People singing your praises doesn’t always work. Consumers are skeptical. Here are criteria we keep in mind when creating testimonials for clients:

The person has to be credible. They can’t look like a paid performer.
Their praise must be specific.
They should point out a competitive advantage — something special that says “Why you.”
They need to get to the point.
The “point” should be important to prospects.

In interviewing Dallas Realtor Marci Barton prior to the shoot, we explored the competitive advantages of the Marci Barton Group.

To develop a video marketing strategy for a client, this is crucial. “Why you?” speaks to your point of distinction in a Sea of Sameness.

Consumers don’t purchase goods or services simply because they’re the same or as good as someone else’s. You need to stand for something.

Here’s an example captured by our videographer Tori Cornaud as part of a video marketing strategy for Marci:

Video is powerful. Turn your client success stories into persuasive marketing on your website and through a branded YouTube Channel which AR&D sets up with each video optimized for search engines. Remember the days when Realtors and companies thought all they needed for Google was a website optimized for Google!

That’s how I felt, so I shot a short video and emailed it to the top guy, the CEO of Regus Office Solutions. What’s curious about web videos is the fact if you upload them to YouTube, they’ll make an impact even before the top brass sees them.

Here’s the “no production” video I shot on a laptop webcam followed by a few of my comments (on a non active link).

Bob Kaplitz is Vice President of Content Marketing for AR&D. You can reach him at bkaplitz@ar-d.com for ways to use the power of a video marketing strategy to make your phone ring.

At least for many business people.  I’ve been reviewing many examples of webcam videos.  Even when the presenter welcomes viewers from the start, it’s difficult for them to smile.  Perhaps you’re among them.  You’re so focused on getting the material right and getting into it that you don’t take the time to smile.  That happens to many of us.

Here’s an example of a well-intentioned presenter so focused on the material he didn’t realize he’s missing an opportunity to communicate  warmth and personality.  The other two presenters we coached prior to their video shoot.  You can see the difference a smile makes.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY

Record yourself on your webcam or phone several times a week for a minute to develop a natural smile.

Plan to smile at the start when you say hello, welcoming your viewers.

Also at the end, as you need to end strong and warm.

Content Marketing is the art of communicating with your customers and prospects without selling. It is non-interruption marketing. Instead of pitching your products or services, you are delivering information that makes your buyer more intelligent – a wiser consumer. They seek out the content. This is a much more efficient and economical approach than the “old way” of forcing advertising on people.

• When was the last time you made a point of seeking out commercials or advertising?

• When was the last time you went on line to research a product or service?

It comes down to the fact that people don’t want to be sold. They want to buy based on information they find. Yes, that’s why content is king. The Power of Story is king.

Why video?

• Did you read the book Titanic?

• Did you see the movie?

So before you send any text only messages, any brochures, or print any business cards, bring your story to life with video.

We’ll help you tell your story and the success story of your clients. We’re experts in storytelling. We’ve been teaching the best and the brightest journalists and TV videographers for more than three decades. And that’s based on deep insights into viewer behavior. We know audience.

Bob Kaplitz

Senior Vice President for Content Marketing

AR&D

bkaplitz@ar-d.com

Compare this approach to the “old” ways of just announcing an upcoming event with text or sending a link to YouTube. This way, viewers can read more or even register right on your page. Okay, click to watch what happens when the mail opens.

My colleague Regent Ducas, Senior Vice President of Content Marketing, and I met David Feherty producing and shooting a series of short videos for the Four Seasons Resort and Sports Club in Las Colinas, a Dallas suburb.

Feherty, a commentator for CBS Sports and host of a new primetime show on the Golf Channel, has close to 40 thousand followers on Twitter.  You have to read and enjoy his tweets to see why.

He doesn’t take himself seriously, but he asks great questions on his show and has a history of depression and other problems he’s not afraid to write about.

When you talk about transparency, that’s Feherty.  During our shoot of promos for the HP Byron Nelson tournament at the Four Seasons, he was as unpredictable off camera as on camera.

So when I saw this commercial for his Golf Channel interview show, Feherty was perfectly in character.  This freeze frame above captures the “crazy” and engaging personality.

So what does this mean for you?

TAKEAWAYS

Let your real personality shine through.

If you have a personality in your company, give them an opportunity to connect with customers and prospects with video.

Yes, you don’t want to go overboard or come across as half crazy, but you likely can do more than put on an “official” face.

Look for opportunities not to take yourself too seriously unless the subject of your video requires it.

Keep the video under 2 minutes, preferably 90 seconds.

Capture attention in the first 10 seconds.

Instead of using spokespersons, use owners and principals.

Tell an interesting story about customer experiences and success stories.

Make sure the video can be viewed on all devices — mobile phones, tablets and PCs.

Don’t be afraid to take fresh approaches — like the Blendtec folks whose Will It Blend? videos went viral.  In this case, you’re looking at blending an iPhone.

Here’s the video, which is nearing ten million hits followed by a few important still frames.

My colleague Regent Ducas and I underscore the fact your videos need to be real, authentic, and you. If it looks like a high gloss commercial, people will tune it out in most cases. Yes, Super Bowl commercials are definitely an exception. You’ll notice what makes the Will It Blend? concept so powerful is not slickness.

The writer, Glenn Kessler, provides a reality check so a President or anyone doesn’t pull a fast one.  He also gives so-called Pinocchios.  Two means the presentation made serious mistakes.

He writes:

In a bit of class jujitsu, the president six times mentioned eliminating a tax loophole for corporate jets, frequently pitting it against student loans or food safety. It’s a potent image, but in the context of a $4 trillion goal, it is essentially meaningless.  The item is so small the White House could not even provide an estimate of the revenue that would be raised, but other estimates suggest it would amount to $3 billion over 10 years.

Viewers value this type of reporting because you’re nailing down important facts, serving as viewer advocate.  So:

• Look for opportunities to check facts on important pronouncements — especially political ones.
• One way to make this relatively easy is to check with that person’s greatest critics.
• After you nail down your facts, give the official or politician an opportunity to respond while asking them the tough questions.

First, prepare to pass up on some of your best shots.  It seems there’s always someone in the background.  So you have to consider your best options:

• Shoot up, although sometimes these shots aren’t flattering.  Bottom left example below.
• Shoot tight or tight enough so the people in the background are out of focus.  Bottom right example below.
• Shoot down by holding the camera over your subject.  Bottom example.
• Invite the subject of your shoot to move to an area where nobody is in the background.
• Schedule the shoot when nobody else is around, but that didn’t work in this base because the idea was to capture the energy of the workout class.

The client, The Four Seasons Resort, was happy with the results my colleague Regent Ducas and I produced and shot for this web video showing Sports Club member Meredith Johnston.  Nobody else working out was even remotely concerned about the video shoot, which was the goal.