Online Video Marketing: 3 Tips You Need To Know

1st, the Facts

• 4Xs as many customers would rather watch a video about a product than read about it.
• 50% of Internet users look for videos related to a product before visiting a store.
• Men spend 40% more time watching videos on the Internet than women. Videos no more than 2 minutes long get the most engagement.
• 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound.
• Video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80% or more.
  

Now, the 3 Tips

1) Strategically Plan
This will help you leverage the powerful marketing path of video. Determine what type of video you will need and why. For example, should you create a video that showcases your product, builds awareness, publicizes a special event, or educates your customer? Then ask why one or the other will make a difference? Outline your goals, objectives, target, budget, due date, and other requirements for each individual video in order to track your success.

2) The Story Is Always First. Always.
Center around the value your product/service offers your potential client instead of the sale. Always speak to their desires and needs. You’ve only got :08 seconds to capture their attention before they click away, so make it the best, most interesting short/long form video possible. Use your money wisely, because boring is for losers.

3) Don’t Play Hide 'N Seek
Help your target find you online by implementing the following SEO recommendations.

• Be sure to create a video interface on your website (limits disk usage), and also post it on all your social media pages.
• Make sure it is easily sharable by adding the correct tags and SEO requirements.
• Make sure it has detailed written descriptions of its content and relevant key words. This will help search engine spiders categorize and catalog your campaign.

Video best practices suggest that strategy and creativity go hand-in-hand. And besides that, evidence shows that customers love to ride the video train!

So, if you want your video(s) to continue to get results, then you must plan, tell your story, broadcast your product, engage your customer, and repeat. If done correctly, you’ll continue to stay on track, stop-after-stop along your journey.

For more information on how to get on board, contact info@hornsbybrandesign.com.

Source: 
https://www.facebook.com/bufferapp/posts/-85-of-facebook-videos-are-watched-without-sound-93-of-twitter-videos-are-watche/1425000810905695/

The Art of Spreading Your Message

“Focusing solely on what you can potentially do better than any other organization is the only path to greatness.” 

–Jim Collins, author of Good to Great

People are hardwired to notice difference. In an information-rich, time-poor era, distinction that raises your brand above the competition is critical for success. So be different and consider integrating the following:

1. Coherent brands deliver confidence. The physical appearance of your presentation and marketing literature conveys expertise, talent, and quality. A coherent system of communication saves time (and, by extension, money). A coherent system allows you to be prepared at every point in the sales cycle, from introduction to first meeting to client communications. Perhaps most importantly, a coherent package of information sends this critical message: "We have our act together."
2. Branding helps establish your credentials. When presenting the services your company offers, don't forget to cover the basics in describing your firm: the six Ps--philosophy, process, people, products, performance, and price. This usually applies when prospects are getting to know you, but many even existing clients need to be reminded of your credentials and unique offerings.
3. Good brands respect the rules of storytelling. Covering the basics does not mean pouring yourself straight into the philosophy-process-people mold. Keep in mind that your competitors will be presenting similar information. Capture the imagination of your audience by emulating the elements of any well-crafted story: a strong opening, passion, universal truth, satisfaction as the plot unfolds, and a memorable close.

4 Tips to Communicating More Effectively

Tip 1: Establish your credentials
When presenting the services your company offers, don’t forget to cover the basics in describing your firm: 1) the six Ps--philosophy, process, people, products, performance, and price; 2) organization; 3) service structure; 4) business strategy; and 5) compensation plan. This usually applies when prospects meet you for the first time, but sometimes even existing clients need to be reminded of your credentials and other key facts about your firm.

Tip 2: Deliver Confidence
The physical appearance of your presentation and marketing literature conveys expertise, talent, and quality. A coherent system of communication saves time (and, by extension, money). A coherent system allows you to be prepared at every point in the sales cycle, from introduction to first meeting to client communications. Perhaps most importantly, a coherent package of information sends this critical message: “We have our act together.”

Tip 3: Know Your Competition
Clients need a reason to hire you. Any successful marketing communications program must answer the following questions, “How are you different from your competitors? What can you offer clients that they cannot find elsewhere?” Hone in and hit home the answers to these questions when presenting, selling, and strategizing. Make a clear case for the difference you possess to your client.

Tip 4: Respect The Rules Of Storytelling
Covering the basics does not mean pouring yourself straight into the philosophy-process-people mold. Keep in mind that your competitors will be presenting similar information. Capture the imagination of your audience by emulating the elements of any well-told story: a strong opening, passion, universal truth, satisfaction as the plot unfolds, and a memorable close.

Letter from the Editor: Tell Your Story

Dear Friends,

In previous SweetSpot newsletters, we featured the five branding disciplines…differentiation, collaboration, innovation, validation, and cultivation. While we could expound on each of these very important aspects of branding more, the bottom-line is always about storytelling.

From birth, children of every culture hear stories told by parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, books, and more. Why? Because stories connect us together. Sharing them bridges generations, all the while teaching, entertaining, and bonding. It's even been said that the importance of stories in our lives ranks somewhere between nourishment and shelter. 1

Because stories are easy to remember and illustrative, they build stronger emotional bonds between people and parties. This is true of branding stories as well, which is a viable marketing method, proven to build customer loyalty.

An authentic brand story...

• makes the brand memorable,
• differentiates it as desirable,
• breathes life into it,
• creates a distinctive competitive advantage,
• motivates the target market, and
• positions the company as visionary.

So, the question we always ask our clients is, "What is your brand story?" (Take a look at our article "Brand Legend: Do you have it?" for inspiration and successful brand lores.) Ultimately, our goal is to help them emotionally connect with their customers and provide a memorable experience that will build loyalty. 

Here's to telling great stories!

Bridget Hornsby
Principal
Hornsby Brand Design

1: Price, Reynolds (1978). A Palpable God, New York:Atheneum, p.3.