How many videos have you watched today? Be honest… How many of them were advertisements? That may be a little fuzzy to recall. Why? It’s because the internet is flooded with BAD advertising videos. Skippable, un-enjoyable, boring videos that make mistake after mistake when presented to their viewers. How much money do you think those businesses lost? Yikes! So the topic today is, “How to make an effective advertising video.” Let’s dig in.
Let’s first agree that watching a video is more exciting than reading a blog (in most cases!). When it comes to your marketing plan video is a no-brainer. Oh but the pitfalls are steep! Naturally, when the bar is lowered (because of social media + iPhones), imitators will flood the landscape. This is a good thing for you. Where most videos are skipped, yours won’t be if you follow these 3 steps.
Step 1: Hook with the Problem
I did my best to hook you with this piece of content, and it worked if you’re still here! How did I do that? I attempted to capture your problem first, rather than coming out of the gates with my solution. People don’t buy products/services, they buy solutions to their problems. The first step in making an effective advertising video is identifying a strong problem in the viewers life. You can do this by answering this question. “What problem does your product solve?” Simple right? You’d be surprised. There’s a second question that makes it a strong hook. “How does that problem make the viewer feel?” The answer to that question is the reason they buy. It’s the reason they may need you in their life. Let’s look at an example.
Iron House Studios wants people to buy our video production services for their business. What problem does our product solve? It solves a myriad of problems (just like yours), but we have to focus on one. For us, it’s a “communication” problem. How does that problem make them feel? Not being able to find the right words to say how amazing you know your business is can feel frustrating, overwhelming, and disheartening when you’re not making a connection and not making sales goals. So in our advertising video I would start with, “It’s frustrating to miss a connection with customers only because you couldn’t find the right words to say.” If you’re a customer that has felt this pain, you’d keep watching the video.
Step 2: Say the Answer
When you aren’t confident in your product, it shows. Why would I believe you have the answer to my problem when you don’t seem confident in the answer yourself? If you know your product works, then say it! And for the love of God, say it clearly and in as little words as possible. You showed empathy by stating the problem they feel, now demonstrate your authority. Answer this question next. “What is our product/service?” I’ll say it again - saying this clearly and with as few words as possible is key. Don’t confuse, say it simply, clearly, and straight to the heart of the viewer. Follow that up with an answer to this question, “What does our product help do for them?” Paint a clear picture of how their life will be after they make that purchase.
For example: At Iron House Studios, we make genuine video marketing that instills confidence in your team + customers, and helps your business thrive.
What’s going to happen after using us? You’re going to feel confident, your customers will feel confident, and ultimately your business will thrive. Sounds like a pretty good investment to me!
Step 3: Ask Them to Do Something
Lastly, after you have shown empathy and demonstrated authority, it’s time to make the “ask”. The “ask” is the thing you want them to do next. Want them to go to a lead page? Ask it. Want them to “click buy”? Ask it. Anything you’re “secretly” hoping will happen won’t happen unless you ask. In video advertising, you have permission to be forward. You already interrupted a perfectly good video on youtube that they were watching, the least you can do is get to the point and let them know what you really want!
Making an effective advertising video can be as easy as step 1, 2, 3. The biggest thing to understand is that you have to “put yourself in their shoes.” If you were the viewer, what would get your attention? That will go lightyears beyond the boring, predictable, skippable content out there. Above all else, be genuine. In a culture where trust is a luxury, it’s a marketing sin to appear in any way untrustworthy. The good news is, if you’re a genuine business that wants to help people, you too will thrive with video marketing!
Are you struggling to find the words to say to make an effective advertising video? Have you already made an attempt but was unsuccessful? Reach out to us for a free consultation in which we will assess your marketing plan, review any videos you’ve made, and give recommendations for effective genuine video that will instill confidence in your team and your customers. Schedule a consultation today by clicking here.
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