Although social media channels and other digital platforms present wonderful opportunities for marketing your firm, it is the same for all your competitors. The question then shifts from whether or not to engage in digital marketing, but to the challenge of making your company stand out above the thousands of other ‘things’ competing for your potential buyers’ attention.
This short article outlines why animated video is a good place to start, and how to choose the right video production partner that can show your company in the way that will be the most effective.
Why video?
While the written word is still important and not least for SEO optimization, video is becoming more and more vital as a top-of-the-funnel addition into the marketing mix.
But producing a short video of your CEO standing outside of your office telling people how long you have been in business, how many customers you serve and where you are located is no longer enough. That kind of content has a place, but to be effective, it should not be the first thing a potential buyer sees of your firm.
Think of good TV advertisements. Does the Coca Cola truck at Christmas time talk about the Coca Cola company and its global presence? Or does it bring Christmas to life and position the Coke brand at the centre of that positive association? That may be a big budget example, but the same basic rule applies to smaller businesses looking to stand out from the crowd in an enticing and engaging way.
Effective short, animated videos can quickly make your target buyers aware of how you can help them earn more revenue or cut out wasted time or money in their own business or life. In short, aim to tell a story, not sell a story.
What type of video should you produce?
Video content, or ‘rich media’ as it is known in the industry can be an expensive marketing activity. Content that requires original footage with actors in different sets or backgrounds is not cheap to get right and cutting corners for a half-baked production can be worse than doing nothing at all.
A good place to start for smaller companies or marketing teams with limited budget or experience in video production can be animated video. With this form of media, you can bring your company, products, and services to life without breaking the bank.
Scenario-based videos are a perfect way of getting the right eyes on them, and within them you have the possibility of informing and educating your audience. Having a strong call to action at the end such as requesting a trial or a demonstration is the trick to having the videos convert into sales opportunities, and a great way of standing out from the crowd.
Picking the right partner
Getting the right video production company to work with you is a key part of making a successful video. Check out their credentials and previous work, and see how their existing clients rate them before you do anything else. From there, shortlist your candidates and be rigorous as you close in on making your choice.
Once you have made your shortlist, arrange a meeting or video call with each of your selected candidates. Ask each of them the same questions, and then assess the answers at the end of the process to see which answers you liked best. Ask yourself the question of how did they back up their claims? Anyone can sell and make bold claims, but did they show examples of client videos to support what they told you?
Consider grading the answers to the questions 1-5 to enable you to apply a score-based assessment to each of the agencies.
When you have assessed all the answers to the questions, consider the intangible but important question – do you think you can work with these people on a regular basis? Did you feel as if the chemistry right for a healthy and productive long-term working relationship? Add your assessments on this question to the graded assessments, and then you have some numbers to base your decision. All the agencies you shortlisted are likely to be good, so your final decision will come down to gut feeling and the interviews you conducted.
Going through this process will help you find the right agency for your business, and provide the foundation for a prosperous working relationship.
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