Death of the Corporate Video

Keri Goff - Vice President & Video Editor, A Cut Above Video Productions, Inc.

Back in the day when you wanted to boost your sales, you found a reputable video production house and asked them to create a corporate video. You would tell them the key points of your business that you wanted highlighted and viola, the talking head video script was pushed across your desk. It was a great tool, effective and to the point. AND it worked. Why is it that it doesn't work now?

Today everyone has a video camera in their pocket, and some savvy face book users even have set up a green screen in their office and hired someone proficient in iMovie to edit together a quick "CEO Minute" talking head video to blast out on a weekly podcast. Yet sales haven't moved in that promised upward climb.

With all the mediocre video streaming across consumers Televisions, Computers, Tablets and Phones it's hard to stand out. Simply because no one wants to watch a promotion or to hear you sell your product.

Don't get me wrong, video is still a fantastic way to promote and grow your business. It is after all the most engaging medium out there, especially because of all of those said tablets and phones so ready to broadcast to your potential customer. So, no, video is not dead. You still want a 30 second commercial or sales video, but it has to be short, sweet, entertaining and educational.

The challenge today is standing out from the crowd. It is imperative that your video must not be forgotten among the thousands your customer has access to every day. The key to this is to turn away from the outdated way of thinking about sales videos. Instead you must wholly embrace the fact that your sales video won't sell anything.

At least not directly.

Your customer wants to be entertained and educated without thinking consciously about what they are watching. Your job is to ask yourself "What can I teach them" or "How can I help them" and when you are done answering that question you will have indirectly sold your business or product because you have built a trustworthy, wholesome relationship with your potential customer. You're not the used car salesman looking to make a quick sale, you want to help them solve a problem. It's okay if the underlying purpose of your video is to sell something, but you have to come across with value and respect first.