11 Tips for Making Videos That Sell

2020 is the year of the video… maybe not officially, but you know what I mean. Video content is vital to getting your brand out there, and you can’t get left in the dust. That’s why I decided to compile some tips for making videos that sell products or services. Check them out below!

#1  Get Customer Input Before Creating Videos

Who better to ask about what content you should create than the people who have purchased your product or service in the past? That’s right. Ask your customers to give you feedback — What would they like to see? What do they wish they had known about your business niche? What are some of their common struggles? — and give them a discount on their next purchase for joining in the conversation. It’s a win-win. You get to know the concerns and needs of your audience, and you get to add to your sales when they make another purchase.

#2  Nail Down Your Strategy

You want to make sure you plan out exactly why you’re creating a video (informational? brand awareness?) and who you’re creating this video for. Knowing your audience and tailoring it to them is critical.

A good video strategy also includes a discussion of where the video will appear. Is it meant for social media? Will it go on Youtube and on your website? Will it be a commercial on a local TV station? All of these are important questions to answer before delving in.

Last but not least, make an outline of what subjects need to be covered and don’t waver. Even if you are going for an unscripted feel, you still need to know stick to a general outline — this will help you avoid repeating yourself and get off-topic.

#3  Create an Engaging Title

Of course, no one is going to click on your video if the title doesn’t have any intrigue. And at that point, there would have been no point in putting in all that effort to create it. Make sure to use relevant SEO keywords so that the search engines bring up your video in a viewer’s search. Try to find a happy medium between “intriguing” and “SEO optimized.”

#4  SEO, SEO, SEO

Speaking of SEO, it’s crucial that you think about SEO beyond just your video’s title. So how do you do this? Make sure you write a keyword-heavy (but not awkward) description to accompany your video.

#5  Don’t Forget the URL

It may sound overly simple, and that’s because it is. Make sure you add your business website’s URL to your video so that viewers can get to your product or service quickly and easily.

#6  Demo Your Product (or Service)

It’s important for customers to see you using your product. Video provides you that opportunity like nothing else. But wait? What about if you’re selling a service? Simply show someone experiencing that service. Whether you offer consulting services in an office or beauty services in a spa, show your prospective customers what they could experience if they do business with you.

#7  Keep the Length to a Minimum

Attention spans aren’t what they used to be. That’s why you should strategize what length will be enough to get your point across and don’t go beyond that. Also, keep in mind that you don’t need to have voice commentary from beginning to end. Let some of the images and clips speak for themselves. And remember, if your video is being created for social media, check the video length maximums before strategizing. Sometimes, less is more.

#8  Add Some Testimonials

Incorporate customer testimonials into your videos so that your audience can see the value of your product or service. You want people to see that you have a track record for success, and client testimonials are a great way to “toot your own horn” without being cocky.

#9  Be Real

If you’ve got a video script, make sure you don’t read it line by line. It’s great to help you stay focused on your strategy, but it can sound robotic if you memorize everything or read it off of a cue card. Just make sure you know what you need to say, and then relax and say it. Remember: videos are great because if you mess up, you can just work on another take!

#10 Be Yourself

Customers connect with authenticity, so be the real you on camera. Don’t worry about everything looking perfect. Customers like to see your passion and your personality more than a perfectly curated video. As long as your video is strategic, authentic, and helps your customers in some way, you’re better off than if your video looks like it cost you a million dollars to shoot.

#11 Don’t Forget the CTA

Invite your viewer to check out your website, sign up for an email newsletter, or purchase a product or service right from the video. Think about what CTA fits best with your video strategy and incorporate one wherever you think it fits best. And remember: don’t be too pushy. If your video is effective, your viewer will want to learn more without the sales pitch at the end.

It’s Time to Sell!

Incorporate these tips into your next video project and let me know which tip worked best for you and your team!

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