Why That Corporate Video on Your Website is Not Helping Your Bottom Line

I subscribe to several marketing newsletter. And study after study report what is obvious to those of us who spend any time online. . .adding video to your website is becoming less of an option and more of a requirement. If done correctly, it’ll shorten the sales cycle and keep visitors on your website longer. Yet the vast majority of all these newly added videos aren’t really helping.

The problem with your typical corporate video isn’t with the technology. That piece of the puzzle is under control. No, the reason why most corporate videos found on websites today fail to shorten your sales cycle is because the approach towards creating a corporate video today is no different than that of 20 years ago.

Which, as I like to say, is not a feature.

Take a moment and think about it.  When was the last time you watched a corporate video, including one of your own, where the video pulled back the curtain and gave you a real sense of what actually makes that company tick?

The scripted delivery, or paid spokesperson, or deer-in-the-headlights/teleprompter-reading presentation found in most corporate videos destroy any opportunity to demonstrate authenticity. And while the overly-produced corporate video, with its heavy graphics, impressive music, and beautiful “location” shots, may look and sound well enough, they create a distraction from the real people involved with the company and fail to deliver the reason behind any online marketing effort: to move your story forward by demonstrating the transformation you deliver to your customers.

A Vision That Mirrors What Your Customer Wants

As I spent time analyzing the current crop of web-based corporate videos, it reminded me that while nobody wants to be sold, everybody wants to buy.  In order to gain the opportunity to help a client solve a problem through the use of your products or services, you must first establish rapport with that website visitor. In sales, most professionals equate rapport with relationships. And while most will claim that the key to sales is relationship, very few can articulate what the key to relationships might be.

The answer is credibility.

Without credibility, you cannot sell a non-commodity product.

That said, the people who visit your website in search of help are constantly worried about two things:

1. Who can I trust?
2. How do I ensure I’m making the right decision (or not making a wrong decision)?

In other words, your website visitors WANT you to be the answer to these two questions. They hope that by finding themselves on your website, they’ve ended their search for what you deliver. All you have to do is demonstrate your credibility through an online video that is natural, unscripted and educational.

After a great deal of research, documentation and testing, to solve this problem. . .to bring our clients closer to their customers and prospects with a focus toward shortening the sales cycle. . .today I’m happy to announce PodWorx’s newest offering. We call it Vid·EEE·o

Vid·EEE·o – Authenticity-based Website Video

The video you see to the right is an example of a PodWorx Vid·EEE·o.

Instead of delivering another boring video, filled with corporate speak and void of any sense of who you are, what you do, and how you’re helping others solve their problems, PodWorx’s Vid·EEE·o for Websites solution changes all that. This is due to our single-minded focus towards making the process of developing great video content Effortless and Efficient, and ensuring the ultimate product is Effective in bringing your company closer to a business relationship with your website visitors.

It’s unscripted – there’s no pressure to memorize a bunch of words or try to read off of a teleprompter.  Instead, we simply shoot what feels like an easy-going conversation.  In truth, the questions being asked of the “talent” are purposeful and designed specifically to draw out your story in a compelling manner.

It’s natural – it allows your personality to finally shine through online.  Very few people can read and/or memorize a script and deliver it without coming across. . .well. . .“corporate-y”.

It’s compelling – The story that is produced, combined with the editing style and clean, white background, delivers a piece of media that immediately grabs the viewer’s attention. . .and keeps it for the entire length of the video (which is usually between 1-3 minutes). The call-to-action gives the visitor a logical next step.

It doesn’t require you to wear a mock turtleneck – It just looks that way.

Results – What to Expect

As with ALL PodWorx products and services, the deliverable isn’t the main story.  It’s the outcome that matter.  Here’s a few of my favorites:

1. Become Approachable
   The PodWorx Vid·EEE·o moves you closer to human enabling your website. This, in turn
   • Accelerates the getting-to-know-you phase of any sales process
   • Reduces the chances of being skipped over due to lack of “connection”
2. Extends Engagement Length
   Because great embedded videos keep visitors engaged, a PodWorx Vid·EEE·o gives you an opportunity to extend the length of time a visitor spends on your website.
   • Increases the amount of time you have to move people from a passive need to an active need (to effectively sell or motivate)
   • Decreases the risk associated with visitors only spending seconds on your website before “moving on”
3. Establishes Your Credibility
   Claiming your own credibility is the weakest way to establish it. The PodWorx Vid·EEE·o allows you to demonstrate your credibility, the strongest way to establish it.
   • Enhance your perceived expertise in the eyes of your customers and prospects
   • Lessen the problem associated with trying to convince somebody why they should work with you

There’s much more to the Vid·EEE·o story than I can fit in a single blog post. I invite you to review the video on this blog post.  And then I’d suggest you give me a call (702.395.5268) to see if your’s is a story that can be told using our techniques and strategies.  If you recognize that your overall online efforts are not contributing to your bottom line as much as you hoped, and that demonstrating authenticity to your website visitors is important, we’ll help you do it right the first time.