Posted by Catie Foertsch on Mon, May 10, 2010 @ 09:00 AM
We've been working with Grafton Suburban Credit Union for a while now, to create videos for their lobby TV screen and to help them understand how to use video on the web. Recently we asked CEO Ed Lopes if he'd do a video case study for us. We could have asked for a straight testimonial. But, by making the video about the credit union, its challenges, and how we provided solutions for those challenges, we're creating a video asset that is MUCH more helpful as a sales tool than a plain vanilla testimonial could ever be. Here's a brief clip that's not in the final case study. In this clip, Ed talks about when "the light went off" about using video at the credit union.
How to create a video case study
When you're working with a happy client to create a video case study, it's important to get a few details about their business so that similar businesses can identify. Then, after the 'who we are and what we do and who's our customer' section, you can ask about the challenges they face that are directly related to your product. After that, ask them to discuss the solution you provided and how that's been working for them. With some products, it's possible to measure success, so if possible ask if they can quantify how your product has been helping them.
Then, edit the video to create the case study. You want your case study to be short - about four minutes max - and you'll have extra video you can also use, like we're using Ed's video clip in a blog post.
Why do video case studies work?
Video case studies work as sales tools because they allow your prospects to see your product or service through the eyes of a business that's similar to theirs or that's facing similar challenges. While it's easy for you to say you solve a particular problem, it's a LOT more convincing if one of your customers talks about the solution you provided.
How to use a video case study
Place your video case study on a dedicated page on your website, and add a text discussion. Your sales force can now use that page as a powerful sales tool. You might also think about placing the video case study on a landing page, and then using it in your lead generation program.
Bottom line
Testimonial marketing is effective because people trust the authentic voice of a customer, and like to buy a product or service that's worked for someone else. Using a video case study is much more powerful than a straight testimonial, because it also gives information that's directly related to the problem your lead or prospect is experiencing.
(Check out the full Grafton Suburban case study here)
Posted by Catie Foertsch on Fri, Apr 30, 2010 @ 01:00 PM
Earlier this week I attended a fascinating panel discussion - "Combining SEO and Video to Drive Awareness and Lead Generation Online" - featuring some heavy hitters in the world of online marketing. A large part of the discussion centered on best practices for using video in lead generation and conversion, and how to measure success. A comment by Judy Gern, Director of Conversion Marketing for Constant Contact, captured the reason businesses need to use video in their lead gen programs:
"People who consume video tend to become customers at a much higher rate."
Goodbye to Viral Video
Joe Chernov, Global Director of Communications & Social Media for Eloqua, noted that there is less emphasis on ‘viral' videos than a few years ago. Gimmicky ideas like young men jumping into jeans, LED lights on sheep, mattress dominoes, etc., have given way to a new understanding of video as a practical, economical communications tool. Now companies are using video for sales, support, PR - all effective applications for video. "We're seeing a smarter, more sensible use of video," said Chernov.
He noted in particular that video works especially well in press releases - those that include an embedded video receive 500% more views. Because of that remarkable effect, "we try to embed video in every press release," Chernov said.
What Works in Lead Gen
Constant Contact uses video as "an appetizer" for lead generation programs because of its ability to capture people's interest and draw them into the funnel. The company conducts in-depth studies on performance of various video and key word combinations, and has found that videos with "do it yourself," "instructional," and "how-to" tend to perform the best.
Constant Contact has also found that video works best when it's given freely, before information is asked for, as opposed to holding out the promise of the video to get people to provide their information. "We give value when we ask for information, not after we get information," said Gern.
David Meerman Scott's Sales Funnel
Marketing superstar David Meerman Scott discussed the role of video in his sales funnel. At the top are short viral videos and excerpts from the informational interviews he conducts with his Flip camera - shorter videos that are casually made. Further down the funnel, where people are clearly interested in hiring him and are deciding whether to proceed, he uses video of a keynote speech he delivered previously. The production values are spectacular, he said, and rather than post short clips from the speech, he's posted the whole speech. He's found that at that point in his funnel - "right there when people are deciding to hire me or not" - people are really engaged and tend to watch the whole video.
Short, funny videos and short excerpts of interviews he's shot with his Flip camera work higher up in the funnel, he said, but near the bottom of the funnel the quality of his keynote video is important. "It really makes the difference," he said. "That video has helped me close $250,000 in speaking engagements in one year."
Measuring ROI
In lead gen programs, the number of email addresses gathered is usually the metric against which success is measured. But Meerman Scott disagreed with limiting ROI metrics to the traditional "collecting email addresses or business cards." He suggested that more meaningful metrics include view counts, and knowing through measurement what people do after they view the video.
Another metric for him is simply asking people when they hire him to speak how they made their decision. Often, he said, they tell him they watched his keynote video.
Tim Bradbury, president of New Media at American City Business Journals, suggested that instead of looking to ROI standard metrics, companies start with their expectations and then develop their own metrics to define success. It may be, he said, that the view counts and comments captured by YouTube are enough.
Bottom Line
It can be easy to think about all the different reasons why video is a communication strategy your company is not quite ready to commit to - change is difficult, how do you figure out how to use video, what you're doing now is working well enough, etc. But if you're standing on the edge of the pool, hesitating to take the plunge into a video commitment, remember why Constant Contact uses video:
People who consume video tend to become customers at a much higher rate.
Posted by Catie Foertsch on Mon, Oct 19, 2009 @ 08:43 AM
It's hard to imagine a business today that doesn't have a website. Unfortunately, no matter how good it is, a website isn't nearly enough. You also have to understand how to be active on the web to help people find your website, and then how to romance them once they land on your site. By ‘romance' I mean helping them fall in love with your product or service so they either buy outright, or give you their contact info so you can continue your sales process. If you know how to do all this, you are eating the lunch of your competitors who don't get it yet. If you are one of those companies that don't get it, you're struggling. And your struggles are only going to get worse.
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The best part is that the book is written in a simple, easy-to-understand style that will lead you step-by-step through what might seem like an impenetrable maze: from Facebook and Twitter to blogging to SEO to landing pages and lead conversion. No, you're not in Kansas anymore. But you are in good hands with Halligan and Shah.
And if you're already blogging and using Social Media and have a handle on SEO, good for you. BUT don't make the mistake of thinking you don't need the book. Because no matter how well you think you're doing, you can learn more and do better. There is no ‘good enough' in today's world. There's only constantly working to improve, or falling behind.
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