Technology has made video production more accessible now than any time in history. And it just so happens that video is an excellent marketing tool.
Customers will remember the brand that brought them an exciting or helpful video, and it helps to distinguish yourself among competitors, particularly in social media feeds.
Lindsey Schmidt is an expert visual storyteller and a lead video sales and marketing trainer at IMPACT, a national marketing firm. She has worked with businesses to create professional video content and has advice for operators who are ready to dive into video content for their shops.
Gearing Up
Any shop owner knows that it’s important to have the right parts on hand to get the job done right. If you’ve got a smartphone, the biggest investment to start making videos is already done.
Of course, there are nice cameras that you can go out and purchase to shoot shop video, but don’t overthink it. Modern smartphones are more than capable of producing quality video that rivals the basic high-definition quality of high-end cameras.
“If you have a smartphone, then you already have a world of video in your back pocket ready to go,” Schmidt says.
Another item that Schmidt strongly recommends to get started is a small microphone, called a lavalier, that clips onto your shirt collar.
“Get a lavalier microphone attachment that either plugs into an external recording device instead of the camera or an attachment that plugs into your phone,” she says.
The difference in audio quality and clarity is vastly improved over simply recording from the phone or camera, which is sitting across the room at filming distance.
Finally, Schmidt says that a basic tripod is a must for professional-looking videos.
Creating Content
It can be tough to know where to start with video content. What should you talk about? Schmidt says that a great place to start is to educate customers.
“The first thing I ask them is, ‘What questions are your customers asking your sales people all the time that you can create videos about?’” she says.
This is all to serve efficiency. Schmidt says that one goal behind this strategy is that if the answers to frequently asked questions are already online in video format, your shop might field fewer calls from customers asking about them.
From there, it should be a breeze to come up with topics that help with the sales process. Educate about synthetic oil and regular maintenance—and don’t be afraid to show off your shop’s individuality.
Being Authentic
One mistake that Schmidt often sees is when businesses are afraid to be frank and direct with the information in their videos. Cost is one of those topics. Beat around the bush too much, and viewers will begin to see through it.
“If you’re creating video content like this, the whole point is to educate and build trust with your audience,” she says. “And if you’re not doing that in your videos, then you should reevaluate what you’re doing as far as how you’re putting this content together.”
Finding the Sweet Spot
If you’re a bit nervous at first, don’t worry. It takes practice to become comfortable in front of the camera. Practice your message and delivery, and each video will be better than the last.
“You really just have to be in the mindset that it’s not going to be perfect right away,” she says. “But if you keep working on it, that could be one of the best things that you do for your business.”
