Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Hello,

Let me try to answer some of your questions:

Headline: Video Marketing, Does It Work?

Yes, when implemented in a way that has meaning and impacts your audience. Yes, when it tells a story that engages your audience. Yes, when people view the video and have a clear direction of Action - what is it you want to accomplish, and how is that in the best interest of the viewer?

Video marketing is very hot right now, and will continue to grow. But because it is hot, there is a lot of videos that are produced to be marketing videos, and they end up being nothing more than self promoting. self interest pieces that don't connect with your audience.

I fear that your vision may be putting you on the same track. You see, a 5 minute video is too long if you are using that as a prospecting tool and if you don't already have a very solid relationship with the viewer. When was the last time you sat through a 5 minute marketing message?

Your goals are especially difficult as you have additional hurdles to cross - it seems you don't have an existing relationship with the intended audience, and you wish to "push" the video to them. So, to do this, you will need to either get it to them on DVD - which is a big hurdle as you have to not only get the DVD in the right hands, but you need to get them to load the DVD in their computer to view. This is a challenge.

The other way is to send them direct mail letting them know about this amazing new video that can help to grow their business and to view it, they can go to your web site.

Once you are reaching your audience and they are viewing the video, you can then enable the ability to forward to a friend, and then you will get the friend's email address as well as the sender's email address.

In terms of standing out, this will come from creating a well planned script and storyboard that builds a story. It is possible to promote all your goals, but these goals must be presented in a way that connects with your audience. The visuals of the video will only help to make that connection stronger.

Anyway, you will find a lot of people who may tell you that this is a no brainer and help you produce a 5 minute video that never gets viewed. My experience tells me that you need more than agreement on your ideas, but direction to turn those ideas into a video that creates impact and action. So, if you need help producing this video, I am the creative director at an Orange County video production and marketing company, so we are nearby, and can help to make this video a success: [URL deleted by staff ]

Hope this helps!

You're selling B2B. The video may be great, but it's a face-to-face sale. Are you telling them that you will sell their properties via video? Are you selling your skills as a video production company? Probably not. You're selling your skills as a sales agency with great sales people who get the best deal for them. It can work in a video but buying criteria 1 is can these people sell? Can they make connections and root out deals? Nice video, but...

I've been working on a video tutorial page on my website [URL deleted by staff]. Using the software from Camtasia (retails for $299, downloaded in minutes), it's a simple to use screen shot software. The goal is to teach visitors how to use my mailing list count and order system [URL deleted by staff]. The simple video's can then be added to YouTube as well. As a realtor, you can create all types of auxillary type video's showing potential clients how to prep a home for showing, things they can do to help sell their home, as well as video tours of the house they are selling. Post them on YouTube....you never know who might be watching.

I think 5 minutes is way too long. As a Realtor who has dealt with these companies when selling and buying foreclosed properties, the asset manager is not the one dealing with the hassles that come from using an agent who is not thorough and timely. It is a low-level case worker.

It is best to work thru a couple of case workers and get to the case workers manager. By targeting the case level manager and the actual case workers, you can rack up a lot of work.

To target these people, a very short clip showing them how you can save them the time and aggravation sent to them on s mini-cd accompanied by a huge tray of cookies would be a great start.