some of our other blog posts to help you learn as much about the process and critical factors to a successful marketing video production process.

3 Ways To Use Video To Recruit the Best Talent

image of handshake for interview

Using Video to Recruit New Talent

Recruiting awesome talent is not an easy task. Right now, it seems like it’s a bit of a job seekers market. That’s why using video to recruit new talent is the topic of this post. In the trades and supporting industries, it seems there is a shortage of talent. Finding and recruiting great talent is much more difficult in these markets because they have to be searching for the job (or want to make a move).

With so few in the market for jobs, you have to approach potential job seekers a little differently. And for those who are looking for talent, we would be surprised if you didn’t already use video as a mechanism to attract talent. The trend is that uses for video is growing and finding creative ways to use video is usually the tough part for most companies who are not used to using video (or who haven’t thought of using it in that way).

Technology is continually changing and improving, and with that, comes more creative ways to reach the person you want to reach. In fact, we think it’s more difficult to reach potential talent in traditional ways versus using technology for good. We recommend using video strategies that will attract new talent who is about to enter the “need a job market” or who is thinking about entering that market.

We see three easy ways to use video to attract new talent.

Employee Spotlight Videos

The objective here is to have existing employees speak to potential hires via a video review.  What’s it like to work at XYZ Company? This can be done through employee spotlight videos showing happy employees at work, showing employees interacting, solving problems, and telling their story of why they like to work there. It might be because of the culture of the office or because they enjoy the work they do.

Think about it, most businesses rely on their current employees to refer into the company people they think would be a good fit in the business. When a business needs to hire more people, asking current employees is usually the first step. Usually they know there is a need and can recommend someone…but sometimes they can’t. Then what? Sharing a video that shows the team at work and sharing why they enjoy it. This type of business should get someone interested in learning more after they view it. Here’s an example:

Office/Company Culture Videos

Most companies know they’re good at what they do. They know their employees are good too. When a business tells you how good they are, do you believe it? No. But if they can show you how good they are, what their culture looks like, and how they approach problems or tasks, does that convince you a little more? We’d bet it does. That approach is usually what gets the viewer to take a next step. If it wasn’t effective, why do you think some of the best-in-class companies are using it so much? Because it works.

These companies create videos that illustrate their company’s culture by showing off the office space; sharing mission, vision, and values; showing off how they fit into the community; how they support the community; and so much more! The goal of all this is to help the prospective hire understand the company, know what the company is all about, find an area of passion the prospect can attach him or herself to and lead them down the road of calling for an interview and accepting the position. Here’s an example of one:

Our recommendation is to share this video everywhere, including the About Us/About the Team and Careers pages of the company website, the company YouTube channel, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Remember, most of these sites like the video uploaded natively (meaning, they want you to upload it directly to their site, not sharing a link from another platform). Yes this is annoying and time consuming, but it gets you the most distance from your video. Here’s an example:

Who We Want Video

Why not also create a video that shares what the company needs from a prospective new hire. By creating several short videos for each major or semi-major position in the company, you’re crafting a consistent and branded message that clearly defines what the job entails and who would work well in this role.

You might be asking yourself, “Why would I go through creating a video for that? Isn’t it easier/cheaper/less time consuming to just write it out?” …and you would be correct. If this blog post was a video instead of written out, wouldn’t it be easier to watch than to read? When you buy a new item that has instructions and they tell you to go to a website, do you read the website words or do you watch the video on that page first? It’s path of least resistance, use it to your advantage. You might also ask, “Why would I want someone who’s lazy?” You don’t, but people are busy and you also might be missing the perfect fit because there was no video for them to watch and learn more about the job. Here’s an example of one:

There are probably several other types of videos you could use to attract top talent…one that immediately comes to mind is a directly targeted video to a specific group of people that could be placed in a LinkedIn Group or Facebook ad that will show up just for them. What ideas do you have? We’d love to see them in the comments below. If you have any questions, we’d be happy to help! Give us a call or drop us a line!

 

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6 Qualities To Look For In A Great Video Production Company

Qualities to Look for in a Video Production Company

Whether you’re looking for a short informational video or a longer About Us/Corporate Story video, there are several factors that can impact success. One factor is the agency or production company you hire. There are several ways to determine whether a video production company is worth engaging with. If you’re genuinely interested in learning more, we’re sharing the top 6 qualities a great video production company should have before you decide to hire them.

Qualities to Look For When Deciding on a Video Production Agency

Professional Portfolio

Before you do anything, look at their work. Does it match your style? Do they have a variety of styles or just one look? Just because there’s one look, it doesn’t mean they can’t do more…and if they have several styles, it doesn’t mean they can’t create the visuals you want. Dig deep into their portfolio (and don’t forget about looking at their social media pages). For example, you’ll need to look at our Vimeo Page to see more work (updating a website can be a little time consuming). Don’t let that sizzle reel excite you too much. What you need to see is how did it help the client? Did they get what they needed or did they just get a wow video that didn’t perform. Sometimes, its the straight-forward video that produces the most results. Other times, its the short, flashy video, and other times its the longer drawn-out video that performs. Ask the agency why it worked for the client.

Deadlines

Deadlines drive everything. There are a few ways you can tell if they can hit a deadline or not. First, do they return your calls in a reasonable amount of time? We’ve been told countless times that we’re the first to call back after they’ve called several agencies. When you call, does someone pick up? If not, how quickly do they call you back? How long does it take to get a response from an online form? These are all simple ways you can tell if an agency is time conscious or not. Obviously accidents happen and schedules get crammed, but communication becomes the key when scheduling conflicts arise…how well do they communicate when there’s an issue related to time?

The Creative

You can find several videos out there that follow the same format. That’s fine if you want to use a tried and true format to get the job done, but if you want something different, can you find a video that does the same thing, only in a different way? For example, a construction company wanted a simple, “Here’s a sample of our work” video, only we worked to make it more than that. We wanted it to have an HGTV vibe so that people will want to watch the video to the end. Here’s what resulted:

Testimonials

When you do your research on a Video Production Company, do they have Google Reviews? More importantly, do you know any of the people who did a review? If so, call them! Ask about the production company’s communication skills. If you don’t know any of them, do you feel comfortable reaching out to them cold? Just giving them a call and saying, “Hey, I was interested in working with XYZ Company…how was your experience?” Then listen! If you’re not comfortable doing that, do you feel comfortable with what the written word says? Next step, use that information to ask the production company about that project: What did the client want? What did they do to help them? How did you arrive at the finished video? Can I see the finished video?

Expectations

Knowing next steps is critical to a successful process. When you first speak to the production company, do they clearly identify your next steps before beginning to work together? Do you know how the process will work? They should describe the overall process with you so you understand everything involved in the process. This should include timelines as to when things can be finished and what the client can do to speed it up or slow it down. Remember, it may be tempting to ask about their editing software or what cameras they use, but in the end, did they get the work done and did they meet or beat expectations?

BONUS: Passion about the Work!

One of the things you’ll notice right away at Plum is that we have a passion for creating something fun for your business. Fun and different should be a part of every video production process. We look for ways to make it fun and different. If you want to pull it back a little, no worries! We don’t mind…  but we think you’re looking for a creative edge, so we’ll look to provide that to you first.

If you think we should talk because you’ve done your research and have decided to let Plum be a part of your search to complete your video production project, Give Us A Call! or Drop us a line!

 

 

 

Source: https://www.digitalbrew.com/7-qualities-to-look-for-in-a-video-production-agency/

Types of Video for Business

searcy law interview image from video

Different Types of Video for Business

There are tons of ways one can use video for business to promote or explain a service. We’ve taken a little time to share with you the different types of video for any business. Yes, any business. Each type has a purpose, so before you just randomly decided to create a video, you should have a bit of a plan: How are you going to use it? Where will you place it? Why are you creating it? When will you need it? Who should be viewing it? …and why as a follow up to each of the previous questions. This will help you determine which video will be best for your brand. Let’s get started…

Expert Interview Video

If you have a thought leader or a brand expert in your midst, this type of video is the best type to pursue as quickly as possible. Having a thought leader is one thing. Promoting and showing how much he or she (or the team) knows about a particular topic does nothing but improve and build the brand. If your potential customers want experts, who will they call if they have listened to an interview with a thought leader in the field? Here’s an example of one of those types of videos:

Product Videos

Product videos are just that, videos about a product… but when creating a product video you want to do more than advertise or promote. Your goal should be to educate. Teach the viewer how the product works, why they might find it useful and finish it off with a call to action. The call to action can be more or less aggressive, depending on the product and your style, but there should always be some sort of call to action. Product videos are highly effective when they are educational and informative. They’ll also perform well when placed in the right location (think an end cap in a retail store or on a website landing page). Placement is a large part of how successful a video will be, so have a plan on where you’ll place your video before you shoot it. Remember, perfection is the enemy of success, so a plan is good to have but don’t let planning get in the way of knowing a adjustment will need to be made once it’s placed. Here’s a fun example of a product video that was placed on their website to trigger a sale.

Service Video

If you don’t sell a tangible product, the video you should consider is a service video. This type of video provides the viewer with a strong sense of what they’ll get for their dollar. More importantly, this type of video should instill a sense of trust and open the conversation to building a relationship. When prospects land on a website, they want to know who they’re dealing with and/or if they can trust them. We’ve all learned that its difficult to trust an organization/business, but we do trust people. One thing we’ve noticed is that with Jenn’s My Video 101 educational videos on her YouTube Channel, people feel like they know her and can trust her with their video knowledge. Here’s an example of one of her videos:

Social Media Videos

Most times when we get called to shoot and edit videos for a client, we are often asked if we can edit shorter social media videos. Absolutely…and we recommend it! If we’re creating a video for any client, we try to incorporate a social media version of any video we create because you’ll need it at some point. The purpose of a social media video is to increase the viewer’s curiosity and bring them to a website or landing page to do more. For example, we’ve seen product and service companies run social media video ads to bring the viewer to a landing page. The landing page may request the visitor to provide information (name, email, etc.) or make a purchase or a call. Whichever way they decide, the social media video will help fill the funnel. Here’s an example. (Notice this one is square and will be used on Instagram).

Corporate Branding Video

The branding video uses several features from other types of video. The branding video should capture the essence of what the company stands for, what the company does, who is in the company, and the story behind it. Overall, it should stand alone. A viewer will know exactly why the company exists and why they might want to contact them. This of this type of video as an About Us with some extras. A good example of a corporate branding video is this one from Amicon Construction. We think this is a solid branding video because it shows what they do and their attention to detail while incorporating their client testimonial. You might think that 4 minutes is a long video, but the feedback we hear is that people want to watch this to find out how the project ended.

Location Tour

What if your space look different than your competitors or you’re proud of the way your space looks? What if your space is tranquil or energetic? There is no better way to show that off than a video. A video will capture the essence of the space and invite the viewer in. We’ve seen several occasions that an office space (both indoor and outdoor) looked so nice that it made for a beautiful backdrop for an interview. Here is one example of such a space. In this one, we feature a dentist office that was constructed to make the parents and children comfortable when visiting the one doctor most people fear: The Dentist!

Testimonials

Imagine you’re looking for a great attorney. One who cares about how you feel after an incident. One that goes above and beyond to get you the care you need to get better. How do you tell a potential client/customer that you’re the best? You don’t. You don’t because the viewer will not believe you when YOU say it, but if an actual client says it for your (because that was their experience), the viewer will understand how a previous client was taken care of and feel that they will be taken care of too. Powerful. We believe this is the most underused video for the power it has. Awesome testimonials are more powerful than any other form of advertising. This is one every business should have.

There are so many other types of videos a company can have, but these tend to be the most popular. Stay tuned! We’ll share some other creative types of video that you might not have thought of in an upcoming post!

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. We’d be happy to answer any questions…no pressure, no expectations. We’d love to see your comment below on which video you think is the most important one!

 

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Five Video Ideas to Drive Results

5 Video Ideas that Get Results

Looking for video ideas that drive results? Well, we hear them all the time. People often say, “I know I need to create video to help us online, but what do I create?” While it may be difficult for some to come up with ideas, we’ve seen hundreds of ideas.  If you’re having a tough time, give us a call and we can help you come up with a few. More importantly, what type of video content will provide the best return on your time and investment?

Let’s begin with how your customers research and make buying decisions. Most of the time customer acquisition and customer buying habits are similar. Customers start out not knowing who you are or if you’d be someone they should call or visit. If they become aware of you, they may become aware of how you might be able to solve their problem or improve their life somehow.

Then, they start to do some research. They find other companies who can do the same type of work and decide on the one, two, three or more to contact to get an idea of who might be the best fit for them. Once they’ve done all the research, they pick up the phone and make the call. Once they’re a customer, you begin the trek of retaining them by keeping them happy.

We think there’s more to video than just creating it. We believe there has to be a long- and short-term plan to creating and using your video. One of the most important factors is knowing how you’ll measure success and whether it is worth the investment.

Sometimes, in our meetings, we tell our prospective clients that creating a video isn’t worth the investment based on what they need, how they are measuring success, and how they’ll implement the strategy. If we find it is worth the time and effort, we talk about how it will be used. Knowing how it will be used is critical to the success of a video. Let’s dig into the types of video and how it can be used.

Video Ideas: Educational Blog-Style Video Content

Educational Videos or Topical Videos are simply short videos that answer a specific question someone might want to know the answer to. We typically see this type of content with professional service businesses. Think financial planners, attorneys, estate planners, fitness trainers, etc. If there’s education to be sought by your prospective client/customer, this is the type of video you should consider pursuing.

The other thing to consider when creating this type of video is what is the problem you’re trying to solve? For example, if you’re a financial planning firm and people want to know answers to questions regarding their money, if they find you to be highly knowledgeable and trustworthy, they’re more likely to make the call. So educational content is typically used for those who want to convey a high level of trust and illustrate a depth of knowledge.

Results: Explainer Videos (Live Action &/or Animated)

Explainer videos are just that…they explain what a product or service is and helps the buyer understand how they should use it. These can also be referred to as a demonstration video. If you’re trying to connect with the viewer (on a more personal level), you might consider using a live action video. For example, in the video below, this product explainer video helps the viewer understand the problem it solves, how to set it up, and who might purchase it.

This is the type of video you might need if you were trying to help someone make a decision. They’ve landed on your page or they’ve spoken to you already, have enough information to be informed and now they want to understand a few more details. These types of videos typically live on a website homepage (landing page) or YouTube or anywhere someone might discover your product/service by searching for it (don’t forget about Amazon).

Location Tour Video

Sometimes your space is so beautiful and captivating, it becomes important to show it off in a video. For example, in this dental practice, it’s one thing to say, “I’m great with kids!” but it’s whole other level to show how cool your space is and how cool you can be with the kids.
That’s what this dentist in Port Saint Lucie did with this video. Notice how he shows off the space talks about how much kids love it? Notice how the kids are having a great time while visiting the dentist? What you don’t know is that they sometimes have a hard time getting the kids to leave after they’ve had their checkup! What a problem to have, right?

Powerful Idea: Video Reviews (or Testimonials or Customer Story Videos)

In most cases, when a customer is happy they don’t always tell everyone, but they should. Why would they want to hide great service? Well, it’s just not as easy as that. You have to ask them. Ask your best customers, your best advocates, to tell their story about how you helped them. They will most likely be happy to do it.
Take this example of how one company helped Bill reduce his debts by negotiating with the debt collection company on his behalf. By listening to his story, one can understand how stressful it must have been to live through the experience before they negotiated on his behalf. Video reviews should be used when the prospective buyer is about to buy, meaning, one of the last steps of the buying process. This might mean after a website visit you could follow up with one of these videos or on the testimonial section your website.

Commercial Video

Commercial videos hammer home the point, “You should buy this.” It’s direct advertising and typically pushes the viewer to take some form of action. This can be done directly, softly, or through stories, but are highly effective. This type of video is typically shorter in nature and appeal to as wide of an audience as possible. This is a video that should push a viewer into your sales funnel.

It is critical to target your audience as directly as possible while using this type of video because if it shows up in front of the wrong audience, you’ll have a zero return on the investment of time or dollars. Speaking the language of the viewer becomes critical as well. The example here is the Tater Gator. This was used on end caps and websites where the product was sold to help the viewer understand what the product does and how to use it.

When you’re choosing which video to create, remember to think about why you’re doing it. If you are doing it to get your name out there, we highly recommend you stop what you’re doing and ask yourself how you’ll measure it’s success. If you are not sure how to do that, ask us. We’ll be happy to share with you a few of our tips to know whether it’s worth your time, money, and energy to take on a video project. Sometimes doing what you’ve been doing is just fine…and sometimes it’s time to elevate your game. Have more questions? Give us a call and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have!

SOURCE: Demo Duck. https://demoduck.com/video-for-business/

 

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Animation versus Live Action Video

Animation vs Live Action Video

This is similar to the old question, “Paper or Plastic?” Both will do the job but each has a benefit. So to think it doesn’t matter, we would disagree. If you’re about to create a corporate video or a product video, you’ll want to consider your options carefully. Whether you’re creating a video for a retail endcap, your website, or social media, there are benefits to both Animation and Live Action video.

First, let’s define each. Animation can be a variety of things. It could be one of those whiteboard videos you’ve seen where a hand draws all the content out for you. It could be simple 2D graphics (as in the video below), or it could be complex 3D animation. Sometimes this can be a little confusing so it’s good to review what each looks like, why you might want one versus the other, and how to get what you need. Let’s get started.

Let’s start with 2D Animation.

When we refer to 2D animation, we basically mean graphics. Graphics can be more intricate or very simple, but in the end, they typically add value to the message that is being conveyed. For example, the video below is an example of how 2D graphics can be incorporated to show the story about a product or service. Each time the graphics come up on screen, you understand how and what the device is measuring while people are exercising. The goal of each animation is to show who each number is connected to and what it is measuring. When the numbers appear, you can see that it is measuring in real time what their heart rate is doing at that very minute…illustrating exactly what the product is doing. A perfect paring!

Examples of 2D Graphics incorporated into a video. See 0:05, 0:10, and 0:25 seconds.

3D Animation

On the other hand, a 3D animation is something that is created to illustrate an object or thought that is difficult to replicate or cannot be shown without using a microscope or destroying something real. For example, in the examples below, we have a consumable supplement that will breakdown in the body. While saying that is easy to understand, it’s even better when you can show how that works.

3D Animation appears at 0:16 seconds.

At around 0:16 seconds in, you can see how the supplement will breakdown the body slowly over time providing maximum support and nutrition. While the rest of the video is mostly some stock video and 2D graphics, this video used high impact, colorful 3D animation to support what was being said.

In this example, a lending company wanted to target realtors by describing the all to familiar pre-approved buyer. Realtors sometimes hear that a buyer is pre-approved for one amount, but in reality is actually pre-approved for much less. To make this funny, they asked that we destroy a house and show what they’re really pre-approved for. The tough part is destroying a house…so, it’s time for animation.

Both can be appropriate for any video, the key is knowing what you need and deciding what is the best way to get there. We can help you decide or you can tell us…but know that creating a custom animation matching exactly what you need has it’s own time element. Instead of shooting something and using 2D animation, a 3D animation simply reduces shooting time and increases editing time. By adding 2D animation, you can accomplish what you need and maximize your investment. 3D animation allows you the flexibility to add visuals to your video without having to take the time to shoot, create something new, or destroy something large. Use what makes sense…and know that we can help you either way.

Live Action Video

Live Action video is simply video we shoot and edit together to create the story you need. Live action video is the most common type of video we and most other video production companies use to get the job done. There is no better way to help people understand who you are as a business than putting the very people who will help the customers/end users on camera. Every time we do live action video, our clients tell us that it has helped them improve the relationships they have with their clients because there is a visual and emotional connection with their employees, directors, etc. and the end users, clients, or customers. When clients of ours use video reviews (or testimonial videos) to help tell the story, it only improves the relationship and, ultimately their repeat business.

When you’re ready to create your next video and you want to spice it up a bit, ask us how we can use 2D or 3D animation in your live action video to help you share your message. Let us know if you have any questions!

 

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