Here’s a question I’m getting asked more and more often… can you incorporate some stuff we’ve shot on our own into the video?

The easy answer is… yes… of course we can do that. The follow-up question I then ask is… do you really want us to?

The reason for that question is simple. There’s little chance the video company X hands over to us that they’ve already shot is going to meet the same quality standards that we’ve going to provide when we shoot something.

In other words, when you watch the finished video, you’re going to see a big contrast between what the pros have shot and what Ted in the PR department or Sue in HR shot.

There are times amateur video is important to a project… like any historical video or something from a past event. We’re video professionals, but we can’t travel back in time to shoot something that’s already happened.

On the other hand, there’s really no point in handing over amateur video for something that can be shot now by the pros. Why go through the time and expense of having a video professionally shot and edited only to hand over some amateur video that’s going to make your production look partially… well… amateur-ish?

Also… a side note… I hope you find a producer who’s going to raise these issues with you. Like I mentioned, the easy answer is to say, “Yes, we can incorporate it.” But when the end result is a less-than-professional-looking video, that producer isn’t doing a good job of looking out for your interests.

Being a “yes man” is simple. Providing people with proper guidance is more difficult, but it’s also far more valuable.

–Tony Gnau

Just because you create a video intended for one venue doesn’t mean that’s the only place you can show it. Not surprisingly… I have an example for you today.

Northern Illinois Food Bank leaders are big believers in video. Last year, they asked T60 to shoot and edit a “thank you” video for donors who contributed to their new building’s capital campaign. They then showed it at a big banquet.

It was a nice little video… and yesterday they shared it via Facebook.

Many companies get fixated on videos having a specific purpose, but the truth is there are lots of ways to get it out to the public. Don’t get so focused on a video’s original intent only to lose sight of the fact that it’s content that can be shared again and again and in different arenas.

–Tony Gnau

I mean that literally. Going above and beyond the call of duty often pays off.

Sure, you can and should charge for added work you do or extra hours you spend meeting a tight deadline. You might even charge at a premium rate, but that’s not what really pays.

What pays is doing a great job for someone when they really needed it and knowing… they’ll be back.

When you go above and beyond to complete a project, you’re earning a repeat client. So while the added revenue from that project is nice, it’s all the future revenue you’re securing for your business that’s the real reward.

–Tony Gnau

Your team members are your best sales people. They might not know it, but they are.

Highlighting enthusiastic employees who buy-in to your company and are passionate about their jobs will help you make more sales.

Don’t get freaked out because they’re not in sales, marketing or the C-Suite. They’re real people who will appeal to real audiences.

Feature your team members in your videos and you’ll love how they make your company look.

–Tony Gnau

Here’s the easy answer as to why you need to have a professionally produced video at your website. I’m specifically referring to an “About Us” video.

Your reputation is on the line.

It’s amazing to me when I look at a business’ website that’s been created and crafted to meet the company’s image standard, then on that same website see an amateurish video.

Do you know how that makes a company look? Bad. Like they’re willing to spend thousands of dollars on a website, but they take the dime store route for their video.

It makes me wonder is that’s the type of effort they’re going to give me as a customer.

Don’t go through the time, effort and cash to create a website if you’re simply going to produce an “About Us” video on the cheap… because that’s how it makes you look.

–Tony Gnau

I feel like it’s just been a couple of days since I blogged about Goose Island Beer Company. Oh yeah… it has only been a couple of days.

Well, I can’t help it! They keep doing great stuff that serve as good marketing examples.

One of the things I try to remind clients is that “old” videos can continue to be shown years after their intended air date. The trick is to look for situations where it works.

Case in point… the Goose. Yesterday on Facebook, they posted about the Craft Brewers Conference taking place in San Diego… “It reminds us of a couple of years back when we hosted this party at our brewery in Chicago.”

The post links to this video from two years ago. It’s AWESOME! Possibly the best event video you’ve ever seen. Did I mention T60 produced it?

Okay, maybe that means we’re not quite objective enough to critique it, but the video really did turn out well. So from Goose Island’s perspective… why not look for an opportunity to show it again? And that’s exactly what they did.

The Goose Island party took place two years ago, but because they had the foresight to produce a video… it lives on to this day.

With all the time and money it takes to put on a special event, it only makes sense to add video to the mix. It can give you marketing value years after it’s over.

Just ask the Goose.

–Tony Gnau

It’s no secret. Goose Island Beer Company has been a frequent topic of conversation here because they’re a T60 client doing a lot of things we all can learn from. Today… another example… this one regarding social media.

Adam Lilly is the Brand Director at the Goose. We interviewed him the other day for a video separate from Goose Island. He’s participating at an event put on by the American Marketing Association-Chicago Chapter, and we shoot the organization’s event preview videos.

Anyway, Adam had a lot of great things to say about how Goose Island is using the medium to connect with customers. One of them… no surprise… is video. We’ve done more than a dozen videos for them in the past, but these days they’ve taken their video investment to a whole new level.

Goose Island is producing their social media videos in-house. They’ve bought multiple cameras, quality sound equipment, and they’re dedicated to producing video content for their social followers.

A big reason for all the video is to give people a behind-the-scenes look at the stories behind their great beers. Is it any surprise why I love these guys!?

Anyway, I won’t steal his thunder. If you want all the details on Goose Island’s social strategy, I encourage you to attend the AMA-Chicago event. Both members and non-members are welcome (sign-up here).

Tomorrow I’ll offer some thoughts on Adam’s co-presenter, Nader Ali-Hassan from Razorfish. He too thinks video is a critical component to social media.

–Tony Gnau

Video isn’t about facts and figures. Video is about emotion. That’s one of the reasons I actively encourage our clients to feature their employees because real people tap emotion better than products or services.

One of the organizations doing the best job of this lately is the University of Southern California’s athletic department… in particular the football team.

Yes… the USC Trojans… 6 Heisman Trophies, 11 National Championships, 24 Rose Bowl victories… those USC Trojans.

Watching the school’s videos, it’s clear the university’s leaders are making an effort to promote USC using their star athletes. Sure, they highlight their talents on the field, but more and more they’re figuring out ways to feature them off the field as well.

The theme to those videos… fun… and USC’s most recent video serves as a great example to businesses. It features Heisman Trophy candidate Matt Barkley and some of the team’s other stars walking around campus in their full uniforms… pads and all.

It’s goofy, but it’s goofy that serves a purpose. College and college football are fun.

Now, watch the video again with your business goggles on. If USC football is a company, the athletic director and coaches are senior management, and these players represent their top employees.

The company’s leadership is shinning a spotlight on their top people. They’re highlighting their personalities in an effort to promote the brand. They’re using “fun” to tap emotion.

Heck, they even provide the employees’ Twitter handles to encourage viewers to follow them on the social web.

I’m not suggesting that every business should go out and manufacture “fun” videos. What I’m saying is that they should look at the company and highlight the aspects important to the company culture.

At USC, they’re all about winning football games and having fun, so that’s what their videos are about. At your company, you might be all about excellence and ingenuity. Produce videos that highlight employees who embody those characteristics.

Real people, real spirit.

–Tony Gnau

I’m a big proponent of the notion that your videos don’t need to be about your company… to be about your company. One of the best ways to do this is to feature your clients, or in this case, honor your customers.

Proctor & Gamble is a big Olympic sponsor, and one of the campaigns company leaders have launched around the upcoming London games is focused on an important target market… moms.

At the center of it, a masterful video. I don’t usually like corporate videos that feature actors and staged scenes, but boy… this one really works.

It highlights that notion I mentioned earlier. This video doesn’t scream P&G. If you just happened upon it, you wouldn’t even know it was a corporate video until the end when a few brand logos appear.

What it does is honor moms. The company’s message is clear, we support the hard working women who nurture our children.

That’s powerful stuff for a 2-minute corporate video. It’s no wonder why P&G is a billion-dollar company. It’s leaders know how to reach people.

–Tony Gnau

I read a couple of stories about a “Make-A-Wish” kid who got to attend this year’s USC Spring football game. A young boy with a rare blood disease whose wish was to play with a real football team on a real football field.

“Make-A-Wish” contacted USC… and this kid got more than he could have imagined.

The stories I read are heart-warming. They made me proud of my Alma mater. Proud to call myself a Trojan. Then… I saw this video.

Cue the tears.

That’s what video does better than any other medium. It stirs emotions.

Not every video is going to move someone to tears. I often say my hope for our clients is that our videos leave viewers feeling a sense of confidence in that company. The point is even business videos tap emotion… at least the good ones do.

Make sure your videos are capturing people’s spirit.

–Tony Gnau