Catherine McManus, marketing consultant for small business and Preet Singh, a company owner who offers video production services, share 9 tips on how to make an engaging corporate video.
In today’s digital landscape, corporate videos have become invaluable tools for businesses of all sizes. Whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned player in your industry, embracing business videography can make a world of difference in how you connect with your audience.
Follow these steps and you’ll avoid some of the rookie errors made by inexperienced video creators and stand a chance of creating a successful corporate video to be proud of.
Define Your Video Marketing Objectives
Let’s start by setting clear goals for your video. What’s your plan? What do you want to achieve? Whether it’s simply boosting brand awareness through video content, producing a product video to help launch a new product, or telling your story through inspiring marketing videos, having a clear objective will guide the entire creative process.
Know Your Target Audience
It’s essential to know who you’re talking to. Take some time to understand your audience’s interests, preferences, and pain points. The better you know them, the more effectively you can tailor your message to resonate with them. Are there particular platforms that your target audience hang out on? Do these platforms work particularly well with certain styles of videos or video lengths?
If you don’t have a marketing resource in-house, this is where working with a marketing consultant for small businesses can make all the difference. In order to optimise the impact of any video created, it’s important to have a clear understanding of how this video fits into your overall business or marketing plans, what its purpose is and who it’s targeted to. A marketing professional can help you develop an effective video marketing strategy.
Develop A Strong Concept
Now, let’s brainstorm some ideas. Think about what kind of story you want to tell and how you want to tell it. Whether it’s through a heartfelt narrative, a product demo, or customer testimonials, choose a concept that will captivate your audience from start to finish.
Remember – if you’re a business owner – that it’s about engaging with your target audience and motivating them to take interest or action. This might not be using the same content and style that appeals to you personally!
Plan Out Video Scripting & Storyboarding
With your concept in mind, it’s time to put pen to paper. Write a script that conveys your message clearly and concisely and create a storyboard to visualize how your video will come together. Make sure your key messages are delivered at the right times, in the right way and in a compelling fashion.
Instead of creating a storyboard, it’s also useful to go looking for other videos online that have similarities to what you’re trying to achieve in terms of look, feel or message. Sharing visual ideas with whoever is providing you with the video marketing service makes it clearer for everyone involved and leaves less room for misinterpretation.
Choose The Right Style And Tone
The style and tone of your video should reflect your brand’s personality. Whether you’re going for a polished corporate vibe or a more laid-back feel, consistency is key.
Furthermore, make sure your script is realistic for the people delivering it. Using the language a 50-year-old business professional would use, for a video showing an 18-year-old skateboarder, might not have the desired effect…
Production-Plan Like A Pro!
Planning is everything when it comes to video production. From scouting locations to casting talent to scheduling shoots, careful planning ensures everything runs smoothly on the big day.
Will the shoot be outside or indoors? Do you have the right venue? The right decor? The right licenses to film (if necessary)?
Who will feature in your video? Have you thought about models? Hair and make-up? How will everyone be dressed?
Do you have back-up plans, should things not quite go as expected?
For the Small Business Marketing Consultant video, I dedicated time to sourcing the right London club venue with high end decor details and beautiful lighting. I then added plants and selected books to the frame. The central location also gave us a wonderful outside London backdrop for B-Roll footage.
A word of warning – don’t expect every company that offers business video production services to cover all of the points above. Dependent on the type of videography business you choose, they might or might not include certain pre and postproduction services in their “packages”. That’s why the collaboration between Sector One Media and Small Business Marketing Consultant worked so well – one company brought the video production expertise, whilst the other brought the marketing expertise. My time was focused on concept, scripting, production planning, styling, branding and text overlays in the final edits.
Employ High-Quality Filming And Editing
One of the big advantages of hiring a marketing video company, rather than doing a DIY job, is that a professional videographer service will have all of the right equipment and expertise to capture high-quality footage. It’s important, though, that you still pay attention to details like lighting, sound, and framing both before the shoot (how you brief the marketing video agency) and on the actual day (what it ends up looking like) to avoid any surprises. Don’t panic though – finishing touches can also be added in the editing room.
Remember A Marketing Call To Action
Don’t forget to include a clear call to action at the end of your video. Whether it’s inviting viewers to visit your website, subscribe to your newsletter, or follow you on social media, make it easy for them to take the next step.
Your video marketing objectives will drive what results you are expecting from a video or series of videos, which then affects how hard or soft a call to action needs to be.
Don’t Forget The Importance Of Video Distribution And Promotion
Once your video is ready, it’s time to get it out into the world. Share it on your website, social media channels, and anywhere else your audience hangs out online.
For a sneak peek at what a captivating corporate video looks like, check out our latest project: Corporate Video Example.
With these nine steps as your guide, you’ll be well on your way to creating a corporate video that not only looks great but also gets results. Ready to get started? Reach out to us today!
For corporate video services that go above and beyond, talk to Preet at Sector One Media www.sectoronemedia.co.uk and Catherine McManus, marketing consultant for small business https://smallbusinessmarketingconsultant.co.uk/.
