Small Business, Big voice

One of the best things about being a small business is that you have the ability to test new ideas. So much of starting a smaller business is about trial and error. Finding out what works for you, and what draws in the customer you are looking for. One such area is with online video. Video has the ability to help you connect and engage your customers, in a way that text-based websites just cannot do.

As with most small businesses cost can be an issue. Most companies do not have the budgets that the big guys do. But you know what? Adding video to your company is a very cost effective way to grow your business, in fact you really can’t afford NOT to add video! Here are a few ways that video can help you get heard in the industry:

1. CONNECT WITH YOUR CUSTOMER

The great thing about being a small business is the ability to have a personal connection with your consumer. Video enables you to engage your customers on a personal level. For example say you own auto body shop. With video you could have a live record video chat between the mechanics, and the customers. The mechanic could go through the areas that needed attention, and show you the process, through a range of tutorials. Another effective way that the auto body shop could add value to their services is by offering helpful tips on their website, on vehicle maintenance, between visits.

2. VISIBILITY

Video increases your visibility on-line. Universal searches within Google, have proven that 1 in every 4 of the top searches are video. This statistic shows that if someone does a search, all content by video will come up first giving it maximum visibility. Those videos are more likely to get clicked on, than any text based information n the same subject. Linking onto a website with video, will increase the traffic to the site, and also create “sticky” websites. (Video based websites hold people’s attention longer, and keeps them from clicking to another site, causing them to get “stuck” on them)

3. PRODUCTIVITY

Live video conferencing, and collaborating with remote employees or customers can be invaluable. Having a small business sometimes inhibits you from travelling to and from your suppliers, and or colleagues freely. Video allows you to readily converse with your team effectively. This is a great tool, if you want to have a conference call, and need to trouble shoot an issue. Often emails and text can be ineffective in translating the key messages.

4. ACCESSIBILITY

On of the greatest things about video, and how it can be a benefit to small businesses is its availability. Internet video can be viewed anywhere, and everywhere. On your iPhone, blackberry, iPad, laptop. Anywhere that has a network connection.

5. EMPLOYEE FOCUS

What better way to show your team, than have a short video bio created for each member! This personal touch can really set you apart from your competition. People want to trust in their businesses. Having your employee’s showcased on your website, shows them a) That the company values its team, and believes in them, and b) It shows the customer who they will be working with, and helps them feel connected, right away. This makes for a lasting and loyal relationship!

Video is 53x more likely to appear in the 1st page of search engine results, than text related pages with the same topics. On-line video lives forever, it is an effective, affordable way to get your business noticed!

Elle Boutilier

Top 10 Scripting Tips

Most people know why they’re getting a video made, but many people freeze up because they don’t know what to say with their video.

Here are 10 tips on scripting your video.

1. Start with a paragraph that says who you are, and explains why you’re making your video: “My name is John Kingman. I’m a producer and studio manager for videoBIO. I believe script writing can be demystified, but it takes a top ten list to do it.”

2. Keep your script short: You’ll be tempted to include everything you can think of relating to your video topic, but what you really want to do is make it short and sweet. Write your script once, and then go through and mercilessly cut things out.

3. Write the way you talk: People often make the mistake of writing their script very formally, as if it were a presentation document. Then they start reading from it and stumbling around the words. It’s your voice, so use it when you write. Read what you write out loud to see how it actually sounds coming out.

4. Make broad points, but use detail to back them up: for example, if you’re talking about your past job experience you don’t want to give a chronologic synopsis of your entire life. Hit the big points, and go in for smaller details only when it really helps back up your broader point.

5. Imagine your audience: You’re going to be talking to a camera, but you need to picture who the people watching the final video are, and how they’d like to be talked to. You know your business well enough to figure out who your target audience is. Make sure you’re writing your script for them.

6. Spice it up: You’re not writing a text book here, so make sure to use some imagery and colorful language. You want to engage your audience with information, and to do that you need to make the information delivery interesting.

7. Include an appropriate quote, if possible. A great quote is always a nice way to drive a point home in language better written than we can pull off. Quotes also tell your audience the type of people you admire and look up to. But make sure that you’re quote fits the theme and mood of your script. As Gini Graham Scott said “… you can't fit a square peg in a round hole.”

8. Back up statements you make with statistics and facts: There’s nothing worse than making broad statements with no proof, especially when you’re trying to convince your audience to do business with you. Usually the easiest way to make a statement is through the statement of the statistic in the first place. The audience can piece together the rest.

9. Add a little humor: Adding a joke, or just being a little playful, let’s your audience know that you’re approachable. Certainly there are situations where that’s inappropriate (I’m looking at you, doctors) but for the most part it’s a good rule.

10. Your conclusion should summarize your beginning, and the points you made after: Whatever your opening statement was, this is the point where you justify it. “Script writing is hard, but it really doesn’t have to be. With a few simple tips, say 10 of them, you can be writing effective and compelling scripts in no time."

~ John Kingman

Top 5 Reasons to Add video to your B2B communication

How many people out there work for a company that is on the cusp of adding video, but cannot commit to taking the plunge? Often this hesitancy stems from a lack of consensus from the key decision makers, lack of awareness of what tools exist, or simply that they don’t see the need to bother amongst many other possibilities.

As video shifts from the periphery to center stage, businesses need to know that video isn’t just for weird cat ladies; it has become a commerce powerhouse that separates the industry leaders from the industry would-be-could-be’s. How many times has your business viewed a competitor or a client that has incorporated video into their B2B communication? Often? Sometimes? Never? Regardless of which, each one presents an opportunity for your business. Here are five reasons why your company needs to add video to your B2B communication:

1. Enables you to conduct business with a personal touch

Whether you are working with a local small business or a multinational corporation there is one inescapable commonality with all business: you are doing business with people. Taking the time to create a video and send it as a follow-up rather than a regular email helps to keep you and your company top of mind. This is especially true if you are bidding on a contract or looking to make that initial sale with a business.

2. Shows that your business is innovative & on the cutting edge

Ever since Kindergarten, who hasn’t wanted to be the “cool guy/girl”? Although we have gotten older and wiser that desire doesn’t go away. Using video in your communications adds the cool factor to your business, particularly if your competitors are not using it in their B2B communications!

3. Increase your visibility on the Web

Have you noticed that any time you do a Google search it’s not only websites that pop up, but also videos related to your query? Ensure that you have some of your B2B video communication on your site and in the social media space. That, along with strategic search engine optimization, will increase the likelihood that your business will appear on the first page of a Google Search.

4. Great Way to Demonstrate your Product/Services

If your business cannot meet with potential clients but you need to show them your latest widget or ground breaking doo-dad, video is a simple solution! It would be a good idea to hire a team of seasoned professionals to do this for you (ah-hem, videoBIO provides said services at an amazing price point!).

5. 7/10 People prefer watching video over reading text

Admittedly, that's a random made up statistic. However, it reflects the ever-growing trend of people using video. This is advantageous for your business! Let’s go back to the first point: video allows you to show your product/service, allows you to engage your client, and most importantly it allows you to show your authenticity, something people value greatly so much that it can be the difference between closing the deal or not.

To help your company take its first steps or adopt new methods to keep doing great things be sure to contact videoBIO at info@videobio.com or 416-840-7600

We look forward to helping you add video to your B2B communication strategy!

- Jermaine P.V. Bagnll

Jermaine is an Account Manager at videoBIO and heads up the social media. Don’t forget to follow videoBIO on twitter @videoBIO

How To: Make your videoBIO work HARDER

If you’re thinking of promoting your personal brand with video, you’re already steps ahead of the rest! You’ve recognized the value that video can offer in communicating your vision and increasing your reach. But there are a few additional considerations you can take to make your video work even harder for you!

· Make sure your message is clear and concise. Don’t bog down your audience with heavy details or confusing messages.

· Open your video with a strong statement or question that piques viewers’ interest. You only have 20 seconds or less to grab someone’s attention!

· Ask questions. Posing a question to the audience immediately engages them and heightens their connection to the content.

· Be yourself, and be natural. Viewers will be more apt to pay attention and relate if you are genuine and approachable.

· Leave the viewers wanting more, and then let them know how they can find out more. It is important to maintain a sense of intrigue, giving just enough information to whet the appetite and spark interest. Ensure that you offer an alternative means to continue the conversation by providing a website address, a social media page, or contact information.

By Stephanie Kittell, videoBIO producer

How To Make the Best First Impression

Within the first few moments of meeting you, people have already begun to form their opinions about you. They’re analyzing your appearance, your demeanor, your body language, and any other cues you might be transmitting. This is equally true of your online presence. You need to send the right signals from the get-go in order to make a positive and lasting impression!

Whether you’re presenting communicating through video or in person, here are 5 things you can do today to ensure that you put your best foot forward:

1) Make eye contact

Maintaining eye contact tells others that you are interested in them, and shows that you have nothing to hide.

2) Be genuine and true to yourself

People can sense when you’re trying to be something you’re not. Rather than put on a mask, let the real you shine! After all, you’ve gotten yourself this far, why stop now?

3) Be confident

Having and expressing confidence in yourself tells the world that what you have to contribute is valid and worthwhile. You’ll see others drawn to you, really wanting to hear what you have to say. Just don’t let it go to your head! Over-confidence can turn people away just as fast!

4) Be present

Be fully engaged in whatever it is you are doing at this moment. Try not to think about the pile of “To-Do’s” you have waiting for your attention, or what your next move will be. Whether you’re meeting someone new or addressing your audience with video, being present will allow you to perform at your very best.

5) Smile!

The importance of a smile cannot be understated! When you smile, the world smiles back at you. It shows others that you are happy, and you want them to be happy also. This is one of the most powerful things you can do in your communications.

Stephanie Kittell, videoBIO Producer

Why Video, Why Now? 3 Tips to Make Video Work for You

In this day and age of flashy gizmos, amazing doodads, and countless apps it is becoming increasingly difficult to figure out what a business owner should use to market themselves and their business. Do you jump on twitter, signup for Facebook, or do you start up a blog? Marshall McLuhan once said that the medium is the message. Now that we have so many mediums at our disposal the question remains; what is your message? Although the world is becoming filled with photo and text based blogs and sites, a tried and true way of effectively getting your message across is through the video.

Once your business has committed to adopting video as a communication tool the next question to ask yourself is: “How do I get it seen?”

1. Email: a very simple way of driving traffic to you video is posting it in your email signature. The most effective use of video in your email signature is a video that talks about you, your business, and why people should work with you.
2. Vlog: Don’t be afraid to step up your blogging game by adding video. Take a few minutes to give your thoughts on your topic du jour then toss your embed code onto your blog, and voila! You have created a post that is engaging, shows off your knowledge, and gives the world of potential and existing clients a look into your personality.
3. Social Media Tools: Harness your tools as a method of pushing out your videos. Once you have completed a new vlog entry let the world know that you have a new tidbit of knowledge to share. On twitter you have 140 characters to create a witty caption to drive traffic, on Facebook make sure your friends and “like”ers know what your up to, link it to your LinkedIn, etc… Although this seems like a tedious task it will prove highly rewarding when you look at your analytics and see that you have a growing legion of unique hits!

With all of these helpful hints in mind one question remains: how will you produce the videos to push out to the world? At videoBIO we have several types of video packages available ensuring that you will find the package that best suites your needs.

If you want a video that highlights you, your business, and why you’re amazing to work with, we can create a video that will co-exist well on your main website and in your email signature. Were you thinking of creating a series of short videos for your vlog? Excellent! videoBIO has recently launched a new product called LiveRecord that allows you to record short video messages that can be emailed, posted via embed code, or linked to videoBIO’s brand new videoPAGE; a stand alone mini biography page where you can provide links to your social media tools, have a video message to highlight yourself, and create a small write up about anything you wish.

In short, videoBIO is your one-stop shop to fulfilling your online video needs. Contact us today, let us know what you envision, and we'll connect you with best video products to fit your needs.

Jermaine

Your Performance Isn't Bad

We’ve done a lot of videoBIOs over the last two years. The comment we get most often during a shoot with a client is “I’m doing terrible”. It’s funny because that’s rarely the case.

Most people come into the studio thinking that they know their business so well, their performance is going to come out smoothly and naturally the first time. That’s never the case. As much as you know your business, and for as often as you talk about it in person, once the camera is on it’s a different game.

But it doesn't have to be.

When the client gets settled into their position for the video we talk to them about what’s going to happen. Once we start recording their performance is usually what it should be, but without the visual cues a participant in a conversation would give them (nodding, eye contact, etc.), the client starts to worry that they’re not doing it right.

When you’re doing your videoBIO, even though you’re talking directly to the camera, try to keep in mind that the tone you’re looking for is conversational, like you’re talking to a peer or a prospective client. Try to imagine your end viewer instead of the camera. Let the producer or videographer’s voice stand in for this person, and keep focused on the idea that you’re talking to a person, not a camera.

If you can keep yourself from worrying too much about your performance, that lack of stress will help create the easy delivery you want in your videoBIO.

John