Promotional Video Production

What’s the purpose of a promotional video?
When we think of a promotional video, it’s simply a video that promotes a product, service or company - with the goal to increase revenue. Definitions of what does or does not fall into this category varies widely, but we tend to think it has a little more “hype” factor or commercial feel to it. There’s still a tremendous amount of story that we can build into the video, but this style definitely has more of a hard sell than other storytelling videos.

What types of companies use promotional videos?

Companies of all industries and sizes use promotional videos, because they work. For example, a Wyzowl survey showed 79 percent of people reported buying software or apps after watching a video. Think about it: Have you ever looked for a video about a product/service before making a purchasing decision? Has it put your decision over the edge to click “Buy?”

B2C.Business-to-consumer promos are everywhere and have been around for decades. These tools are a great way to show a product’s functionality and use. They’re also a great way to show the impact the company wants you to believe the product has on lifestyle.
B2B.Business-to-business promo videos have taken off in the age of LinkedIn, as companies can develop great content and target their audiences with video production. These can be traditional product or service promos. They can also be content marketing tools that keep your business top-of-mind with customers.
Small-business promotional videos. A promo video can be a great way to jumpstart a small business. It’s a bit of an investment for a small business marketing budget, but the upside can be tremendous if the content is done right.
Large corporate promotional videos.Promo videos on social media are ubiquitous. They are a great way to raise awareness of a product or service at product launch or even later in its journey. Larger companies are also finding great success internally with creating an internal content strategy that kicks off a big initiative. Yes, they are costly, but what’s the cost when hundreds or thousands of employees aren’t on board with the new direction?

What are types of promotional videos?

Content marketing.

You’ve got the lead. You’ve got the existing client. You have a soft commitment of “Yes, but not right now.” Aside from the occasional follow-up, how do you keep your business top-of-mind? One great way is a series of content marketing videos. Consistently putting out a brief piece of content and sharing with them - and other clients like them - will continue to put your name in front of them. In addition, content marketing is a great way for leads to find YOU. They’re already looking for this type of information to help them solve their problems. Without giving away the family recipe, you’re able to give them enough information to help them now, and when they need to make a buying decision, they already know where to go.

Product demo or service demo.

Product demos are everywhere. Do you need a new grill? Watch a promo video from the manufacturer. Looking for a car? Check out the promo videos. Even a non-consumer good, such as an app, does this. Get the information you’re looking for in less than a minute.

Big-splash video.

If you’re looking to make a big impact right at the launch of a new product, service, company or even internal initiative, a promo video in the form of a big-splash video can be a big-time winner. Video’s unique power of emotional connection can more quickly move people to want to get to that better state. Think of the big-splash content as the powerful trailer that plays right before the kickoff of a football game. You want the product right now.

What makes a successful promotional video?

While a promo video has more of a hard-sell style than some of the other storytelling formats we produce, the successful ones still have great storytelling elements. The most common flow we recommend is to think of it as a beginning, middle and end.
The beginning of the piece establishes the tension, which in most cases is the problem the product/service solves. You see this all the time in “As seen on TV” products. “Are you tired of (fill in the blank)?”
The middle of the story is how your solution solves the problem. The end of the story is the effect your product/service has on the user.
While you might not think your product/service has the same problem/solution/result as an as-seen-on-tv mop or blender, this formula is a classic, go-to solution. For example, if you’re an IT consulting company, the beginning relates to the pain of not having an IT provider or, even worse, one that’s ineffective. The middle is how your company solves the problem. The end is how you made the customer’s life easier.
This formula also works really well in internal, corporate communications. Establish the tension of the current state in the beginning, walk through the future state in the middle and end with the intended results.

So what’s the cost of a promotional video?

There’s significant variability in the cost. The cost really comes down to the complexity of the shoot. How much up-front work will there be to flesh out messaging and creative elements? How long will it take to shoot? Will the final edit take six hours or 40 hours? While there is no such thing as an average cost of a business promo, you should know these are in the thousands, not the hundreds. While video production can create a bit of sticker shock for some - and it certainly isn’t for everyone - the investment can be well worth it if it leads to a significant bump in sales.

Hire us to help you create the video you need to drive results.

Our best work gets done when we can work face-to-face with you. We travel anywhere to produce action in Wisconsin - Green Bay, Appleton, Wausau, Milwaukee, Madison, you name it. We’re also able to travel for video production in Chicago or anywhere else in the country to bring your story to life.

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