Crafting a Relatable Story with Video
Guest Blog by Jon Milavec, Mixed Bag Media
More now than ever, a good story can elevate a brand and help to increase sales. If video is your medium of choice, and it should be considering YouTube is the second most used search engine in the world, there are a lot of things to consider in order to tell a compelling story. By answering the six questions all trained journalists live by, you’ll be off to a great start.
How can I use video on my website to engage customers and clients?
1. Why is video the right choice for a specific product or service story?
Is it because you can show the product in action? Is it because you have a customer testimonial that will seal the deal and make others want to buy too?
If you’re going to make one or more videos, be clear about the what you hope to achieve with them.
Product Demo
Features Explained
2. What is the story you’re going to tell?
Is it about the numerous functions of this new tool? Or is it how a customer uses that tool to accomplish different tasks? Is it about how the service you offer can make a customer’s life easier?
Think about what aspect of the story is going to resonate with your audience. Then figure out how to highlight what is important to you audience.
3a. Who is your video for?
By knowing who your audience is and how they consume media, you can plan to deliver something in the format that works for them.
Does your audience like long-form storytelling on YouTube, or do they only watch short, vertical videos on TikTok? Just making a video is not enough. Delivering it to your audience where they are is very important.
3b. Who is going to be on camera?
Who can or will be a good spokesperson for your brand? Make sure it’s someone who has good energy, and communication skills. But most of all make sure they know the subject matter well. Not all videos need a spokesperson, so keep that in mind as an option too.
On Location
Interview with customer and product specialist
4. Where are you going to make the videos?
In your office? In the R&D lab?At somebody’s house or place of business? Near the beach?
Knowing where the video should take place will help you decide who needs to be where on shoot day and how you’re going to make it happen.
5. When do you want the video series to launch?
It’s really easy for a video production schedule to stretch out while waiting to hear back from someone and then before you know it, the leisurely few months you had to plan this out is now down to a few weeks. Pick a date on the calendar, whether it’s tied to a specific product launch, service promotion, or an arbitrary date just to aim at, pick a deadline, and start today.
6. How are you going to show this product or service in action?
Can you shoot everything on your phone, or do you need a high-dollar video director and their crew? Or something in between? There are cases to be made for all, but the easiest way to decide is by going back to #1 – why are you making videos in the first place? Make the video the product needs in order for it to resonate with your potential buying audience.
Video Examples:
Oro Loma Sanitary District – SB1383 – Proper Sorting
This is a great example of a video with a very specific purpose in mind, there is a specific audience, it’s for a specific region or community, and it’s related to a specific timeline because of service changes going into effect.
meter.me – Mangels Ranch
This video is a great customer testimonial and product profile. By working with a rancher who uses the meter.me water monitoring system, the idea is for his story and the scenery (where we shot) to relate to viewers that may have a similar need as this rancher. Rather than have a specific timeline in mind, this video is considered “Evergreen” with the hopes of it being relevant for 2-3years and possibly longer.
Thank You to Our Guest Blogger! We enjoyed collaborating with video producer Jon Milavec. His ability to tell relatable stories is exceptional.
About the Author, Jon Milavec
Principal, Mixed Bag Media
As the Principal and Creative Director of Mixed Bag Media, I love asking questions and one of my favorites is a simple ‘why’? Why do you want to make a video? Why do you need photos?
I’m naturally curious and want to learn more about my clients and what they are trying to achieve. Helping clients distill complex messages into easy-to-understand storytelling is a highlight of our work. Asking good questions is how I start that process.
