Producing a promotional video for your business undoubtedly has its advantages. However, producing one that is truly successful takes more creativity than one may think.
Larger businesses tend to have difficulty when finding a way to narrow down their offerings into a single promotional video that is both engaging and less than 90 seconds. Not only must they simplify complicated terms, but they also must find a way to make their viewers immediately interested and captivated. Fortunately, there are some clever techniques businesses can use to make their promotional video stick out from the crowd.
1. Show Off Your Process
The latest web video we produced was a whiteboard animation for Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC), which owns and operates retail stores across the US and Canada. If we were to discuss exactly what the business does, the discussion would take well over a minute in time. So how did they consolidate their process? HBC chose to discuss a segmented part of their business, which was the supply chain process. By featuring the company in this angle, it served as a unique way to position HBC as a transparent company, showing viewers exactly how they operate. Most people don’t understand how retail distribution works, so it also allowed for the viewers to feel more comfortable now that they understand a piece of the company. If your business has a complicated process, then try to focus on one sector and use it as a tool to differentiate you from your competitors.
2. Communicate Directly to the Audience
Your business may be interested in selecting a segment of their target market, and if this is the case, then you must find a way to communicate directly to their needs. We recently produced a video series for FCC Services, who wanted to showcase their risk management platform, specifically targeting two of their target markets – corporate businesses and the agricultural industry. Typically, when pinpointing a specific market, we use images to target particular interests. In this case, since these industries were so different, we decided to publish two separate videos that completely focused on each industry. While the product focus is the same product, the way we communicate with their audiences took a narrowed, industry-specific approach.
Video 1
Video 2
3. Use Visuals to Make Services More Relatable
One the the best parts of using animation in videos is the ability to create abstract ideas through images. Most promotional videos will include characters that relate with the viewers and serve as a face of the brand. Sometimes that’s not enough to get your message across. If this is the case, then the technique of using interpreted scenarios will help viewers to better visualize your business’s experience in another manner.
For example, we produced a video for Funnelsource, which is an analytics management platform. To break down their messaging, we created a scenario of farming and the process of making their crops grow to help the viewer visualize how their business can function with the company. This visual technique made the topic more entertaining while also serving as a way to be more comprehensible.
There are plenty of ways to make your company uniquely interesting to potential customers. Sometimes you just need to dive a little deeper and consider the different, individual aspects of your company that people want to know more about. Most importantly, make sure you stick to a single concept, process or idea within your business’s promotional video.
