by Michael Premo, Content Strategist
People prefer watching a video to reading text on a screen. We process visual images faster than text—up to 60,000 times faster—and build strong emotional connections through the combination of sight and sound. What this means is that you can tell your company story quickly and in more meaningful ways when you use video.
Think about Your Audience
It’s safe to say that a potential client watching a video about your company is interested in your company. They are already aware of your products and services. The purpose of the video is to move them further down the sales funnel. So, when creating your company story, you want to think about common challenges they face and the value you bring.
Too many times, companies make the mistake of focusing on themselves and their services. Not only is this boring, but it also takes the viewer back up the funnel to where they started.
Your audience needs to know what makes you unique. Your services aren’t the only thing that separates you from your competition. Is it your mission? Your company culture? Or both? Video presents stories about your company through creative and original ways that do more than simply capture a viewer’s attention. It motivates them.
Bring It Together in a Story
Your audience wants an honest, authentic story, one they can relate to and believe. At this point in their journey, they are looking for someone they can trust. Good storytelling brings all of this information together in a highly engaging and meaningful way. The more emotionally compelling a story is, the more likely your audience will remember it.
How to Start
Two emotionally charged stories can start your video. The first being a story about the deeper reasons why your company does what it does. It has to have a strong “human element” to be engaging. Plus, it highlights your mission and purpose. Just remember that it will work only if the story is unique and not profit-driven.
The other one is about helping a client overcome a major challenge. These are highly relatable, which ignite an emotional connection to the challenges they are currently facing. Case studies focusing on particular clients are a great way to showcase this type of story.
What if you’re a start-up? Or, you don’t have compelling stories to tell? Then, you’ll need to be creative and talk about your vision for the future and how you’ll make their lives better. You can personify the problem or create conflict. There are other ways to bring your story to life.
Show, Don’t Tell
You have their attention, now what? Video makes your story creative and unique through the combination of images, motion, and sound. The story should come from what your audience wants to know, so stick to the emotions and values you need to communicate. Resist the urge to talk about yourself. Nobody wants to hear a lecture or a cheesy sales pitch.
Think about Platform and Pacing
There are many platforms where your video can appear:
- Website
- YouTube
Each one requires different pacing. For example, your website can host a longer video, one that goes beyond two minutes. This requires a slow pace to tell a longer story so you can give an in-depth look at your company. Compare this with an Instagram story or LinkedIn video, which average 30 seconds. With these, you have to get to the point right away and make every second count!
Video Production Affects Storytelling
The quality of your video will have an impact on your story and the audience. Good stories have unique settings and compelling speakers. Good stories have seamless transitions, high-quality images, sound, and graphics. You probably don’t have a production team on staff that’s experienced enough to pull all of these together. That’s why you should consider hiring a video production company. Remember, your investment in a professional video will drive more traffic to your website, as well as tell an engaging story.
Pinstripe has helped local and nationally-based businesses with their video production needs. We specialize in discovering their traits—their corporate character—and putting them on display. Our creative team consists of listeners and discoverers that have an innate ability to help you achieve your vision. Contact us to tell us more about your company and the video you envision.
