Know your audience

I often see well made videos fall flat because there is a fundamental problem with the structure of the production.

There is a lack of clarity about who the video is intended for. Sometimes these productions will flounder trying to be everything to everyone. Usually these end up being nothing to no one.

The other extreme is the corporate video which is a glowing showcase of everything this company does to minute detail. It is self absorbed and indulgent. There is no opportunity for potential customers to see how this business can benefit them.

One of the first questions I ask my clients is who is this video for? Who do you expect to be watching this production? Sometimes it will be for a major event launch although more often these days it’s for a website.

It can help if you know who is your ideal client. Who would you like to have calling you? What sort of person or company are they? What are their needs? What are their pains?

While it can be tempting to showcase what you do or provide, your audience is more interested in how your services or products benefits them. How does your shiny widget make their life easier, better more efficient?  Having an outsider help with the scriptwriting for a video is highly valuable because they can bring a set of fresh eyes to the picture. Business owners are generally too close to their own business to see the true value of what they offer.

Some external input can help provide the clarity that allows the viewers to really connect with the solution that is being offered.

Throughout the production process it is critical to be clear on who is this production being made for.

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