Most people are familiar with TED Talks; the 5-20 minute live recordings of people at the top of their particular industry. They are incredibly popular and some of the most shared content online, with the most successful examples enjoying viewership numbers on YouTube in excess of 7 million. However, you don’t need to be Brene Brown to be able to capitalize on this phenomenon. You don’t even need to be an exceptional public speaker or a well known “name”.
What you do need is to be an expert in something, and that simply means that you know things about something that most other people don’t know but would like to know. If your company produces arch supports for running shoes, sells private airline travel or crafts boutique coffee beans, you are an expert in these specific fields with something to offer your audience.
This is the key to the success of TED talks; people are eager to know things, especially things that will add value to their lives in some way. It is this gap in knowledge where you can find the content to create a successful video campaign to share on your website or via your social media.

However, before you start writing your pitch to the TED producers there is another way to share your knowledge, promote your career and your business and maybe even change people’s lives. By producing your own video, outside of the official TED framework but within the same vein, you free yourself to create content that will educate your audience about your product or service, increase buyer trust and strengthen your brand. And you don’t have to stand up on a stage and wave a pointer at a projector!
To get started, ask yourself these questions:
- What is the 1 benefit of my company’s product or service that most people are unaware of?
- What part of our culture is unique and personable?
The recipe is to combine these two elements into a professional, original and engaging short video. The key is to focus on the benefits to the viewer (how can you improve their lives?), and to keep it personal and intimate, there’s no room for being salesy here. People want to hear your story, they want to know you and your products better after watching.
Take a look at a recent example of a video we created for new client Powerhaus Brewing Company. We focused on the benefits of their product (their brand promise) and what makes their story unique (their company culture).
If you’d like to brainstorm ideas that could form the basis of your own TED Talk-style video, then email us (info@frontrunnerfilmsllc.com) or visit our website to find out more about us.
