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Oct

2017

5 Creative Uses of Video Production To Make More Business

Posted On October 27, 2017 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

5 Creative Uses of Video Production To Make More Business

Like written content that comes in the form of blog posts, copy, and other marketing materials, video has become a fundamental element in business operations and branding strategies. There are countless ways that your business can benefit from using video production to make more business and to execute effective marketing strategies. Here, we will take a look at five of the most creative uses of video production to make more business for your company.

Capture Customer Testimonials: You’ve probably come across a bevy of business websites that have written testimonials for visitors to check out. Why rely on the written word when you can capture customer testimonials on video? With video, you can showcasing real customer emotions and therefore provide a more impressive and convincing presence for future customers to view and base their decisions upon. In addition to video coverage of customer testimonials, you can get creative about how you showcase your customers’ experiences and also explore the possibility of producing video content about real life customer experiences and success stories.
Showcase Your Products: Just as you can get a whole lot of high end video content centered on your customers, you can get plenty of footage on your company products. If you are launching a new product, you can create a promotional video to garner buzz and spread that video across social media platforms. Within the video content, you cold also create a “presentation” element to give your target audience a proper introduction to the product. If you have a line of products that are a little more intricate to use, consider making a product demonstration video. Have a catalog? Make certain feature product your key video content and make a library of product videos.
Make Corporate Videos: Even if you run a small business, you will benefit tremendously from investing in videos that give your target audience a better sense of your company and the behind-the-scenes action that takes place there. Small mom-and-mom shops and large corporations alike will see results in customer engagement and potentially higher sales when they provide the public with informative videos. In one video, you could center the subject matter on the history of your company and provide viewers with a comprehensive overview and “about us” introduction. Use video production to make more business by focusing the attention on your team of employees and give viewers a more personal look at everything that happens behind the corporate brand.
Promotional Purposes: One of the most obvious, yet influential purposes of video content is to promote your business and build your brand. Luckily, there are endless ways you can leverage the medium of video to promote your business in creative ways. If you have an email marketing campaign, you can integrate short video clips into each email newsletter. Better yet, consider sending all of your email newsletters in video format to really grab the recipients attention and keep them engaged. Other methods of marketing with video include viral videos, content marketing, infomercials, commercials, tutorials, and landing pages. If you have exciting news to share, you can use video production to make more business by creating press releases, short clips, and other public relations material with the use of video.
Miscellaneous Needs: While it is necessary to focus on the most powerful methods of marketing through video, once you have those established, it’s important not to forget the many other ways you use video for marketing and operational purposes. Consider creating Q&A videos, FAQ videos, live streaming, event coverage, and recruitment videos. Video can also be used for internal purposes such as designing training materials and educational resources for your employees.

Want to know more? Don’t hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation. Our team is dedicated to helping small and large businesses successfully apply video and photography to their marketing and advertising strategies. If you need new head shots, company images, video marketing content, or have other media needs, please reach out to us.

Feb

2017

5 of the Hottest Trends in Video Marketing You Should Use in 2017

Posted On February 15, 2017 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

Every year, the way we market evolves.

And thanks to the ever-changing tides of digital marketing, video marketing has become a predominant force in the world of business. If you are going to successfully build a bigger following and garner new customers, you have to pay attention to the trends in video marketing. In this post, we will uncover five hot trends in video marketing to take advantage of this year.

trends in video marketing

Greater Video Growth on Facebook: Newer social media platforms such as Snapchat were designed specifically for video whereas older social media platforms like Facebook were not originally intended for that purpose. But we have seen a recent and rapid growth in the use of video on Facebook. In 2016, the social media giant introduced us to live video streaming and it is becoming even more popular this year. Businesses should expect to see even more video uploading and sharing and more live video streaming as well. More Facebook users are using the site to view videos which makes it a huge goldmine for businesses who want to strengthen their brand through video.
Information Meets Entertainment: In 2017, you won’t be able to have one without the other. It’s called “infotainment” and videos will need it if they will effectively capture the attention of the viewer. In order to better engage your target audience, you will need to create videos that provide valuable and interesting information while keeping the viewer entertained. This can be done with high quality video content, illustrations, animations, music, and most importantly, resourceful, useful, and intriguing information.
More Video in Web Design: More businesses will start implementing video content into their web design. Having short video on your homepage and other parts of your website will make it easier for you to connect with and engage your website visitors. When someone who has never been to your website before sees a click-worthy video (not spammy, but eye-catching and notably interesting), they will be more likely to view it and stay on your website longer.
Shorter Videos Will be on The Rise: Remember those annoying advertisements that would play before you could view a YouTube video? They still exist, but now there is an option to skip the two minute ad after waiting for five seconds. The smart brands have wised up to this and now create videos as short as fifteen and even five seconds. That really requires brands to step up their game and come up with innovative ways to craft a poignant, memorable message in as little as five seconds. Short videos aren’t just on the rise on YouTube though; if you want to create a video that your target audience will remember (and will actually watch from start to finish), you need to keep it short and sweet. You would be surprised by how much information you can squeeze into a ninety second video.
Consumer First, Product Second: Videos will need to put more focus on the consumer and less focus on the product. And for this to happen, you will need to do a hefty amount of research on your target audience to have a thorough understanding of who they are and what they are interested in. Your videos should cater to your target audience’s interests and then after establishing trust, you can begin to focus more on showcasing what products you have. Focus less on advertising yourself and more on building you brand. And the key to successful brand building is to personalize your brand. Video is one of the most influential ways to do that.

Want to learn more about the 2017 trends in video marketing and how you can take advantage of them? Contact us today!

Feb

2017

Ask THIS Before Producing Video For Your Business

Posted On February 1, 2017 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

What Questions Should You Ask Before Starting a Video Production For Your Business?

By now you have probably been made aware of the wonders of video content for business. There are endless benefits to producing video for your business and integrating it into your marketing strategy; you are better engaging your target audience, giving your followers an inside look at your company, and creating the opportunity to explain your products and services. But before you jump into producing a video for your business, you want a concise vision of your expectations and goals. In this post, we uncover five questions to ask yourself before using video production for business.

What is my Budget? Determine how much you are willing to spend or how much you can actually afford. Once you have set a budget, you will have to make sure the expectations you have for the production of your video fit your budget. A professional video producer can help you determine what you are able to accomplish with the funding you have.
What’s The Purpose of The Video? Without understanding the purpose of your video and why you are creating it in the first place, it is going to fall apart. And without having a definitive purpose for your video, you won’t be able to convey your vision to the professional who is producing your video. Is the video a tutorial? Is it an inspiring story about the inception of your business? Is it a sneak peak promo that gives viewers an inside look at a new product or service you are developing? Your target audience won’t understand the purpose of the video if you don’t understand it.
How Long do I Expect The Video to be? The length of the video should also be considered when you are first establishing the budget that you have to work with. How much content do you have or how much information are you trying to fit into the video? You would be amazed at how much you can convey in a one minute video. As a general rule of thumb, strive to make your video be clear and concise for today’s shorter attention spans. However, you want to establish the type of video you seek to create before determining the length of time you want it to last.
What Are my Audio Needs? Audio is a critical component of any visual piece of content. There are a series of questions you need to ask yourself regarding the audio of your video. Do you want music included in the video? What genre of music? Or do you just want certain sound effects that go along with animations? Also, you need to determine the tone of the video. Is it serious and dramatic or lighthearted and comedic? Is the video being narrated and who is doing the voice over (if there is one)? Consider all of these questions and have your answers ready to present to the video producer before starting the project.
How Can I Make Sure That my Audience Loves This Video? While you can never guarantee the response of your target audience, there is plenty you can do to make sure you have an exponentially better chance at impressing your audience. And this requires doing some research. Come up with five words that best describe your target audience and consider those characteristics when creating the video. Also figure out whether your followers would be more responsive to certain images, visuals, graphics, or any other element that goes into the video. When you know your target audience, you can create a video that will garner better responses and possibly lots of social shares.

Looking for more advice on creating the perfect video for your business? Contact us today!

Oct

2016

3 Ways Local Businesses Benefit from Creating Business Videos

Posted On October 27, 2016 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

3 Ways Local Businesses Benefit from Creating Business Videos

Local Business Videos

Small businesses are more adept and integrated online than ever before — including businesses that have a main focus on their physical storefronts! The key for these local businesses? They should take advantage of the opportunities the online space offers. Here are 3 ways local businesses benefit from creating business videos:

Events/ Documenting Business Culture
Marketing Purposes
Resources and CRM

Events/ Documenting Business Culture

What if it was possible to document special business events throughout the year (picnics, concerts, presentations, yearly meeting, awards, testimonials, charitable events, donation drives, etc.), and then make the video available to: employees, the company blog, newsletter, social media, associates, etc.? With today’s social and cloud-based marketing resources, it is!

Capturing the beliefs and culture of a business through event filming can solidify a business’s brand and workforce. For instance, a local business may have a charitable event where they annually raise support and visibility for a cause they believe in. Filming this event would increase the visibility for the cause, increase customer loyalty, and attract potential customers. (Note: it doesn’t have to be a professional-level production. We regularly advise our Clients to use iPhone-type video to share on social media. It’s an inexpensive way to add additional content on an on-going basis for PR. Save your dollars for the higher-level marketing and advertising campaigns where brand messaging is key.)

Using video is a great way to engage an audience, and it brings a dynamic tool for effective business strategy.

Marketing Purposes

All businesses can use video for marketing purposes, yet many small businesses don’t take advantage of it as a resource. Developing a video presence — on YouTube, social media, your business website, forums, local Chamber of Commerce sites, trade shows, newsletters, etc. — is a powerful marketing tool for small and large businesses. Fresh and timely content, spread around the online world, is a great tool to attract your target audience.

For professional services: how-to videos and tutorials can be produced, including introductory videos for the business’s website, interviews with leading associates, or testimonials with satisfied clients. For businesses selling products: videos can be produced that highlight manufacturing, interview a product spokesman, relevant industry news, or new product spotlights. Advertising videos can also be put into the mix with local commercials spots created to air in rotations both on TV and the web.

Resources and CRM

Step-by-step and how-to videos draw in potential customers and keep loyal customers satisfied. Video is often used as a tool for customer relationship management (CRM), in order to engage, connect, and satisfy a target audience.

A company website is the central location for a local businesses online efforts. Managing customer relationships with video resources is a great way to provide free resources to customers and potential customers. Example of these types of videos include self-help/knowledge-base centers, testimonials, how-to’s, tutorials, news, articles, eBooks, white papers, links, buying guides –the list goes on. And it can be targeted to what your specific customers are looking for. A local HVAC company can provide a guide on the process of what it’s like for them to work in your house. Answering your customers questions and speaking to their interests will build trust and captures sales in the end.

Effectively using video for general customer relationship management can give local small businesses a voice in the community and in the industry online. A video presence can bring brand solidification, customer referrals, and website growth; all attracting more customers into multiple sales funnels.

Summary

Small businesses can use video in these three ways to effectively attract positive attention, build their brand online and in-store, and enhance their overall CRM strategy. Most business owners would agree that video helps, yet may think outsourcing video production as a costly endeavor. This is often not the case, and hiring a professional video and photo service is an affordable business expense. Their experience can also inform you on how to implement a video strategy.

With limited resources, smaller businesses must be good at delegating aspects of their business process, just as they might engage accounting, insurance or IT professionals. Video production for advertising, marketing, events or CRM purposes can be outsourced on a project basis to a professional crew of experienced videographers, photographers, and creative storytellers. A service that has the equipment, experience, and expertise to create video and photos for any project.

Miceli Productions has worked with many local businesses to produce video content in Connecticut and the New England region; in our production studio, on-location, or remotely. We’ve also worked across the U.S. and beyond traveling to various locations.

With 14 years of industry experience, Miceli Productions has the expertise needed to create commercial quality videos for businesses, at a price they can afford. Please contact us to learn more.

Apr

2016

5 Valuable Product Videos Your Business Should Have

Posted On April 27, 2016 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

Product videos should be part of your video marketing strategy.

People want videos, people watch videos, and people BUY based on videos. Product videos don’t have to be boring or salesy. In fact, they shouldn’t be! At this point, you’ve already realized the importance of incorporating videos in your marketing plan. Video views increased by 42% in 2015 compared to 2014 (Invodo), and many predicted they will increase even more for 2016.

Where do these videos come from though? Some should be professionally produced, and some can be done in house depending on your level of comfort with some basic tools. If you have no idea how to produce professional videos for your business that serve the purpose of boosting conversions, hire a pro. It will pay off in the resulting leads and ultimately sales.

Most people have heard of or seen explainer videos, and there are other options as well. If you want to create product videos to increase conversions, then you’ll need to employ as many of these five types of product videos as possible:

#1 Explainer Videos

An explainer video explains how your product or service solves the most pressing problems of the client. To create an explainer video that converts well, you must write a killer script. Some companies mistakenly focus on video quality, and while that is also important, a well-written script is key for driving conversions. Be involved in the writing of your script — you have a firm understanding of your product and the customer pain points that you’re healing. Also, hire someone to assist you with perfecting the script and capturing it on video. Oftentimes, a production company will have staff that can work directly with you to craft a great script.

Here’s an example of a product explainer video created for Stanley Access Technologies by Miceli Productions. Together with their internal marketing department, we helped craft the message that their new product the Express-Swing door presented unique problem solving for various entry ways. The video addresses the need for the new design and the problems it solved for their customers.

Product demo for The Express-Swing by Stanley.

#2 How to Videos

Just as “how to” articles are popular, “how to” videos perform extremely well too. People enjoy learning how to do things that are meaningful to them. How to videos are an easy way for them to learn because they can observe a working product, instead of just relying on text. With “how to” articles, it can sometimes be confusing knowing exactly what the author meant without a demonstration. How to videos fill that comprehension gap. Product “how to” videos should be as short as possible — while still presenting a comprehensive demonstration — so that customers can quickly solve any issues and easily understand how to efficiently use your product or service.

How-to videos can also be used as a tool to educate your customers. We filmed this service demonstration of a professional duct cleaning for Ductworks HVAC Services current and potential customers to view. It’s a great tool to convey expectations to customers and share information about how something works.

Ductworks HVAC Services Service Demo video.

#3 Product Tours

A product tour walks viewers through the processes and features of your product or range of products. A good product tour is brief, concise, and segmented. It must contain sequential steps and end (and sometimes begin) with a call to action. To avoid overwhelming visitors, each aspect of your product or service should be introduced separately. This also makes it easier for viewers to understand the benefits of your product.

We created this product tour to walk customers of Rowland Technologies through the many speciality products they offer, highlighting their unique features. Each product is addressed separately to cleanly convey product differentiators. To target the right audience, the video appears on their products page.

Rowland Technologies Product Showcase.

#4 Video Testimonials

Testimonials are one of the best ways to help build trust with visitors. When a picture of the customer is included with the testimonial, it’s perceived as more trustworthy by viewers. Likewise, video testimonials are powerful because viewers can listen to the happy customers’ testimonials and watch them speak rather than just read their comments. This personal one-on-one experience can break down some of the barriers a potential customer has when it comes to making a purchase. Video testimonials capture the authenticity of a previous customer while aligning a new customer with wanting to make a purchase.

Here’s a perfect example of how to harness expert testimonials for your business. Miceli Productions’ client Continuity sent us out to capture testimonials from the CEO’s they serve. So we create a video called “Why CEOs Choose Continuity.” Getting invested customers to talk about your product is a great way to reach new customers.

CEO Testimonials for Continuity.

#5 Thought Leadership Videos

The fifth type of video you should create for your business are thought leadership videos as they establish you as an authority in your industry. When you present yourself as a leader in your field, customers will flock to you and your products, and people will give greater weight to your opinions. Ideas for creating thought leadership videos include sharing your opinion on the latest industry news, allowing someone to interview you, and offering insider advice based on your experiences. You won’t notice an immediate boost in conversions with thought leadership videos unless you are already viewed as a thought leader in your field, but over time these can be beneficial to add to your marketing foundation. Thought leadership videos can also take the form of a product that is sold as a stand-alone or series of videos about a specific knowledge base.

Miceli Productions behind the scenes with Beth Chapman.

Behind the scenes with Beth Chapman Styling creating her expert web video series.

Conclusion

Businesses that create videos encourage more conversions, boost their credibility, and increase engagement with their brands. People are visual by nature, so it’s not surprising that images and videos are well-trafficked online. To hold your visitors’ attention, your website needs great visuals, period. Video has solidly become one fo the most important elements for the best performing websites, so try each of these five types of product videos with your business. You’ll be glad you did.

Miceli Productions is a full service production company. We can take your video project from an beginning idea thru script development and beyond. Contact us for help creating and producing professional videos for your business.

Jan

2016

How to make valuable impressions with awesome Business Card Video

Posted On January 22, 2016 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

The Business Card Video: What is it and how can it make an impression on a world of potential clients?

During a networking opportunity, exchanging business cards is arguably the most essential part of the whole encounter. It’s what you take away with you and is a reminder of why you want to follow-up with that person. Business cards have been a cornerstone of meetings for a long, long time. If you have a remarkable business card and make a good first in-person impression, the other party will be that much more likely to call, connect with, and hire you. There’s nothing like having a business card that stands out – clean finish, creative design, and all the necessary information to get the potential client in contact with you.

We all know how difficult it is to remember names and faces — especially at a fast paced networking event, trade show or after a long day of meetings. Video is proving more useful than ever. And video as a tool for the every-day business person is now part of our 21st century reality. It’s time to marry video with your business card. Take the whole process up a notch and create a business card video that will generate SEO, increase conversions, trigger social shares and promote yourself over competitors.

Business card videos are tremendously useful in relationship based businesses where you want your PERSONALITY to resonate with prospects — examples include real estate agents, life coaches, financial planners, personal trainers, designers, home service providers, stylists — but they should really be used by all professionals. Video provides a great way for someone to remember who you are and a business card video can provide a valuable return on investment. There are no recurring fees, you can share your best message and it’s easily sharable in your email signature and on social profiles.

Miceli Productions has produced business card videos for many clients, including several real estate agents at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services New England Properties. The video business card allows the agent to give an overview of their location, the areas they serve, and how they offer above and beyond service to satisfy their clients. These videos are usually between 60 and 90 seconds and are branded at the beginning and end with the Berkshire Hathaway Home Services slate containing their name, office location, and phone number. Potential clients get an immediate positive impression and can follow up with the agent by clicking thru or calling.

Business card videos offer an exclusive link to the customers of today’s world because of the way we are all connected by the Internet. Unlike a traditional business card, the business card video can be used in multiple instances. Where the traditional business card is usually only useful during face-to-face meetings or word of mouth, the business card video can be set on the agent’s homepage, emailed in a newsletter, posted to social media, in email signatures, on company About Us pages and even come up in Google searches when someone looks up “real estate agent near me” or similar phrases specific to an industry. This way, the info isn’t just spread one person at a time through a single card, but can reach the entire world at any time via the Internet. This increase in exposure allows you to sign on with more clients, which is exactly what business cards are made for!

Create a Business Card Video with Miceli Productions

Dec

2014

Using Video for Business: Finding and choosing a great production company.

Posted On December 29, 2014 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

Introduction

To use the cliche, not all video content is created equal. High-quality video content with a great story line is usually crafted by great creative minds. But that does not necessarily mean that high-quality equals high budget. Everyone know that you get what you pay for. And, in a sense, that’s right. But video productions have different sizes, scopes, talent and can be designed in all different ways to meet a budget. Your next task should be finding and choosing a great production company that’s a good fit for your company to work with.

The Tools, The People, The Experience Image credit: Miceli Productions, Behind the Scenes

So, how do I match my business with a great production company? First, you’ll need to do a little research. Do some fact gathering on what types of video content they produce and who they have worked with. Knowing your needs is also critical. Now, let’s play matchmaker.

1. Remember those questions we asked internally… well, here they are again.

What questions do I need answered before I call an outside production company?
• What are your goals for your video?
• What is your video’s target market?
• What do you want your video to say?
• What level of production value are you striving for?
• How should you present your company?
• How will you promote your video?

Again, these questions will help you focus your company’s video content needs and budget. When you share the answers to these questions with a production company, they should be able to give you a pretty accurate price range for your project, as well as discuss potential upsides and downsides to ideas. Their knowledge is a valuable resource and can help you further develop your plans to use video content in your marketing.

2. Evaluate examples of their work.  You have a favorite shirt. A bag. A favorite radio station. News program. We like our favorites because we like the way they do things. That shirt fits right. When we need to get another one, we get the same brand, and that one fits right too.You get the picture. When you find a good partner for your business, you go back to them for repeat business. And so is true of your clients and customers hopefully!  When you evaluate a production companies work, look at all aspects and think if those things ‘fit’ your business. How do you spot good, compelling content? First, is it technically high-quality?

Lighting: Are the people and subjects lit properly for the theme or type of video? (i.e. if this is a testimonial, can you see the person’s expressions on their face?)

Audio: Can interviewees be heard with clean, static-free sound? is the music appropriately balanced with speaking voices? does music add to the emotion in the video or does it detract?

Photo of Michael Miceli filming a scene in a hospital.

Photo credit: Miceli Productions

Framing: Is the subject or the focus of the video properly framed? That is, does your eye go to the right place for the video’s type and topic?

Camera: Watch to make sure that the camera operator or cinematographer is
at the top of his or her game. Are the camera moves smooth? When the camera pans from one person to another does it seem natural or distracting? Did they use the right equipment? A camera can be mounted on a tripod or handheld or flown on a crane… Was the camera getting the right angles? And did the camera move fluidly? No shakiness (unless you’re remaking the Blair Witch project!)

Editing: Is the video well-edited? Do the cuts happen seamlessly, or is there a choppy, disjointed feeling to the editing? Think about how the pacing of the video feels – is it too fast for the information being conveyed? Too slow to create the needed excitement? Are there any cheesy transition elements that detract from the video?

Miceli Productions captures personalities in our images. This is a behind the scenes image of two women real estate agents being interviewed on camera.

Image credit: Miceli Productions, Behind the Scenes

Great direction: This one is tricky. But if the subject is speaking well and you feel comfortable with how they are delivering their message then they have probably been coached by an expert. Rarely do people walk onto a set – be it for a testimonial, advert, speech, or interview – and have a natural way with a camera. Note that video is different than public address – sometimes even CEO’s, president’s, business owners and VP’s have concerns and trouble addressing a camera. A great Director will bring out the best in someone on camera and coach their delivery to be natural, with the proper intent. Using actors? The same goes for coaching local or professional actors on-set. You need to have a Director in control that can get the best delivery from people.

The Right Spokesperson: Have someone inside your company that can deliver a great pitch? An engineer that can speak technically on project design? A client that speaks highly of you? A marketing manager that is passionate about the company? These could all be good choices for your video’s spokesperson. Keep in mind too that not everyone is comfortable on camera. If you need to go with a professional actor for your type of video, that’s ok too. Or maybe it’s a combination of actors and insiders. A great production company can weigh in on the pro’s and con’s for your specific film.

Second, is the STORY compelling? When you watch examples, you’ll want to pay attention to how the video FEELS. Is the message clear? Moving? Exciting? Does it give you all the necessary information? Do you come away with a clear understanding of what they are asking of you? Are you supposed to purchase? Donate? Emotionally connect with company leadership? A great production company crafts great stories. Sure, some are less blockbuster than others – testimonial for hair restoration? – but if your video content is in front of the right person that NEEDS that product, service or message, then will it connect with them?? This answer should be a resounding yes.   Make sure these add-up and you’ll ensure you present your company with its best foot forward. Watch several examples from the production companies your interviewing. Make sure they have a track record of producing high-quality, technically great content.

3. Call and talk with a producer at the production company to see if their company ‘personality’ and methods are a good fit.  

Call around to your top choices. Talk to the real humans that do the work. You can tell a lot about a company by how they present themselves. Is the producer (or director) willing to talk through your basic project idea on the phone? Will they give you a free quote for services? What scope of project do they handle? If your film need actors or a telepromptor or a special set are they able and willing to develop that?

A street in Quebec City looking down from the old city wall at the people shopping and walking below. Quebec, Canada.

Photo credit: Miceli Productions Photography

4. Ask for references. Simply by asking for references, you let a production company know you’re serious about creating compelling, high-quality content. They should be able to get you a few references that you can touch base with about their work.

5. Ask about their ability to stick to budget and what the plan is for project changes and additional work, if needed.

Sticking to budget is the hallmark of a well-managed production. A great production company plans for every contingency. They should be able to tell you what the plan – and cost! – is if something changes. Maybe that good idea everyone brainstormed at the start of your film turned into a great idea and you want to make it a reality. You should know in advance what the project’s production budget is and how it will change with new information.

6. Discuss the level of involvement needed from your company.

This is an informational, but great question to ask. Someone at your company will need to be the project point-person. Setting up the way your company communicates with your chosen production company can save headaches down the road when revisions and edits need to be made. Think about who will be hands-on. The CEO? Is he out of town often? The Marketing Director? Will s/he have autonomy to make changes or need to pass every little change to upper management? Make sure your know who will be managing the project on both sides of the table.

7. How many revisions will there be to my film?

A simple, straight-forward question. But make sure that this is spelled-out before project starts. You want to make sure there are enough revisions to enact your video edits. But be realistic, and organized. Your point-person should be watching to make sure things are correct with each project version. Typos and small changes can be costly mistakes if they are say, used in a 3D graphic element that needs high-level editing. A good rule of thumb for most videos for business is sharing of one rough-cut, followed by a few revised preview versions after changes are executed, then delivery of the final film. Choosing a production company to work with is like choosing other business partners. By knowing the answers to the questions above you should be able to develop a successful relationship with a production company. The right partner should be invested in making great content. Look on them as a partner, an extension of your in-house marketing endeavors. A great partnership can lead to spectacular video content that can drive the results you need. Finding and choosing a great production company doesn’t have to be a struggle.

Now what? Download our USING VIDEO FOR BUSINESS Success Kit for a more in-depth discussions of the process.

Using Video for Business topics discussed include:

Chapter 1: Video Content Basics.
Chapter 2: Types of Videos to Use for Business.
Chapter 3: A discussion of where and how and to use different types of video.
Chapter 4: I want to market using video… Now what?
Chapter 5: Finding and choosing a great production company.
About Miceli Productions PHOTO + VIDEO

Dec

2014

Using Video for Business: I want to use video to market my business… Now what?

Posted On December 22, 2014 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

Introduction

Statue of an American Indian Chief looking off into the distance with his hand raised to shield his eyes. Statue located in Bushnell Park, Hartford CT. Photo by Miceli Productions Photography.

Photo credit: Miceli Productions

Your company has decided to add video content to their content marketing strategy. You’re a busy CEO of a mid-sized company or a marketing manager looking to use video content. You have a lot to do and want to do what makes the most sense, efficiently. So you ask yourself in the bathroom mirror, “I want to use video for marketing my business… Now what?”

Think about your resources. You have two main routes available: you can speak to outside video content creators or production companies, or you can talk internally with your team. As with most things, the route that gets you there the fastest, cheapest and with the best-value-for-dollars-spent is a good option. If your team has video production knowledge and can brainstorm a video content strategy internally, this is a great starting point. And also know that many production companies will discuss potential projects during a free consultation and this could be a good option if video content is unfamiliar to your team.

Using Video for Business: I want to use video to market my business… Now what?
Focus your energy on the following questions & answers:

Discuss budget considerations. You’ll need to set a realistic budget for the type of video you want to produce. Again, think about the project – are you crafting a new product feature that should sell 10,000 or 1 million items? Or are you looking to connect to your followers on social media about the soup kitchen your office staffs weekly? To set a realistic budget, your team will need knowledge of what goes into a video production at the quality level you want to achieve. Here is where talking with a professional production company has advantages. As with sourcing other vendors, a good rule of thumb is to solicit several project quotes. Make sure you talk with a few vendors, get a range of the services they provide, the scope of projects they handle, and the cost. Then compare. To find out more on costs that go into a quality video production read the next chapter on Finding and Choosing a Production Company.
How do I prepare to use video?
Photo credit: Miceli Productions

Decide on the best type of video for your immediate needs or make a plan for producing a series of videos for a library. (Libraries are good for larger topics like a suite of How-To videos, all products from a specific product line, etc). Talk about what company goals generating video content will meet and which video type fits each goal. Then decide who from your team will be your point person for this project. Perhaps a designated marketing manager. Perhaps a senior level VP. It’s important to give someone direct decision-making powers on this since that is most efficient. You also will want to determine how will your company balance the scheduled launch of both professionally produced video content and in-house videos? where will these videos fit into the overall company marketing plan? Many companies save professional crafted content for their brand messaging (web, adverts, events, products) and generate in-house content for social media sharing.
What types of video content can be created in-house? As part of your brainstorming session, you may have to address the question of cost vs. benefit on your video investment. Ask what content should be done with a professional video production company and why? You may choose to create all your content with an outside production company in order to build a relationship with a reliable partner that will get to know your business. Or, you may designate someone on the marketing team to capture social media events with an iPhone and keep video content dollars for the more polished Company Overview and product unveilings. There is a wide range of choices here and the best plan may be a combined approach. You do always want to be producing high-quality content for your company, but what level of production matches with your marketing plan? Side note: There is often the misconception that video is “easy” when done in-house, or “cheap”. We can tell you from experience that producing high quality video in house is never as easy or cheap as you’d like to think, and poorly produced video reflects badly on the company sending it out. Having said that, you probably don’t want to spend $10,000 on capturing the office holiday party or summer picnic even though it could be great for PR – it could be a great story, a place where everyone gathers to support the office charity, etc. So think about it as a positive iPhone behind-the-scenes opportunity for social media, then, remember to budget for the pros for your multi-million dollar new product launch. Right? Right.

These questions are meant to start your journey – there are many more that you will encounter along the way.

Now what? Download our USING VIDEO FOR BUSINESS Success Kit for a more in-depth discussions of the process.

Dec

2014

Using Video for Business: A discussion of where and how and to use different types of video.

Posted On December 15, 2014 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has 1 Comment

Ok, so we’ve discussed Video Content Basics and Types of Videos to Use for Business.

Now, it goes without saying that you need to pick the right type of video for your application. You need to connect with your target audience. There is a reason we use the term ‘video content marketing’. What we’re doing with video these days is really still marketing – but using the visual tool of video and your online space to gain market share, connect with users, advertise, or socially inspire fans and followers. The key to great video is crafting messages that inspire, captivate and enthrall – messages that really CONNECT with viewers. Scripting video messages that drive ENGAGEMENT.

Image created at Wordle.com

We discussed in detail the types of videos to use for business and some of the reasons for using those specific types. However, as with most things, we can look at it from another angle. Let’s analyze WHY we use certain types of video in certain places – where are we going to put our company overview? How should we promote that event video? Should my company really have a YouTube channel? Why IS video important in my content marketing strategy?

In today’s environment of mobile, social, easily consumable information, we find THE VIDEO. Content marketing strategy these days is much more than just the printed word. Good content strategists strive for content that is readable and understandable, findable, actionable and shareable in all of its various forms. (Content Marketing Institute. “Creating Valuable Content: An Essential Checklist“. contentmarketinginstitute.com.) Video content fits into a good content marketing strategy. When properly crafted it can be found in search, keyword-ed, is socially sharable, can make topics easier to understand, and can have embedded calls-to-action. If you want to fully jump into the Inbound Marketing lake, round out your content with well-crafted video. Dollar-for-dollar, video content is delivering great returns on investment as we discussed in Video Content Basics. (Don’t take it from us, take a look at industry-leader Brightcove’s “Analyzing the ROI of Video Marketing”. Their first point? Why Video.)So, where and how can you capitalize on using video for business?

Where? Your Company Website.   Video should be all over your company website. You can optimize it for search engines (SEO). Videos will return separately in search results, many times driving up your content search results. Your company Homepage, About As page, Recruitment page, Product pages – all are prime real estate for video content that delivers the specific message you want. For many companies, their website is their primary interaction point with potential clients/customers.Your Homepage is your first impression for many potential partners and customers and loyal customers may return frequently. Give them content they can use in the form of updates, milestones, announcements and rewards. Don’t let them read text with their own tone – put someone interesting on screen, using your product. Burton snowboards? Meet Shaun White or Kelly Clark. Celebrate your company’s 75th Anniversary? Roll out a short documentary history of the company. Duncan Hines? Show your version of hand made cake pops. The list goes on. But remember – video can be engaging or off-putting. (Think about those uncomfortable Windows commercials last year.) Create high-quality video content that resonates with your audience.Produce a high-quality company overview. Post either on your Homepage or your About Us page. Period.Got products? Use video on sales pages to discuss special features of each product you offer. Make something unique? Deliver product information in an easily to understand video like Rowland Technologies. Rolling out something new? Discuss the design with the project engineers and let your customers meet them with video.
HealthyWage Homepage

Let people learn MORE about your company. Let them see behind the veil. What’s your take on social responsibility? What is your culture like? What do your people do for fun? How does the leadership shape company morale? Where did your company ‘grow-up’? Craft great stories. Great story-telling has been the key to remembering message from the dawn of human communications.

To use the cliche, there is no limit to what your can do! Creativity knows no bounds. (Budget is another matter – we’ll get to that in the next article.)
Where? Your social media channels.   Use video to announce special offers. For loyalty programs. Behind-the-scenes. Let your audience peek into the goings-on of the company. Enhance the transparency of your company. Show them, don’t tell them!  
Image from iStockPhoto

Videos on social media are HUGE. They are easily sharable and can link to other places you have content. A call-to-action to the viewer to then become a fan or follower can help populate your social media channels with devoted customers. Everyone knows that keeping in touch with your social media followers is important – use video as another avenue to reinforce the bond you have with them. Don’t underestimate the value of user generated video content as well. Social media is the perfect informal place to solicit user generate video content and use it to drive an initiative – a contest, giveaway or reward program. Many organizations use UGC with great success.
Where? Your Youtube Channel.   YouTube give your videos a far-reaching audience that is searching specifically for content. YouTube video content, when keyword-ed properly, is also returned in video search results, beneficial for content creators that might be competing with other companies for the same keywords.
Miceli Productions’ YouTube Channel

A YouTube Channel also gives your company an easily managed curation tool for your videos. Do you have a library of product videos? Want to segment them by type? Create specific playlists for each variation. Can you develop content that drives user engagement and WANTS to be kept ina public media library like YouTube? The Home Depot has several playlists of ‘How-To’ projects for the do-it-your-selfer, and that content ultimately drives more customers to their stores. Users can embed from other places for SEO benefits/search-ability or ease-of-use benefits. You can also use video content posted on YouTube to embed to your company website. Thus gaining the benefits of having video both on your website and on YouTube.

Conclusion

Video content is an integral part of your content marketing strategy. Along with the other pieces of your marketing collateral, carefully consider where video best fits in to your brand. Story-telling authenticity makes for great content. CONNECT with your audience by telling great stories through video.

Now what? Download our USING VIDEO FOR BUSINESS Success Kit for a more in-depth discussions of the process.

  Using Video for Business topics discussed include: 

Chapter 1: Video Content Basics.
Chapter 2: Types of Videos to Use for Business.
Chapter 3: A discussion of where and how and to use different types of video.
Chapter 4: I want to market using video… Now what?
Chapter 5: Finding and choosing a great production company.
About Miceli Productions PHOTO + VIDEO

Dec

2014

Using Video for Business: Types of Videos to Use for Business

Posted On December 8, 2014 By Jennifer Blessing Miceli And has No Comment

Introduction

Business Video Content is quickly becoming the norm, taking long form written content and replacing it with shorter, focused video content. The Content Marketing Institute has repeatedly discussed how business video content is thriving and online video is on a projected pathway to increase in viewership. You already know that video can deliver great returns-on-investment because you read our article on Video Content Basics. In the broad categories we have the following:

• A company overview 
• Interviews 
• Social media videos (Customer engagement, loyalty programs, or special offers )
• Product demos and showcases 
• Sales & marketing videos, testimonials 
• Commercial advertising for TV & Web
 • CEO addresses to shareholders or employees 
• Public addresses for PR 
• Brand awareness messages

So let’s discuss in depth what types of video you can use to impact your business.

Social media videos for customer engagement, loyalty programs, or special offers
These videos can really can be anything your team thinks will drive engagement on your social media channels. Are your customers young, using the mobile web, socially engaged? Try a contest where customers submit user-generated video content like Fibron’s Who will Win the $20,000 Deck Givaway? Are your customers Moms with kids? Announce a loyalty program like Amazon did with a video that explains the perks of their program. In a specific market? Try something you think connects with YOUR users specifically – like this Vine video from Simon & Schuster, where they managed to fit a whole month’s bestseller catalog into a 6-second flipbook.
A Company Overview

Amphenol at the New York Stock Exchange Photo credit: Miceli Productions

The company overview can be a cornerstone piece for creating video content for your business. Whether you’re a small mom-and-pop-shop or a Fortune 500 giant, the company overview gives customers and clients an up-close introduction to your company and its leaders and staff. Overviews can vary widely from being a simple interview of the business owner with a getting-to-know-you feeling, to full scale TV-episode type videos where we see company facilities, headquarters, meet the CEO, senior staff and get an ‘insider-look’ into the corporate culture. Most importantly, they let your customers, clients, fans and followers know WHO you are without their having to read a stuffy bio or About Us page. A solid and well produced company overview film can deliver your company image in a fraction of the time it would take to read the same information. AND, the impression it makes is not left up to the reader’s interpretation. YOU control your image on screen. If you want to seem cutting-edge and techie, Main-Street or Wall-Street, the design elements and the clips you showcase can put your company personality in front of your audience the way you intend it to be perceived.
Interviews
Interviews are a staple for videos that engage and there are many possibilities. Recruitment videos for HR can offer slice-of-life views that entice new talent. Lead designers can offer insights

Real Estate Agent Darcy Sledge Photo credit: Miceli Productions

into new projects. Interviews with a panel of experts in your industry can offer in-depth discussions. The list goes on. The common thread among these? Interviews let you meet people. They showcase your employees’ values, how they hang-out, what their family time is like. Recruitment videos have multiple viewers – from talented people looking for employment to customers wanting that inside-look at how your company makes the products they love. Meeting the people inside the company give people a better understanding of your company, its products, and what you stand for.
Product Demos and Showcases
The product demo or showcase is exactly what its titles says – a video that demonstrates your product or products. These can be beneficial when you are launching a new product, targeting a new market for an existing product or showcasing a family of products. These too can take many forms – from a live show host asking someone to demonstrate use (think vacuum cleaner) or 3D graphic video showing the many parts of your product (think jet engine). The key take-away here is that video connects your products with new audiences. It’s also easily consumed and you can tailor the message to be accessible. This is especially important if you are looking for product adoption on a new release. Tailor your script to a clear message, couple with a good delivery method and drive viewer response.

Product Photography, Photo credit: Miceli Productions

5. Promotional, sales & marketing videos, testimonials
Promotional videos, sales videos, marketing videos and presentations – more food for the video content marketing machine. Give customers clear reasons to choose your company’s products and services. Basically all the videos we discuss here can be used for promotional, sales and marketing – depending on the delivery and placement. Other types of video that fall into this category? Influencer interviews that promote your product and discuss best practices, trends and experiences in the industry can be extremely valuable. An informal interview can get picked up and syndicated by industry publications and reach more of your target audience. Keynote speakers and presentations – think SALES presentations from days of old – get a new make-over in today’s video world. These presentations can move through the newest product features (think Apple) or discuss the latest industry trends. The sales video no longer has to be a stuffy, boring sales pitch. Spruce it up with comments from company designers, product managers and others who drive your team successes.

Photo credit: Miceli Productions

Customer stories and testimonials fall into this category as well. Nothing endorses a product or services better than a super satisfied customer. Get those stories on video, in good light, and use them to promote your company.Another way to market your company with video? Show them Behind-the-Scenes! Show them your factory. Your data center. Your employees at work. Your products being built. Your designs coming to life. There are MANY ways to do this – from animating blue prints and CAD drawings to tours of your facility or the set move(in our case!) Brainstorm the best way to capture your company and get it on film.

6. Commercials – Advertising for TV & Web
The traditional :15 or :30 TV commercial is still going strong. Both on cable, network AND internet channels. Products can still connect with their potential audience by using demographic viewing information to reach target audiences. Local TV spots are viewed regionally, during news programs or popular shows and generate audience response. And these commercials don’t have to break the bank.

Image courtesy The Cleveland Orchestra

Simply filmed TV commercials can be enhanced with stock video footage, animated print materials, professional voice overs and studio produced graphics. Or they can be multi-scene, highly produced spots that gain following for your brand. See our favorite commercial of all time, Old Spice’s The Man Your Man Could Smell Like.Got milk? No, really. One of the most successful branded video campaigns to date. Since 1993, they have run video ads with content that is engaging and entertaining. All over YouTube you can find Got Milk? video content – copycats and originals. They have built on their successes and gone into story-telling with their newest spot ‘Brave’. Their brand has attained the mythical unicorn of ad success and become part of our culture.

7. CEO addresses to shareholders or employees
This is a specific type of interview, but worth calling out individually. These videos are usually made monthly or quarterly to update people with the latest information. For shareholders, it can be a regular update to chart stock performance and company performance. Usually this type of video is delivered directly to someone via inbox or intraweb so there is a direct connection to the viewer. Since the CEO (or CFO or other copany leader) is directly addressing shareholders, they can announce changes, news or other items of direct interest to those viewers. For employee addresses, a message by company leadership can connect employees across far-reaching geography or make information more accessible in larger companies. As with other types of video, the main point again is gaining that face-to-face time. Video takes you directly to your audience and allows you to “speak” to them – bringing them into a conversation dialog, making them feel a part of the company.

8. PR Videos (including Event Videos)
Show them, don’t tell them. Event videos tap into the experience of BEING there. These are usually videos that show genuine customers or enthusiasts using company products leading the life the products help them lead. Think Harley. REI. LL Bean. Jeep. These are brands that have loyal followers and there are many events that these audiences attend. Creating an unscripted event video is a power marketing tool and can directly reach other like-minded customers without seeming like a “sales” message. The depth of information that an event video can convey about your company, products and culture is unrivaled. Panels, keynotes, presentations and speaking engagements offer other unscripted but video-friendly events that capture what your audience wants to see – namely discussions of industry trends, cutting-edge technology and your company’s forward-thinking initiatives. Target the keywords that your audience is searching for. Think TED Talk. Or Steve Jobs product discussions on the newest Apple product.

Every Dollar Feeds Kids Bike Run. Photo credit: Miceli Productions

Don’t underestimate other PR videos as well. Reaching your clients and customers with video of your company’s charity fundraiser, company-wide cause, anniversary celebration or special announcement can drive engagement, add to your social following and resonate with outsiders likely to adopt your products, services or brand.

Conclusion

These are the types of business video that we see most companies adding to their visual content marking initiatives. They are by no means the only types. A company has to have a good understanding of how their customers and clients consume video – if you have a traditional audience, traditional types may be for you. If your audience is better reached by marketing creativity, you may also want to try Vlogs (Video Blogs), Vine videos, contests that use consumer video submissions or something else entirely!

Your team should discuss the following relevant questions:

• What are the needs of your organization?
• What are your goals for your video?
• What is your video’s target market?
• Who are you trying to reach?
• What do you want your video to say?
• What level of production value are you striving for?
• How should you present your company?
• How will you promote your video?

The answers to these questions will direct and inform your company’s path for creating great video content that can reach your target audience. Now what? Download our USING VIDEO FOR BUSINESS Success Kit for a more in-depth discussions of the process.

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Patrick VanHorn from Giant Bicycle says…..

"I hired Jennifer Blessing Miceli and Miceli Productions, LLC, to produce a short, thought-provoking, professional video for our website. The results were superb -- and on-time and on-budget. I will definitely hire this production team again."

Patrick VanHorn
Corporate Communications Manager
Giant Bicycle
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