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“How to Consistently Attract New Clients with Video Testimonials and Social Media” Mike Simmons President, Varvid [email protected]
“How to Consistently Attract New Clients
with Video Testimonials and Social
Media”
Mike SimmonsPresident, [email protected]
The train stops here…is the destinationworth the journey?
ARE YOU PROUD OFYOUR WEBSITE?
A question before we dive in…
① They are living documents. Dedicate time to nurture them.
② Understand the goal of your website.
③ Create a simple Site-map. Needs to be intuitive!
④ Track your traffic’s journey on your site.
⑤ Rotate your content, particularly video.
WEBSITES5 Rules for
WHAT’S THE PHILOSOPHY?Modern Marketing In a Social Landscape
It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon.Making connections with people is not a short term endeavor.
It’s the building of foundations, strengthening your brand’s identity and ensuring a foothold in your community.
SOCIAL MEDIA5 Rules for
Strive for conversations, not pitches.
Learn to communicate in the social language it uses.
UNDERSTAND THE LANDSCAPE
It takes a commitment to nurture your “voice.”
Time is money.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS NOT FREE
Visual content beats written copy hands down!
In the same respect, cultural content usually trumps informational content.
LEVERAGINGCONTENT
Define some metrics and start tracking your progress
Make a commitment to follow a pattern based on these metrics
TRACK YOUR SUCCESS
Stealing is ok…really!
However…
ALWAYS GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE!
RE-PURPOSE& RE-USE
174 MillionUsers
889Minutes per User
181 MillionUsers
1,304Minutes per User
2011 2012
Source: Search Engine Watch
WHAT’S THE DEAL?Let’s talk video!
MOBILE DEVICESParadigm Shifts
• Global mobile data traffic grew 70 percent in 2012
• Estimated to grow 26 times in the next 5 years
• Two thirds of all mobile traffic will be video by 2017
• Mobile devices geared towards video consumption: faster connection speeds and more apps driving video content (Netflix, Amazon Prime, Skype, Facetime, FB, etc)
• Nearly every major video platform has evolved to support HTML5 – makes it super easy to share video anywhere on any device
Source: Cisco’s 2013 Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast
HOW DO I GET STARTEDWITH VIDEO?
Ok, I get it already, but…
• Decide who in your organization “owns this.”
• Get your gear together – chances are you already have everything you need to get started.
• Test your process by experimenting on yourself – shoot a couple videos of you or your staff. Keep the premise simple: “Why do you like working for ABC Computers?”
• Once you get the process down, go capture some testimonials from your clients.
WHO DO I NEED?Build A Team
Unless you are flush with time, don’t try to do it all yourself! Assign roles to each team member – keep them simple and keep the goals attainable in a typical work week.
1. Facilitator/interviewer – this is most likely your role. You manage and maintain the relationship with the
client. You ask the questions and “direct” the on-camera conversation. In short, it is your job is to get them in front of a camera & keep them comfortable.
2. Production Tech – this person handles all the technical aspects of a shoot (operates the camera and audio gear, lighting, etc). They also handle the editing process. *
3. Social Media Coordinator – once a video is edited it should get handed off to a social media coordinator to make sure it gets uploaded to your blog, YouTube channel and social media sites. Leveraging your content online is crucial!
*Interns: tap your local college for young, experience hungry talent to help get you started. Your job is to facilitate the interview and relationship. Let the intern focus on production (shooting and editing).
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
The easiest and most valueable video for a business is:
• Let your clients speak on your behalf
• Don’t script their answers. Have a conversation – keep it natural and get them comfortable.
• Highlight their success and how you helped facilitate that success
• Keep it short and concise – it doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s about the message, not the production.
• When possible, have them re-state your questions in their answers. Edit out your questions during the editing process.
VIDEO THAT SUITS BUSINESS/MARKETING NEEDS
What types of video should I shoot?
• Client Testimonials• About Us Video• Video Case Studies/White Paper• Video Press Release• Co-Branded Product/Service Videos provided by Vendors• Event Coverage • Video Tutorials & “How to” videos• Live Webcasting, one to many• Internal Communication (happy holidays, company update)
HOW TO BUDGET FOR HIGHER END PROJECTS
Taking it to the next level…
MDF Funds – work with your vendors to create video case studies or industry specific explanation videos
• Case Studies: Intel Hybrid Cloud – Intel funded a series of case study videos
highlighting a partner who used their Hybrid Cloud server to as a solution for a number of clients. The video was shot at the MSP’s offices and featured interviews with the MSP and their clients.
• Animations: Produce short animated videos explaining what you do in a simple, easy to digest animated format (e.g. “What is an MSP?”).
WHAT GEAR DO I NEED?The latest and the greatest?
• The basics: camera, tripod, microphone
• Don’t get caught up in excuses. The best camera you have is the one you have with you. iPhone, Android & other smart phones shoot amazing video – get comfortable with your device and start shooting!
• When possible, use a tripod! It’s the easiest way to move the needle with your footage from amateur to professional.
• Audio is king! Invest in a lavalier mic or a handheld mic that plugs into your video camera.
Oona - $30(Phone Mount)http://www.theoona.com/
RODE SmartLav$60http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=922914&is=REG&Q=&A=details
Glyph - $30(Phone Mount)http://www.studioneat.com/products/glif
Mini Tripod - $5-10http://www.adorama.com/VVVT6.html?gclid=CMulnu6w-bgCFWXZQgodLB8AXA
Tascam DR7$105http://compare.ebay.com/like/290935279846?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar
SHOOTING VIDEO5 simple rules for
1. Be aware of your surroundings – look for areas with lots of natural light and little background noise.
2. Make sure your light source is behind the camera and facing the subject – beware backlighting!
3. Frame your shot – two thirds rule
4. Clean up your “set”
5. Don’t zoom! Move closer to your subject. Your audio suffers the farther away your camera mic is from your subject, so get close people!
Wrap your videos with company branded bumpers and a call-to-action!
HOW TO EDIT YOUR VIDEOS3 Step Recipe For Success
5-7 second intro 1-2 Minutes of Content
Call To Actionu v w
① In general, if it’s public facing then natively publish it everywhere (YouTube, FB, other).
② Don’t be afraid to re-share video content. FB now limits your reach.
③ The copy is as important (if not more important) than the video itself!
④ Don’t get caught up trying to chase the viral video or create Lord of the Rings.
⑤ Video is expendable. Audio is not!
LEVERAGING ONLINE VIDEO5 Rules for
VIDEO HOSTING PLATFORMSWhere do I share my videos?
Many companies create video then stop at a critical point: De l i ve ry.
Social Video PlatformsMajor Video Platforms
IT’S ALL ABOUT SEODealing with the Kingpin
PROS: Amazing SEO benefits, enormous reachCONS: branding, ads, public facing, mediocre analytics
BOTTOM LINE: YouTube is the 2nd largest search engine. Imagine not having a presence on Google – how would that impact your business if you didn’t show up in any Google search results?
Create a channel – always post your videos on your YouTube channel and post links back to your website. Be sure to includes Tags and Descriptions with every video.
VIDEO ANALYTICSHow Do I Measure My Success?
• A good video platform will show you not just what videos were watched, but who watched them, how long they viewed the video, where they dropped off and which parts they watched repeatedly.
• Integrate video into your constant contact or mailchimp email campaigns to reach a wide audience and track their interaction with your content.
Blogs Videos & Articles Tools & Gear
HubSpot:http://blog.hubspot.com/
Video Industry News:http://www.videoindustrynews.com/
Never Stop Marketing:http://jer979.com/igniting-the-revolution/
Client Testimonial sample videos:http://www.varvid.com/testimonials/
Gary Vaynerchuk – The Thank You Economy Video*: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWN8WdKgerA
New trends in Social Video: “Instagram vs. Vine”http://www.reelseo.com/increase-video-awareness-vine-instagram/
*PG – some mild language, but so worth watching!
RESOURCESDon’t take my word for it!
How to use SmartLav mic for iPhone/Androidhttp://www.americanmusical.com/ItemFiles/Flash/RodeSmartLav_iOS_Microphone.html
Grade your website:WooRank & Website Grader
Be sure to check us out at
varvid.com
facebook.com/varvid
PLAYBOOKThanks!
PLAYBOOKSocial Media
Post Frequency Goals Metrics
Blog 1/week Subscribers, comments, shares
Facebook 1/day Likes, Comments
Twitter 1/day Re-tweets, Followers, mentions
Google + 1/day Pluses, peeps in circle
LinkedIn 1/day Likes, Comments, Follows
YouTube 1/week Views, Subscribers
1. Follow/like 2 Company pages per week 2. Each Social Media platform has it’s own “language”3. Scatter your message across all your platforms
Thanks for your time!
Find us online at:
www.varvid.com
