Recently one of our clients, Cycle Paul, a full service bicycle shop in Pointe-Claire Quebec held an open house to launch the spring season. They asked us to shoot some video to use on their YouTube channel and Facebook page.

They had arranged to have sales reps of the various suppliers be present to introduce their products to customers. We arranged to interview them early in the morning about their products before the crowds came in.

The store manager Piere-Paul, who is fully bilingual, conducted the interviews and we filmed it with one camera. We had the interviewer hand hold one microphone and placed a wireless lavaliere on the presenter.

The filming was done in one take as the manager knew exactly what he wanted to ask and the presenters really knew their product lines well and were quite articulate. We did one take in French and then repeated the whole interview in English.

The resulting videos which were uploaded to their YouTube channel and then placed links on their Facebook page were completed the following week.

The videos are split into sections by product type and brand using annotations. This makes the videos interactive and allows the viewer to quickly access the content they want first.

The whole shoot took one morning and the editing about two days. The end result is very informative video content produced quickly and at a very affordable price.

The video can also later be split into individual clips to place on the product pages of their website. This is an added plus because they are about to launch a new e-commerce website, so the product videos can add an important element to the visitors experience.

There are numerous ways that any organization can use this example to create video content by taking advantage of current events and planned sales presentation or speaker occasions. Here are a few suggestions:

• Trade shows (also capture some client testimonials)
• Conferences
• Association meetings
• Training events (interview the instructor)
• Networking events
• Speaking events (either those you give or attend)
• PowerPoint presentations

Steve Goldberg

 

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

In this video interview, small business consultant Tom Merson explains and gives examples of how small business can grow their businesses in today’s digital economy.

Tom talks about one of his clients, a local cleaning company, who he helped save money on Yellow Page advertising without losing any sales.

He also tells about a swimming pool retailer in the mid US who increased their sales by $1 million in 18 months by using social media, while reducing advertising spending by over $100,000. This was taken from a case study produced by Hubspot and can be accessed by clicking on the image below. Tom Merson can be reached at contact@tommerson.ca or visit his website at Tommerson.ca

Steve Goldberg

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

NY Times bestselling author, Christy Whitman

Steve interviews MemoriesFX client Christy Whitman, New York Times bestselling author and CEO and founder of the Quantum Success Coaching Academy. As a life coach trainer, Christy uses video as a marketing tool to help launch her Quantum Success Coaching Academy by offering potential trainers valuable information. Since using video, Christy claims that the number of persons who signed up to the academy during the launches have more than tripled.

Interview with Christy Whitman on using video in business from MemoriesFX on Vimeo.

Christy appreciates that using video allows her viewers  to develop a relationship with her, as they watch her facial expressions, body language and get a sense of her energy while listening to her stories.

Christy’s Quantum Success Show, uses video on a weekly basis, to inform and educate her viewers on various topics. Again, she believes video allows others insight and a deeper understanding of who Christy is.

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

1.  Annotations keep your viewers engaged longer, and Google picks this up, so adding annotations enhances your SEO.

2. You can use annotations to direct people to your other videos rather than have random videos appear at the end of your video. This gets more of your content seen.

3. Using annotations with arrows and directions helps users to navigate easier. For example, you can use an annotation to point to your subscribe button.

4. Annotations are a good way to update older videos by posting an explanation.

Here’s the link to their article

http://www.reelseo.com/how-to-annotations/ 

 

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

According to ComScore, a marketing-research company, Canada is one of the world’s largest users of video.  Did you know that 71% of Canadian Internet users visit YouTube every month? This presents a huge opportunity for companies to market their products or services using video.

We all realize that the video trend is here and we will see more businesses using video to create and share content. The biggest obstacle for smaller companies is budget. But more and more video production companies are offering online services that cut the production costs while still being able to create well produced videos.

For example, Visual.ly  automates the process through its launching of a creation portal that allows people to easily produce their own infographics.

Video companies that offer online services is a great strategy for those smaller companies to be able to compete with the advertising agencies of the larger companies at a fraction of the cost.

 

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season and a prosperous 2013

Judy and Steve

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

Video blogging is a great way to build a relationship with your target audience and to establish yourself as a thought leader and subject matter expert in your field.

In this article I cover the technical components of producing a professional level video blog.

Video blogging is generally accepted to be more casual in terms of both the delivery of the content and the technical production elements. But keep in mind that poor content along with poor video will lead to fewer views and less subscribers.

So it is best to set a goal to prepare good relevant content for our intended audience and to make it look and sound worthy.

In my last blog article and video I covered what to do to prepare and deliver your content, so you might be interested in also reviewing that content.

Equipment

Here is my suggested list of equipment:

1.  Video camera with microphone input feature

2.  Camera tripod

3.  Two video lights with stands

4.  Lavaliere or directional microphone

5.  Microphone stand (if using directional mic)

6.  Microphone cable and adapter

7.  Plain wall or backdrop

The simplest setup would be a camera mounted on a tripod pointed at the presenter who is either standing or sitting. You can even use your smartphone if it has good video capture. To improve image quality I suggest adding some lighting to your subject, especially if you are using a smartphone. You would need a way to mount your smartphone to the tripod and you can buy an adapter for this purpose on Ebay or probably from an electronics or camera store.

The Backdrop

Using a blank wall or paper backdrop removes visual distractions from your set and keeps it neutral. I use a white roll of paper but it is actually quite difficult to get the background white without the subject appearing too bright. Here is a link to another video that explains how to do this using an iPhone.

To achieve a white background you would need at least 4 lights, 2 for the backdrop and 2 for the subject placed on either side. If you use a white background and just 2 lights on your subject, the background will most likely appear grey. So you might want to choose something more colorful. You can purchase a variety of colored paper but you would need a way to hang it. I use a curtain rod in my home when I am not in the studio for video blogging.

The Camera & Microphone

For video blogging I suggest a dedicated video camera that accepts a microphone input. This will provide much better sound than using the in camera microphone. Without it you pick up a lot of ambient sound including room echo. These sounds cannot be eliminated in editing so it is best to control when recording. Dedicated video cameras are easier to use than photo cameras that also record video.

DSLR cameras like the Canon D60 and Nikon D5200 have become very popular for video as they record high quality video and can be also used for capturing great photos. Some like the Canon D60 do accept external microphones but most do not have a headphone jack to monitor the sound recording. If you plan to use this type of camera with an eternal microphone, I suggest a shotgun directional microphone on a stand. A lavaliere microphone might rub against the clothing and thus create unpleasant noise that you would not know until you listened back or found out in the editing process.

You will also need microphone cable to run from the microphone to the camera unless you are using a wireless lavaliere microphone. I suggest using balanced XLR mic cable with adapters. Microphones vary greatly in quality and cost so either do some research or shop from a trusted store that provides good advice. You can ask my recommendations in the comments section below.

If possible, monitor the audio with headphone connect to the camera.

Lighting

You can use 2 video lights to start placed on either side of you subject. Adding one or two more to lights your background is an option that can provide some improvement to the look of your video.

There are many options for video lights on the market today, from the traditional halogen lights to daylight balanced LED lights or fluorescents.  You can even start with work lights used in construction that is available from home renovation supply stores.

The more direct your light is thrown on your subject, the harsher it might appear. I suggest bouncing the light off a white ceiling or wall or if possible adding some inflammable diffusion material for a more pleasing effect.

Recording

Once you have everything set up have your presenter practice speaking directly to the camera. Do not zoom in or out while the person is speaking. If the presenter makes a mistake and wants to start where they left off, you can zoom in or out to make the transition from the last sentence to the new one appear more natural.

Most people present with better energy when standing but this will depend on the preference of the presenter.

Framing the subject as a medium close-up to a close-up will help keep the viewers’ attention on the eyes of the presenter and make it more engaging.

If you are not monitoring the sound with headphones, play back the recording to make sure proper sound was captured.

Editing

Capturing good quality video and audio will make editing much simpler, as there will be less to adjust in the image and sound quality. The key is creating good content that appeals to your target audience. Good quality video will just make the good content more pleasing to watch.

There are free versions of video editing software that comes with most computer packages or you can download Windows Movie Maker for free. Mac’s come with iMovie. Both are quite easy to learn for basic editing.

Steve Goldberg

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

Last week I read an article “The Rise & Conquer of Video” from 1 to1 media that referred to research from James McQuivey, PH.D with Forrester Research who claims that one minute of video is equivalent to 1.8 million words. They also quoted a survey by Forbes claiming that 75 percent of executives surveyed watch work related videos on business websites at least once per week.

Creating a video blog is a great way to communicate in a medium that your prospective buyers and current clients prefer. Video blogging showcases your talents as an expert in your field, builds relationships with buyers and clients, can help with your web SEO and so much more.

There are two components of making regular video blogs. One is the content component and the other the technical requirements. In this article I will cover the content creation part.

1. Choose a good presenter or presenters. Video blogging, just like standard blogs, can be done by multiple people in the company. It is important for the presenter to be comfortable in front of the camera and to express him or herself without reading from a script.
2. Research your topic to gather information of value to your audience. Subscribe to feeds in your field using Google Alerts or similar type services and RSS feeds. Use your intuitive intelligence to decide on topics that you feel are timely and might move your audience. Get ideas for topics from your colleagues or your customers.
3.  Write out your article. Even though this is going to be a video blog, writing your article will help you clarify your thinking and improve your delivery of the topic. It will also help the search engines find your blog through keyword related text.
4. Practice your presentation a little in front of the camera lens after reading your article. Imagine that the camera is a friend or client and speak from your heart with conviction. Show you are an expert and passionate about your subject.
5. Make a commitment to publish regularly. Start with a monthly video and as you get the hang of it increase the frequency.

Perhaps you can dominate your product or service category with video blogs on YouTube. See who else is video blogging and publishing to YouTube, which is considered the 2^nd most popular search engine and the 3^rd most popular website.

Here is a good video on how to optimize your video for YouTube and for Google search.

In an upcoming article and video blog I will discuss the technical aspects of creating a video blog by yourself or with a producer.

I suggest reading my last blog article and view the video on ways to use video on the web to improve marketing and communication.

Please share your tips on video blogging and samples of your work.

Steve Goldberg

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

When revamping your website it is important to think about the goal of your website or web page, taking into consideration the nature and size of your business. For example, large corporations may have several websites for different markets and different products or services.

Most companies want to achieve some form of conversion from their website or landing page: Statistics show that videos dramatically improve conversions.

There are five main objectives of a website:

1. Generate brand awareness of your products and services
2. Build relationships with prospective clients
3. Acquire contact info of interested visitors to build a list of leads and prospects
4. Sell products directly online
5. Engage, retain and sell more to existing clients

A well thought out and designed website will meet all five of the above objectives depending again on the nature of the business. Many businesses cannot make sales through a website itself but the website can act as an important stepping stone in the selling process. In my white paper “Using video to influence buyers and make more sales”, I describe the buying and selling process and explain what type of video is best suited for each stage of this process.

Here is a brief list of types of video that best suit each of the above objectives. I plan to elaborate on these with examples of websites and videos on future articles.

To generate brand awareness of your products and services, a video illustrating the benefits is ideal.  Using a case study video is a great way to build trust.

To build relationships with prospective clients, a corporate style video of people in the organization explaining their roles and what the company does is a powerful relationship builder; adding customer testimonials to the corporate video, or linking to it, enhances credibility.

If your goal is to generate leads through acquiring the visitors name, email address etc., offering free information such as a report is a good strategy. A video explaining what is to be gained from the report offers a strong call to action in order to get more people to sign up.

If your goal is to engage and retain current customers there is a wealth of ways to use video. You can create new product or services videos, how to videos, in-depth training videos, customer interviews and case studies. Recording webinars and making them available as a training resource is also a great strategy.

To enhance sales online video can 1) quickly demonstrate how to use a particular product
2) feature a product of the month 3) provide a product review 4) compare products and 5) be a guided selling tool (as Lenovo has done for their laptops using interactive video in the example below).

How are you using or planning to use video on your website ?

Steve Goldberg,

Video producer, Memoriesfx

 

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog

Peoples attitudes to ads are changing. No longer does the 30 second advert win people over. It is the abilty to engage viewers on an emotive level that works. Successful content creators are embracing this change.

Source:  The Best Length for a YouTube Marketing Video http://www.reelseo.com/length-youtube-video/#ixzz2BdPjkAqy ©2012 ReelSEO

 

MemoriesFx corporate video production – Montreal – Blog