Video has become an indispensable part of the small business marketing toolkit.
It’s Time to Create a Marketing Video When…
In fact Hubspot, reports 96 percent of B2B companies use video for marketing. Small Business Trends spoke with Intralink Global’s CEO and Founder, Diane Primo, to get her take on five key reasons to create a marketing video for your small business.
You Have A Public Relations Disaster
“If there’s a disaster, that’s a sign you need to be doing a video,” says Primo. She adds there’s usually an emotional element involved. The event with United Airlines where a passenger was dragged off a flight last April is a good example.
Although the response was slow, Primo says the video apology later issued from the CEO had all the right elements including a discussion about the changes the company would be making to prevent similar occurrences in the future. By contast, Primo cautions against limiting yourself to a written platform to respond when your small business has taken a big public relations hit.
“Do not hide behind text and/or PR releases,” she says. “Those are complimentary and can enhance your communication, but people need to feel, understand and see that you are honest and forthright about what you are saying.”
Video supplies the necessary body language and eye contact to make these apologies more authentic.
“The trust element is really rebuilt here using video,” she says.
You’re Responding to a Natural Crisis or Product Recall
Small businesses caught in the middle of natural disasters like hurricanes or even product recalls need to get information out fast to everyone from their supply chains, to clients to IT experts.
Primo says while a lot of companies put out manuals to cover what to do in these situations, a video is more immediate and human. For example, a manual might answer 10 questions people can have during a crisis. The answers can be broken into smaller more easily digestible chunks in video form.
“If they can Google the question and the answer comes up, you can even refer them to the manual,” Primo says.
Your Customers are Experiencing a Common Product Problem
Video is also a great way to respond quickly to a common product problem experienced by multiple customers.
Small businesses should monitor the comments on their social media channels or websites for these problems and consider creating a video as a way to quickly explain a problem or announce a solution.
You’re Trying to Market an Experience That’s Hard to Put Into Words
Any kind of business experience is best portrayed with movement and video. For example, if your small business offers white water rafting or another kind of adventure, video works best. It’s the best platform to explain to prospects what they are getting by becoming your customer.
The same goes for other industries like hospitality, entertainment or real estate.
“Video is the closest thing they can get to the experience without being there.” Primo says.
You Haven’t Made a Video for Your Business Already
The final reason you should have a marketing video for your small business is simple. You don’t already have one. Videos act as the perfect introduction to your goods and services, and an explanation of how and why they work.
Perhaps most importantly of all, Primo sees a future where video and text integrate more and more to give consumers the whole picture.
“You’ll see more and more video that refers you to text over time,” she says.
Photo via Shutterstock