A Playbook for Video Marketing Wins

The dawn of the music video changed the way musicians marketed themselves. “Video Killed the Radio Star” references aside, it was a revolution in culture.

In the years that followed, the internet provided even more opportunities for people to market themselves, their brands, and their products through video. Soon enough, we all had high-definition cameras in our pockets or on our desks. We didn’t need to invest in expensive nearly professional camera equipment and microphones. Our computers and smartphones are now capable of recording high-resolution video with crisp audio.

And guess what? Those phones and computers are connected to the internet, where social media platforms and websites like YouTube allow us to share our content all over the globe.

What this means for promotional products distributors is that there’s absolutely no excuse not to integrate video into your marketing efforts.

It might seem daunting at first, but it’s really as simple as lights, camera, action. Bill Farquharson, content creator at SalesVault.pro, Duxbury, Massachusetts, has been using video as part of his approach since, as he puts it, pretty much the day after YouTube came onto the scene. Back then, he used a small handheld camera to record his marketing tips and video content. Then he’d download it to his computer, chop it up, and hit “publish.”

Now, with the recording power of an iPhone and instant editing capability with programs such as iMovie, it’s even easier for him to publish his content on a weekly basis, which he does alongside written content.

Through his time as a creator, Farquharson has learned what works and what doesn’t. In his mind, a good marketing video is like any movie, or TV show, or social media clip: It needs to be entertaining first and foremost.

“That’s the goal,” he says. “If you can nail that, people will look forward to watching your video.”

From there, he says, you need to be mindful of your runtime. Apps like TikTok and Instagram have made it so our attention spans are minuscule, meaning people aren’t sitting down to watch long videos if they don’t see the payoff almost immediately. Things need to be digestible.

“Absolutely no more than three minutes for sure,” Farquharson says. “Ideally, ideally, less than 60 seconds. More realistically, two to three minutes. Those aren’t guesses. That’s feedback that I’ve received. That’s looking at the statistics. Right now, I have a seven-minute video on my website, and we know for a fact that no one has made it past the four-minute mark.”

Why Video?

What video marketing accomplishes that text-based or other marketing formats don’t is that it allows you to add another dimension to your brand. You literally add a face to the name attached to your emails or website. People see you and your company in a human way, and people want to work with people.

Farquharson says a good marketing video is like a “video voicemail,” meaning a direct way to connect with people and try to get your message heard by the right person.

“That’s what you’re gaining from this,” he says. “You’re educating. You are getting yourself out there as a subject matter expert.”

Through regular releases, Farquharson says you can follow the rule laid out by his “marketing wiz” daughter: “Give it away, give it away, give it away.”

It’s like any sample. Giving something out for free can often yield business down the road, which promotional products distributors know better than anyone. It also keeps the audience interested in you as a provider of information and products.

“If I’m a promo guy, I want to be putting out videos that are educational, that give away secrets,” Farquharson says. “Because what happens is, people will say, ‘If he knows this, he probably knows that.’ And they want to go to somebody who’s an expert. So, the video gives you a chance to demonstrate your credibility, to demonstrate your knowledge, and to set yourself up as a subject matter expert.”

Specifically for promo people, being able to interact with a product in real life shows off the product better than any virtual sample can. You can put on a T-shirt. You can write with a pen. You can drink from a water bottle. You can show this product in its “natural habitat” and draw attention to its features. The viewer (aka customer) can imagine what it would look like when they’re using it, too.

“I’m going to show it, I’m going to poke it, throw it, whatever I need to do,” Farquharson says. “But, let’s take advantage of the fact that it is video.”

How often you “give it away” is up to you, but a regular release schedule is good for visibility. You don’t want to overload someone’s timeline, but consistent exposure is key. Farquharson says a good benchmark is a video once a week.

Behind the Scenes

Are you ready for your close-up? It’s OK if you don’t feel like it. Farquharson says that, while everyone can produce video content, there are techniques that you need to hone to look like a pro. One of them is speaking style. Try to eliminate the ums, uhs, likes, and other little vernacular ticks you might not even notice.

It’s just like writing any speech or presentation. And, to that point, you should make sure all of the points drive home the message you’re trying to get across. Or, to use another analogy, if you were writing a movie, make sure each line of dialogue advances the plot.

Just because you’re not James Cameron sculpting a three-hour space odyssey doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a point to the video.

“I have ADD. I’ve known about it for years. And it’s a blessing when it comes to content creation because of the way my brain works,” Farquharson says. “I think, I speak, and I write in outline form. A good video is, ‘Here is the point, here’s a supporting point.’ Major point, minor point, minor point. That helps people to listen. If you’re just doing it off the cuff, you’re going to be all over town.”

Hit Record

A good video shows a distributor’s human side, so it doesn’t have to be professionally lit, or scored, or feature any cool explosions — although that couldn’t hurt. Kidding aside, treat a video like you would treat a meeting. Be yourself, show the product, and put your best foot forward.

“They don’t have to be special,” Farquharson says. “They don’t have to be polished. They just need to be authentic. I think that you can just grip it and rip it. Pick up the phone, start talking, and then do it again, and do it again. Do the same topic over, and over, and over, and over, the same words, until you get it right. You can get a stand for your cellphone. Do it once, and just let it keep rolling. Do it again, do it again, do it again, and you might say it differently. And then step away. Go do something else, and then come back to revisit it. There’s no substitute for experience.”

Get rolling.