Its that time of year when not much happens for many of us. With some clear air (business wise). it’s a great time to get your creative juices flowing and think about content for your target market. Here’s some tips:
Content Ideas
- What questions do you commonly get from customers? Or, what are the common tips and tricks you find yourself suggesting to prospects? You can write blog posts, Q and As or create videos which address them. Questions like – ‘how much does it cost’, ‘what’s involved with the service’, ‘how long will it take’, ‘where do we start’, pros and cons of different options…
- Think about the objections you get from prospects. Go over the important benefits and possible cost of not going ahead.
- Update them on where your industry or market is going, show your expertise at the leading edge. Maybe create an infographic to show statistics, or use motion graphics in a video. Reflect on a conference you attended.
- Write about a recent project case study. If a client gives you positive feedback, ask if they’d be happy to say it on camera. Video testimonials are much better.
- Provide an end of year summary or next year projection, with links to articles
- Tell your own story, why and how you started the business. The challenges, how you pushed through, show your passion, and your vision now, why you do it.
- or maybe a good news story about how you maintain a positive work culture, staff awards or ‘meet the staff’.
How to Get Started
I know creating all this content is easier said than done. As a video maker, here’s what I’ll suggest to my prospective clients.
- Be clear on who you are talking to. What is the purpose of your content, what do you want them to think, feel or do?
- Don’t assume they know what you’re talking about. Start at the beginning and use plain English.
- How is it best to deliver the content? Text and pictures, video, infographic, slide show, podcast? Again, picture how your audience is most likely to consume the content.
- If you’re stuck for picture, graphic or footage ideas to go with text or audio, I often plug some keywords into Google Images and see what it throws up. Then look for similar on stock websites or create something using your business.
- Search for existing articles, posts or videos similar to that which you’re thinking about. Or Youtube videos your competitors have made. You want to do something a bit different or original in some way.
Some Tips Specific to Video
The easiest and cheapest video to make, is either a talking head (talent talking to a teleprompter facing the camera) or an interview (takes a bit more time to edit though). That footage might form the basis of a video (the A roll), but ideally it’s good to have plenty of b-roll or cut-away footage, or animation, over it. It’s simply more interesting to watch.
Here’s one we made a while back. Count how many shots went into this <2 minute video, email me the answer and if correct, I’ll come up with a prize. And I’m seriously interested if you think some shots are held too long, or short or not sufficiently relevant to the dialogue:
Of course, if you have ideas for content, you can always call me to talk through how you might turn that into videos and what footage we can gather.
Of course, if you have ideas for content, you can always call me to talk through how you might turn that into videos and what footage we can gather.
Article by Keith Rhodes
Clips That Sell.
