There is a lot of excitement these days about video. Businesses are rushing out buying cameras, getting editing programs and investing time and money in the technology.
They have a go and some people do a good job and some people look like they’ve just bought a camera and learnt an editing program and have done their best.
In all this excitement some businesses are missing the point. Video is not the solution, it is just a tool. The whole point of video is to craft an engaging message; to connect with your target audience and motivate them to take action.
Often what I see is businesses who are so close to their own business, they get stuck talking about what they do and how they do it. As an outsider to a business I often find myself helping clients explain their businesses more effectively.
It is common that when it is your own business it is difficult to clearly explain your value. You get stuck on what you think is your value, because it’s what you spend your time and brain space on.
I have a knack for giving clarity to the complex. I help explain the value a business brings because I’m able to see it from the other side of the desk. I can summarise what they need to be saying effectively and create compelling ways to package that message.
This is when we use video as the tool to deliver that message. There are hundreds of ways to use video. There are different types of videos and some are more effective than others. A heart rendering story for a charity could be more compelling when told by one of their customers, than a animation with a voice over. But an animation could be ideal for explaining some detailed statistics.
When you are new to video there is a lot to learn and a lot unknown. Always start with the premise of what are you trying to achieve and what is important to the audience. Generally how they are helped is more important than what you do to help them. Video is just a tool – the message is the product.
Geoff Anderson is the owner of Sonic Sight, a video production facility in Sydney.He is an author, presenter and a video producer.
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