I’m writing a presentation on “Maximising your use of video for business” for a local marketing company’s client event next month.  As a result, I’ve been brainstorming all the different uses for video – and there are lots! But there are some key types that stand out as ones that could quickly benefit most businesses.

So here are my top 6 ways to use video to increase your sales:About you

1. About you

“People buy people” so putting you into your business is important and helps to make you stand out from your competitors. One of the business groups I attend regularly has a “More about me” slot where one of the members gives a 10 minute talk on how they got where they are today. Their stories are always interesting and there’s usually lots of great stuff about who inspired them and challenges they’ve overcome. I’m sure their customers would be interested to hear their stories too. Tell your story, why you do what you do, what your values are – whatever you think your ideal customer will identify with.  E.g. A while back, I recorded this quick iPhone clip talking about how I got hooked on photography. As lots of my clients are keen amateur photographers, it was something they could relate to, and it’s often a conversation starter when we meet up.

2. Client testimonials

Lots of people are cynical about written client testimonials they read on the web unless they know the people concerned.  But if you’ve got a real person speaking to camera that’s far more compelling than a bit of text on your website.  I confess I am rubbish at recording my own clients, but it is something I should really make an effort to do and I know it’s worked well for my video clients.

3. Behind the scenes

What happens at one of your classes?  What do your offices look like?  Who are your support staff? How do you go about designing a bespoke item for a client? What do you do to prepare your wedding car before you set off to pick up the bride?  Potential customers will be interested to know more about how you approach your business – it helps to build trust and gives a greater understanding of why you work the way you do or why you charge more than someone else, for example. In my case, since I created my “Meet Linda” video talking about my approach to photographing weddings, I’ve had several couples decide to book me without even meeting me. I’ve also got a “Behind the scenes” video of a teen photoshoot to show what we get up to on a lifestyle session which has helped potential clients understand how a location shoot works.

4. Tips, hints and how-tos

Sharing your knowledge helps to establish your expertise.  And if you get regular queries about how to use your product,  a “How to” video that you can direct your clients to watch will help them and save you time explaining the same thing over and over again. I’m currently producing one that shows my business clients the best way to share their favourite photos from a shoot with their web designers, for example.

5. Case studies

Show how your products or services helped someone, whether it’s giving them a more search engine friendly website or creating a beautiful dress that flatters them for their wedding day.  Pick something that your ideal client can relate to and it will help them to understand how you could help them. This would be the perfect topic to combine with a customer testimonial.

6. Sales tools

Moving images of  your products give potential buyers lots more information to help them decide what to buy.  E.g. Marks & Spencer have videos of many of their clothes so you can see how they move when you move, something that’s hard to do with still photos alone. If you don’t sell products, think about the conversations you have with potential clients and the things they want to know before making a buying decision then see if you can make a video that will answer their questions.  (E.g. If you’re an estate agent, you might make a video showing the route to school if you’re selling a family house.) Even if you already cover issues in the Frequently Asked Questions section of your website, some people favour watching and listening over reading, so a video may be a more effective way of communicating with them.  I’ve started using video to show off  the different features in my albums.  It’s improved my clients’ understanding of what’s on offer and led to increased sales.

I hope that’s inspired you to think about what videos you could produce for your business.

If you’re put off by the idea that video creation expensive, the good news is it doesn’t have to be.

• If you’ve got a limited budget, all of the ideas above are videos that you could create for yourself using just your smartphone.  If you want to know more, I offer workshops and consultancy sessions to get you started.  My latest public workshop details are here or give me a call if you’d like some bespoke training.
• If you’d prefer a professional to make your video for you, get in touch to see if I can help you.

I’d love to know where you’ve successfully used video in your business so do leave a comment below.