by Dianne Passen

Patty McGowan and Chris Guio of HMB Media strategize on a production. Photos: HMB Media.

Oct. 1, 2010 — When a colleague forwards a video link to you, do you watch that video? Most people do. There are amazing new tools for creating, distributing and consuming video — which is very good news for the business owner in today’s economy, because it means more opportunities for cost-effective marketing.

Whether it is your first venture into online marketing or you are a seasoned pro, there are key marketing fundamentals worth reviewing that greatly influence your success.

Who are you talking to? Decide which audience you most want to connect with. Think about those people as individuals: What are their interests? What motivates them to act? Who influences them? Go beyond demographics: At what stage do they decide to find a solution? Did they just discover a plumbing issue? A backache? That they can’t live one more day with their horrible carpeting? Talk to those specific people.

What are the main challenges these people are facing? Focus on the specific information they need to solve their issues. For example, a marketing manager was worried that reduced budgets and increased workloads would impact attendance at a conference her company held every year. With a 2-minute video of attendees commenting on the value of face-to-face networking at this particular event, the firm tripled the attendance at its conference from the prior year.

Dianne Passen of HMB Media compares two camcorders: a Flip and a P2.

How will you make the emotional connection? Limited attention spans mean you have to connect quickly and with conviction. “How you say it” is often more important than what you say. A very popular multimedia option today is the video testimonial from an existing client, especially when the viewer feels it is a real person talking and not a scripted advertisement. What other people say about your expertise often carries more weight than what you say about yourself.

Why should the viewers choose you? Resist the urge to list all the things your business offers. When you really get down to the essence of it, what makes your business different from all the other options available? Great editing often is more about what gets cut than what stays in — essential to video production and marketing messages.

What do you want them to do when they finish watching the video? This is probably the area skipped most often — which is unfortunate, as it is one of the best ways to measure impact. A specific call to action — click here to order, schedule an appointment, sign up for the newsletter — makes it easier for the viewers to make that choice while they are most engaged.

If reviewing your marketing priorities is on your agenda, then pre-planning a video may be just the place to start.

Dianne Passen is the owner of HMB Media, the multimedia service specializing in online video for growing businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area. Contact HMB Media at 650-726-4383 or online at www.hmbmedia.com.