What Does Internet Video Really Mean to Business Owners?

Since the advent of the "Talkies" in 1927, it has been abundantly clear that nothing tells a story more completely in a short period of time than moving pictures with sound.

For the next half-century the problem was that very few people had access to the tools, knowledge or distribution channels to tell their story this way.

"Pro-sumer" video equipment began appearing in the early 1980s and by the late 1990s the Mini-DV format brought the promise of digital video and non-linear editing to the masses. Over the past 24 months, the emergence of the Internet as a virtually no-cost distribution medium has completed the movement of movie production from the realm of a privileged few to within the grasp of the vast majority of the developed world.

But what does all this mean for the average business owner? How can he or she put this powerful new medium to use for the benefit of their firm? By letting it do what it does best: tell a story. Your story.

The Age of The Video Brochure
For years we business owners have tried to communicate the essential benefits of our offering to our target market through the written word; brochures, sales letters, direct mail packages, presentation folders filled with all manner of print collateral and, most recently, static web sites filled with pages of text that no one has time to read.

I believe that every business owner in operation today should produce a video message explaining who they are and what they do that is great and then post it on the home page of their web site as well as to every video directory site they can find (Google Video, YouTube, Yahoo Video, etc.). That message should be between 60 and 150 seconds long and it should include a call to action along with everything a prospective customer needs to know in order to contact their firm and do business with it.

After producing and posting your video online, the next step is to let everyone in creation know about it. Adding the text of the script to every page where the video appears will make it much easier for web searchers to find it. Announcing the video to every one of your customers and prospects via email and direct mail will drive tremendous traffic. And distributing a press release online - with follow-up phone calls to local newspapers and broadcast outlets - will complete the circle of not only creating the video but making sure people see it.

In addition to the obvious promotional activity that surrounds this concept, there is another extremely important benefit which accrues - that of having to explain what you do and why it's great in less than three minutes. I am continually amazed at the impact that writing a promotional script has on my thinking regarding the product or service being advertised.

In addition to producing a number of video brochures, I have also spent many hours writing and producing 30-second and 60-second radio spots. Trying to communicate a message and a call to action in less than a minute - with only sound and no pictures - is, to say the least, a discipline. Adding another two minutes - and colorful images - gives you a lot more room to work with but still forces you to focus on what the essential benefits are of doing business with your company.

In addition to your prospects and customers, this is information your employees and even you may be surprised to learn.

One last benefit of producing a video brochure: 30- and 60-second versions can be used as local cable TV insert spots on targeted channels including CNN, The Food Network - you name it - for prices much lower than you might think.

I am available to help you produce this project or, if you want to take a shot at it on your own, you can start by purchasing the Web Site Video Secrets training package at: http://www.WebSiteVideoSecrets.com.

I'm ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille.