Sunday, January 3, 2010

Marketing with Video Pt II Corporate Video

Corporate Video


In this segment - the Corporate video and its iterations...


Corporate Overview – The video equivalent of a corporate brochure, but with motion, sound, music, graphics and effects. The videos are intended to give new visitors to a website a better idea of the company. Corporate overviews can easily become too long. For best results, divide and conquer. Produce more targeted segments. Total viewership will increase because more people will be watching shorter videos that mean more to them.


Executive Presentations – Puts an executive “face” on your industry. Regular presentations, quarterly updates, responding to a major event... all are good uses and good reasons to face your constituents and stakeholders. Don’t try this without a speaking and media training coach unless you are already a professional presenter.


Staff Presentations - Social media and other Web 2.0 trends have caused companies to rethink the ways they communicate with external audiences. Senior leaders are fine, but rank-and-file staff members offer considerable credibility. Your customer service reps, technical experts and legacy workers are all valuable considerations for this new type of corporate video. There is more trust associated with the folks in the trenches than senior C-levels in the executive tower. The difference with staff presentations is that you’re selling to the influencers in your target market, not necessarily the decision-makers. So it’s important to represent your company with the people your customers and prospects relate to.


Corporate Tour – See Our Gear! – Once popular, now not so hot. Your customers want to know what you can do for them, not how much equipment and plant space you lease. Equipment is better showcased in a video about what you do well, not what you use to do it. The moment they see your facilities and equipment, the experienced viewers will know your capacities, without you mentioning it. Still want to show off equipment? Show off the people who are using it instead. These are your most valuable assetts.


Dennis Dean is an Emmy-winning producer, communications consultant and Managing Partner at Dean Group Media. He may be reached at dennis@deangroup.com