You are an expert in your field. You know the benefits and limitations of your product or service. You have identified your target audience and you have success selling to them. That is, when you can reach them. The challenge for most companies is the ability to be seen in a competitive and overcrowded online world. This is where video marketing (also coined Content Marketing) can be an invaluable tool for all business’, and as the internet shifts to video as it’s primary method of communication (“By 2021, 80% of the world’s internet traffic will be video.” CISCO Study), it’s no longer IF you’ll create video for your company but WHEN.
So what’s stopping you from starting today? It’s likely one of the three reasons we list below. These are the concerns that we hear most often from companies when we work with them for the first time. Keep reading for tips to alleviate these fears so that you can move forward with your online video campaign, engage with your audience in the most effective way and experience the incredible ROI it offers.

1. Looking Stupid on Camera

Fear: The thought of being interviewed on camera is akin to public speaking as a seriously scary scenario for most people. Completely understandable. After all, we’ve all seen those wooden, awkward examples of corporate video where you wince the entire time you watch the poor employee sweat through what is likely the 54th take of the same line of dialogue. It’s not fun to watch and it’s sure as hell not fun to create.
All humans come equipped with a fantastic bullsh*t detector, and we are able to smell a scripted, soulless performance a mile away.
Antidote: The power of watching employees explain their job, their company, their vision or their mission is entirely based on their level of AUTHENTICITY. All humans come equipped with a fantastic bullsh*t detector, and we are able to smell a scripted, soulless performance a mile away. The key to creating authenticity in on-camera interviews is to embrace the uniqueness of the employee, we want to see all the mannerisms and quirks that make this person one of a kind. When we shoot interviews we never use a script. Instead we invite the employee to speak in their own words, to take as much time as they want and if required, we guide them a little with the occasional question or request for clarification. We find the juiciest (read: most human), moments in the editing room, and voila an engaging and honest interview.

2. Not seeing ROI on Your Investment

Fear: You have to validate the cost of producing professional quality video to your boss. What if you don’t see results? What if you mess it up so bad that the videos never see the light of day and you’re put on the naughty list for the rest of the year. What if your ROI is DOA?
What if your ROI is DOA?
Antidote: Video Marketing is wonderfully measurable. All of the platforms you will share your video on (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, your company’s website) provide excellent feedback that will demonstrate in facts and figures the impact your videos are having. However, tracking is only comforting if you have faith that the results you get will be positive. Fear not, video has some very encouraging research and statistics in support of it. For example:

• 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
• Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
• Sixty-four percent of consumers make a purchase after watching branded social videos (via tubularinsights).
• 59% of executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic, they are more likely to choose video.

There is one other point to take note of when it comes to ROI. Not all videos are created equal. There’s a specific formula to create videos that will best serve the needs of your specific business’ goals, so it’s integral that you choose a production company that understands content marketing as much as they understand camera operation.

3. Having Zero Understanding of the Video Production Process

Fear: Anytime we are out of our comfort zone, stepping into the unknown or trying something new, we feel scared. Why? Because these situations mean being out of control. We love control – it makes us feel safe as we feel that ultimately the outcome is the result of our efforts. Producing video and working with a production company often equates to letting go of some of the control and entrusting the outcome to (almost) a stranger. Terrifying, right?
Producing video and working with a production company often equates to letting go of some of the control and entrusting the outcome to (almost) a stranger. Terrifying, right?
Antidote: Choose your production company as you would choose your dentist. You wouldn’t let just anyone drill holes in your teeth. Don’t let just anyone take the reigns of your video marketing. There are three must-haves to evaluate potential video production companies:

1. Experience: Do they have years of experience not only in producing video, but producing video specifically for online and for business’ like yours. Have they won awards for their work? Do they showcase client testimonials? Can they show you that their work has produced results for their other clients?
2. Collaboration: A successful relationship is built on compromise and collaboration. You don’t want to work with a company that takes the notes you made on a napkin during your lunch break and uses it as the exact script without exploring other options, asking questions or expanding on your idea. Equally, you don’t want to work with a company that is condescending, that thinks they know more about your brand than you do, or worse uses a one-size-fits-all template and just drops in your logo and product shots over those from their previous client. The conceptualizing of your video is as important as the shoot. Work with people who approach it as a two-way conversation.
3. Likeability: We click with some people more than others. Certain people just ‘get us’, they speak our language and they share our sense of humor. Working with people in a production company who you like makes the whole process run more smoothly and produce better results. You wouldn’t hire an employee who rubbed you the wrong way, so don’t hire a produce company full of twats either!

Feeling more confident? We hope so! We believe that Video Production (and your Christmas party) should be the highlight of your company’s calendar year. In fact, we start ever new client conversation with a focus on humor and heart. After all, this is surest way to uncover and communicate your USP; what is the heart of your brand’s message, and how can we can fun telling your individual story?
Want to know more about us? Visit our website or drop us a line at info@frontrunnerfilmsllc.com.