Video Storytelling: Show, Don't Tell

End caps in supermarkets display products to entice shoppers to buy;  while consumers seek out expertise and special pricing from service-based businesses featuring professionally-trained manpower.  But what about organizations that market opportunities to to lead; experiences to inspire; and friendships to treasure?  How can you  position that product? Girl Scouting is the largest national organization of young women in the United States.  This leadership development not-for-profit offers program, encouragement, and empowerment building girls' courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place -- and this organization has been doing this work for over 100 years.

Who better to tell the story but the girl member herself?  What better way to inspire and spread the news but through photos, videos , testimonials and interviews.  Over the last few years, on-line video has proven to be the most engaging and compelling form of content for social medial users.  Video communicates, informs, and educates by engaging both the viewers and the participants.

Every brand has a story to tell.  Video offers a platform of authenticity, honesty, and transparency that appeals emotionally and increases viewer engagement.  A strong marketing campaign integrates video into the mix. Videos can be from live events, a how-to-video, customer testimonials, training videos, viral entertainment videos,  explainer videos - the list goes on.

2015 will be the year that video becomes an integrated part of email marketing, content marketing social media, and SEO, helping marketers improve their day-to-day results while acquiring brand affinity and enhancing customer relationships.  So remember "Show, don't tell".  That is the simplest yet most powerful lesson a storyteller can learn as marketers put more emphasis on content that tells a story!

History Repeats Itself...

Back in May 1983, fresh out of college armed with a BS Degree in Mass Communication and a double minor in PR and Theatre, I was ready to get a job and start my life!  In October, I was thrilled to land an entry-level advertising assistant job for a large utility and within one year started the company's audio-visual services as a department of ONE – I was producer, writer, videographer, sound assistant, lighting grip, editor, voice-over talent, reporter, and the account manager responsible for  creating a 15-minute, video news program distributed bi-weekly on tape cassettes to over 100 generating stations, operating centers, corporate offices, and regional bill payment offices throughout the upper fifth of Northern Illinois.  The program was comprised of three to four different, on-location video segments highlighting our people, our customers, controversial news coverage, new products and more!

Twenty years later, the communication theories I learned in college still have value; those "typewriter-timed" journalism writing tests reinforced the need for succinct, clear and targeted messaging; and creativity continues to capture and maintain your audience’s attention.  And now, here I am creating a "video messaging" product for The Price Group  - still building stories using traditional solid communication principles, enhanced by integrating today's social media and internet marketing strategies.

For our Fox Valley SCORE client, the local chapter of a national non-profit organization, I was, again, a department of ONE:  the event planner; the press release writer; the blogger posting on Facebook and tweeting interesting anecdotes; and the video producer, director, reporter, writer, videographer, editor, etc.  Yes, it is true, history does repeat itself!

“It’s just like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re going to get!”

Although there may be some wisdom to Forrest Gump’s observation comparing life’s unpredictable nature to a box of chocolates, would it be wise to treat your online marketing strategy like this? This is often what happens when potential customers land on a website and launch their online video – they never really know what to expect!  To eliminate uncertainty, produce video content posted on your website or linked from your social media posting that is relevant and valued by your customers.

Marketing studies indicate website videos increase SEO by 50%.  But did you know that you could actually jeopardize your credibility if the content and the quality of the video messaging is poorly written and produced?  Even if your online video appears slick with all of the “bells and whistles” of an “over-the-top” music video, if the content is not relevant to your viewer, you will actually lose customer engagement.

The following facts about online video messaging are no secret:

- 90% of the information transmitted to the brain is visuals;

- Visuals process 60K times faster in the brain than text;

- Viewers stay on a page with video content 6 times longer; and

- Featuring video on your website makes it 53 times more likely to get a front page Google ranking.

Based upon these compelling statistics, many small business owners immediately say, “I need a video to increase traffic to my website!”  However, to avoid creating a video that could turn out to be one of those “not-so-good chocolate covered jelly candies”, here are five guidelines to consider when producing video messaging:

1) Go beyond “selling” your product, but create content related to your business of which potential customers would have general interest or gain value;

2) Build trust and credibility by utilizing the power of video to demonstrate the effectiveness of your businesses’ product or service because “seeing is believing”; 

3) Produce a message that is compelling and entertaining, prompting viewers to share it and “spread the word” attracting buyers and generating leads; 

4) Employ “storytelling” techniques to emotionally connect with customers who can empathize and identify with the story or the storyteller; and

5) Introduce genuine or clever  “humor” to humanize the message and capture the viewers’ curiosity.

Everyday, more and more viewers “Google” and “click” to view video content on a website, not really knowing what they are going to get. Therefore, it is increasingly important to consistently create relevant content valuable to your viewer, using high-quality production values.   Once your viewer is engaged by your well-produced video message, this customer will know what he’s going to get and be willing to get it from you!