To some, compelling corporate video may sound like an oxymoron and there’s a reason for that. For a long time, marketing and brand promotion was company-focused and really quite pitchy if you will. Companies thought that having the CEO read a script talking about how great their company was would be convincing, that audiences would see the light and jump on board. Maybe there was a time when this tactic felt new and authentic, but rest assured those day are gone. Droning on about yourself is never compelling, and pitching right out of the gate is likely to be a turn-off. Corporate video can be compelling when you can talk about your values in a way that engages viewers. Here are five guidelines for getting it done:
1. Focus on your Audience
Once you know who you can help, focus on a message that matters to them. Your viewers are interested in your company because of what you offer that will enhance their lives in some way. Instead of talking about yourself and pitching your company, speak to your audience’s desires and make them the focal point of the message you’re delivering. Steer clear of mechanical conversation like statistics and product features and show how the product or service affects their quality of life.
2. Capture attention quickly
Get right to the point when presenting your brand in a corporate video or you’ll lose your audience quickly, especially viewers who are new to your brand. For as much as audiences are devouring video content these days, they are still quick to skip it if it doesn’t grab their attention right away. Get important points in at the beginning of your video and use strong visuals to reinforce your message especially if you’re in a visual industry.
3. Use Stories Instead of a Spokesperson
The idea is to keep the focus on engaging the viewer, so if your angle is stiff, viewers won’t connect. Steer clear of jargon, use language that your audience understands, talk how they talk. You don’t have to include a formal speaker at all. Options for including company representatives in your corporate video is to use behind-the-scenes footage or clips from a conversational interview rather than a commentary that feels like a news report.You may also want to include employees connecting with one another and performing their jobs. A great example of this is Guernsey.
4. Make Quality your Motto
By including video in your marketing you’re already showing yourself as a brand at the leading edge of communication. Don’t blow it by making sub-par video content that has distracting elements like poor sound or picture quality. It’s an opportunity to show what your brand stands for and surely high-quality is part of that image. Quality is reflected not only in the technical aspects of your video production but also the content, the story you’re telling to draw your audience in. Put the time, energy, and budget into creating a video that leads viewers through an experience that showcases your personality.
5. Hire the Right Professionals
There are many productions companies that can make a video for you, but they’ll all have a different approach and you’ll encounter a wide range of experience and expertise. Be sure you hire a company who provides things like great cinematography and clear sound in addition to taking the time to discover your brand story. Work with someone who can help your company showcase its best attributes so you can feel proud of what you’re putting out into the world. Be wary of production companies that want to rush you through the discovery process, it’s a sign they’ll cut corners elsewhere and leave you with lackluster content.
Corporate videos don’t have to be rigid and, well, corporate. We’re all looking to connect to stories and this is true with the brand and consumer relationship as well. Once you find the right production partner, they can help you craft a video that’s professional while showing your brand in an authentic way.