Throwing a successful corporate event is tough job. Event planners do everything they can to make sure everything runs smoothly from booking the venue to hiring the right caterer to sending out the invitations.

Many business leaders will also request a photographer, but they fail to budget for the one thing that will draw more people to the event and engage them after it’s over… the corporate event video.

I really should make that plural… videos… because you have a few options when it comes to events and video production.

One type of video will help increase your attendance, another will capture attendees’ attention while they’re there, and the last will allow your event to live on even after it’s over.

There’s even a way to produce them without having to spend a dime.

Pre-Event

If you’re trying to generate interest in your event and drive ticket sales, this video is a must. By producing a video in advance of your event, you can use it as a promotional tool.

This is your teaser video. Demonstrate to people the value they’ll receive for showing up.

Going to have a keynote speaker? Do an interview with him or her ahead of time. Have the speaker talk about some of the topics he or she will be touching on at the event. No speaker? Get some video of the event organizer talking about what will be happening.

Either way, the point is to give people a reason to attend the event. Using video to show and tell them what makes your event great is a terrific way to grab their attention and motivate them to show up.

During the event

Did someone say something about grabbing attention? Video can be a great way to draw people into an event space like a trade show display. It’s even better at re-engaging a captive audience once you have them there.

You’ve seen it happen just like I have. It never ceases to amaze me. You’re attending an event. Things hit a lull. Then someone fires up a video and all of a sudden people perk up. Attendees who were once slouching in their seats are now sitting up.

That’s what a video during your event can do.

Double the points if the video takes advantage of what video does best… tap emotion. Make the audience laugh, make them cry, make them think a little… you’ve just re-energized the whole event.

I can’t tell you what type of video to do here. It’s obviously dependent on what your event is all about. We’ve done a bunch of videos for Alverno College. They host several events every year and use videos to feature their amazing students and generous donors.

Another one of our customers, Catholic Health Initiatives (now CommonSpirit Health), uses case study videos at internal events and meeting to promote the innovative ways its markets are building healthier communities.

There are a TON of possibilities here!

The piece of advice I will give you is the timing of when to play the video. Show it when you’re trying to reengage the audience. If there’s a point in the program when you want them to pay special attention, that’s the time to show your video.

One last thought, if it’s an event that runs more than one day, you can produce videos each day of the event promoting things that are taking place.

This is especially effective for businesses taking part in trade shows. Highlight things that happened that day, then promote what’s taking place the next day. Use it as a tool to get people to your trade show space.

Post-Event

We finish our corporate event video trifecta with the one everyone should be doing.

Attendance might not be a problem for you, so the pre-event video might not be necessary. Maybe your event doesn’t involve a large group of people gathering for one specific function, so a video during the event might not be needed.

The post-event video; however, is something every event can benefit from.

The reason this video is so important is because it does something amazing. It allows your event to live on long after it has concluded.

Think about it. You spend an incredible amount of time, effort, and money on a one-time event. It goes great, but when it’s over… it’s over.

That’s not the case if you shoot raw video and interviews during the event and then produce a post-event video. It’s the best way to wrap-up because you can highlight all the great things that happened, and remind people of the key takeaways.

It’s a way to leave people on a high note.

You can share the video through an email campaign. Pump it out via social media. Allow everyone who attended to share it with their friends and colleagues. Your event now lives on.

The post-event video also provides some added bonuses. Remember all of those people you invited who couldn’t make it? Send the video to them as well to show them what they missed.

Finally, if the event is an annual thing, your post-event video can also be used as promotional content for next year’s event.

Wow… we you just got two uses out of one video!

Sponsors and Vendors at Meetings, Conferences, or Conventions

You don’t have to be the ones throwing the event to produce a video. If you’re going to be a part of an important meeting, conference, or convention… you should consider producing a video as well.

Whether you’re an event sponsor or a vendor, this is an opportunity for you to share your message.

You’re collecting business cards and/or email address from attendees, right? Now you’ll have something awesome to send them! It’s not simply a follow-up email… it’s “Check out our video!”

You can also share the video with your existing customers and prospects to show them how you participated in a major industry event.

As a sponsor or vendor, you’re paying big bucks to be a part of these events. Adding the cost of a video is pretty small in comparison to the overall cost of being a part of the event.

And just like event organizers, you’re spending all this money to be a part of the event, having a post-event video allows that event to live on after it’s over.

How-to pay for your corporate event video

I know what many of you are thinking. You agree with me 100%, but who has the budget for an event video?

First thing you need to do is get in the right mindset. Stop thinking of the video(s) as an additional expense. It isn’t. It’s a necessity.

Once you make-up your mind to do it, video simply becomes one of the line items you need to buy with your existing budget.

Easier said than done, right? Quality video costs like $10,000. Wrong. You can get an awesome video for half that.

Still too much? Why should you pay for it at all? What if you could produce something for free?

Did that grab your attention?

Start approaching other businesses to sponsor your video(s). That’s right… create sponsored content.

Companies already sponsoring your events are always looking for opportunities to get in front of your attendees. Video is one way to reach a large number of them.

Figure out which videos you want to produce, then go looking for sponsor dollars to pay for them.

Video is an event necessity

I’m not kidding. Video should be looked at as an event necessity. Video can draw people to your event, keep them interested in the event, and give it a longer shelf life.

That’s the power of a corporate event video.

–Tony Gnau

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