Video – a Method to the Madness

By Lori Dubois, Marketing and Branding Expert and CWCC Member

There is no doubt that video is big. Who hasn’t watched a YouTube video of a funny cover of a popular song (the US Olympic Swim Team doing “Call Me Maybe”) or a silly pet video or even a date invitation (Tim Tebow or Justin Beiber)? It’s clear that we like to be entertained and share our best finds with our friends. Beyond silly or downright hilarious entertainment, has video really hit the mark in other areas, such as education, how-to’s, or dare I mention – business marketing?

The short answer is yes- video serves a purpose beyond the most obvious. For some time, many business owners and marketing professionals have been toying with the intention of making a one-time, brochure-like video, and many have dipped their toes into the video-water, most often by placing a video on their website. Whether or not you are one of these people, or whether or not you have recognized a return on your investment from video, there is a movement afoot that flies in the face of most current video marketing tactics.

This method involves developing a video strategy that includes creating a video campaign.

The strategy piece is based on utilizing marketing and branding principles to determine if video is a fit for your company. If it is a fit, take time to identify your audience, craft a message that clearly tells your story in the most compelling way for that audience, and make sure your brand is carried through in the video(s). The campaign piece is based on posting multiple videos where people will find them.  Simply posting a video on your website is something Kevin Campbell, 30-year film and video veteran, refers to as “running a commercial only on the TV in your house.” Makes you think, doesn’t it? If you want to run a commercial, I’m guessing you want a lot more people than your family to see it.

Enter the concept of YouTube channels. Did you know YouTube is routinely used as a search engine? YouTube is the third highest visited website in the world (as of 8/7/12 according to Alexa Rankings), only behind Google and Facebook. People are going to YouTube and looking for everything from touching wedding proposals to how to fix their computer to where to find a great cosmetic dentist. Could people be looking for a business like yours on YouTube? Quite possibly.

Want to know more? Come to “Making Video Your Marketing Superstar” on August 24, hosted at the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce. Presented by Emilie Downs, Owner of Imago Visual; Kevin Campbell, Owner of Kevin Campbell Films; and Lori Dubois, Owner of Dubois Information; you will learn how video can take the driver’s seat in your marketing efforts to create more leads and increase your bottom line.

Lori Dubois owns Dubois Information, a marketing communications company helping small to medium sized businesses build a brand that tells their unique story in the right way to the right people using the right methods. Dubois Information works with business owners to communicate better with their clients and prospects through email marketing, newsletters, surveys, web content, video, and social media strategies. www.DuboisInformation.com, 303-221-1129