Tag Archives: marketing

PR maestro Gini Dietrich recently blogged about the reasons she’s heard why some executives refuse to buy-in to the social media scene. Frankly, many of the reasons are legit, but that doesn’t give these business leaders a free pass.

The truth is many of them are simply afraid, but if they could fight through their fears there are now opportunities to do great things… connect with clients and prospects… market in ways companies couldn’t do in the past.

Hello? Video! Companies can now deliver video on their own terms.

Video allows companies to take clients and prospects behind-the scenes, introduce them to great people at the business, and show how the company is solving clients’ problems.

YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitter, email campaigns… they’re all in play. Any company that embraces social media can harness the power of video.

–Tony Gnau

I’ve been blogging a lot lately about behind-the-scenes videos. The posts have been inspired by college football season since so many schools are doing a great job of taking fans inside the locker room and beyond.

The connection to business seems very clear to me, but in case you’re missing it please take a look at mega-marketer Disney.

My wife and I watched a video via Netflix titled, Disney Parks: Undiscovered Disney Parks. It featured some pretty cool behind-the-scenes things taking place at the theme parks and resorts, and the video is one in a series of DVDs.

I have no idea how much the series cost to produce and distribute, but by the time I had picked up the remote to turn it off my wife was already on the laptop pricing out a Disney vacation.

Now, this was a 40-minute video on Disney theme parks. Not many people might be willing to invest that sort of time watching a behind-the-scenes video featuring your business, but what about a 1-2 minute video? What about a series of 1-2 minute videos that you roll out every month or every quarter?

Now you’re creating a behind-the-scenes experience your clients and prospects will appreciate.

–Tony Gnau

It’s no longer business as usual. Companies that are jumping on the social media express need to understand something… they are now content creators.

Sure, they still sell widgets or provide a special service, but now they have another identity. They are a media company. That means thinking about the media they produce and how it can affect the business.

Gone are the days when a business relies on the traditional media to help spread its PR or marketing message. Now it’s up to the company to do it. It might appear to be a daunting task, but it really opens a world of options.

One of them is the opportunity to harness the power of video. Businesses can create video content that serves an audience and turns viewers into customers.

It won’t happen overnight. The first step is changing the mindset. We no longer just sell widgets. We are a media company.

Once they’ve accepted that reality, businesses can begin looking at all the great stories surrounding the company and start producing videos.

–Tony Gnau

Southwest Airlines posts a decent amount of videos to YouTube, and it does a good job of using social media to distribute them. Some of the videos are hits, some are misses, but this one is a home run.

They follow musical artist Mat Kearney onto a flight where he performs a mini-concert for the passengers (watch the video). I love it! It puts a smile on your face, and puts Southwest in a good light.

Why don’t more companies do things like this? Okay, not everyone is going to be able to get a major recording star to serenade their customers, but PR and marketing pros need to start thinking this way for their clients. What are some of the fun things they do as a company… whether it’s cool perks for clients or ways they perk-up their company culture.

These are great video opportunities. Video doesn’t have to be about hitting someone over the head with a marketing message. Creating videos that put a smile on someone’s face make for an incredible sales tool. More companies should try it.

–Tony Gnau

VIDEO: Mat Kearney, Concert at 35,000-feet

Last week, I blogged about what a good job universities are doing at giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at their football programs. This should really interest business leaders because it’s a great technique they can use to educate their customers and prospects.

I highlighted USC and Notre Dame’s YouTube channels since the two were renewing their rivalry over the weekend. No surprise… USC posted a video less than 24-hours after its victory that puts fans right in the middle of the team’s big win, and it’s another great example for Corporate America.

Look… the likelihood that a company is going to produce something that communicates the same level of excitement is pretty slim. That’s not the point. One of the lessons learned here is that USC clearly understands how it can create content to serve its following.

Try finding anything even remotely like this in the traditional media. It’s not there, and yet there’s an audience for it. Thousands of people have clicked to watch this behind-the-scenes gameday video. USC isn’t waiting for the media to feature its football team. The school is going out and telling its own story.

Businesses have curious customers. They have people who are interested in their products and services. Businesses could be content creators like USC if only they understood the power these videos hold.

Videos like these serve an audience’s interest and foster loyalty by opening doors they normally can’t look behind.

–Tony Gnau

VIDEO: USC-Notre Dame Game Behind-The-Scenes

I watched a video yesterday produced by financial planning expert Dave Ramsey about the types of insurance he thinks everyone should own. It wasn’t a PR or marketing video, but the end of it really reinforced one of my biggest beliefs.

Dave is a master at his craft. He’s a nationally syndicated radio host, best-selling author, and a terrific on-stage performer. During the video, he spent about an hour speaking to an audience and giving them all sorts of facts and figures about insurance.  Health, long-term disability, life insurance… just a few that he was advocating.

He made a lot of great points, but he closed the video with a personal story that drove home his message. It was about a 28 year-old man who had started following Dave’s financial plan, which included getting insurance, only to find out a short while later he had a fatal disease. It was an amazing story, and trust me if anyone watching was still on the fence about getting insurance, they were probably on the phone with their insurance agent as soon as they finished.

Think about that. An hour of solid facts and figures, but it was a short personal story that really grabbed me as an audience member. You might have a cerebral case for why people should use your product or service, but your marketing video better target people’s hearts.

–Tony Gnau

One of the great things about online videos is the ability to take people to places they normally don’t get to go. Want to see it being done to near perfection? Start following college athletics.

The University of Southern California takes on Notre Dame this weekend in South Bend. It’s one of college football’s best rivalries, and thanks to YouTube fans get unprecedented access to their teams.

Each university’s athletic department has their own channel, and they post multiple videos every week documenting the comings and goings of their football programs. Pretty cool stuff if you’re a fan.

Business leaders… pay attention. This could be you giving your prospects and customers a behind the scenes look at your company. That sort of access can build real loyalty.

–Tony Gnau

We all know that social media is a great way for a company to engage customers, and when it’s done right it works. Seriously, it works.

My wife posted a note this week on simplehuman’s Facebook page about our squeaky trashcan lid. She got a personalized return message with how we can get a new one at no charge.

That’s the way social media is supposed to work. That’s why your PR/marketing videos need to be focused on the audience’s needs… not your company’s.

When you’re producing your social media videos, keep asking yourself the question… how does this serve my audience?

–Tony Gnau

Storytelling is the name of the game. Sure, you have a marketing message… of course, you have a PR purpose… and it might all be part of a sales strategy, but storytelling is the way to make sure people watch and listen.

Otherwise, it’s just information.

Pure information won’t get anyone’s attention and hold it. You have to find a way to touch their spirit.

Luck for you, video can grab someone’s attention. Add a great story and you have a vehicle that can elicit emotion and drive people to action.

–Tony Gnau

Okay, I typically hate critiquing other videos, but this one represents a terrific cautionary tale.

A Southwest Airlines video about the company taking part in Meals On Wheels popped-up last week on my Facebook wall. I love that Southwest participates in giving back to the community. I love that they want to share it with us in a video. The execution… not so good.

First, the Facebook text above the video read…

A sea of blue t-shirts made up of 500 Southwest Airlines Employees just wrapped up delivering more than 1,800 meals in this year’s Meals On Wheels Association of America blitz to serve Dallas families.

Then you click on the video and the first on-screen graphic reads, “June 8, 2010.” Read the Facebook text again. They “just wrapped up”… “this year’s Meals On Wheels.”

The next on-screen graphic reads, “400 Southwest Employees.” Back to the Facebook text, “500 Southwest Airlines Employees.”

Seriously? If you’re going to show us last year’s video, just tell us it’s last year’s video. Don’t use the text to make it sound like it’s from this year.

Next, the sound bite they chose is extremely confusing. Who is the speaker addressing? I assume it’s the Southwest employees making the deliveries.

Also, the on-screen title threw me off. It reads, “Brit Carpenter, President & CEO Visiting Nurse Association,” but he’s standing in front of Southwest banner. By the time I looked at him, the banner, and then the on-screen title, the title was already coming down. All I caught was President & CEO.

I assumed he was the Southwest Airlines president, but then what he said in the sound bite didn’t make sense. I had to re-watch the sound bite a few times before I figured out he leads the Visiting Nurse Association, which I imagine is associated with Meals On Wheels, but that isn’t explained later.

Why do I point this out? It’s a great example of why business leaders need to hire storytellers. I can only imagine that this video was put together by someone at Southwest who has technical expertise, but not a storytelling background.

If you’re going to create a video and share it with the world, make sure you’re telling a story that people will understand. The video will only help your organization if the audience walks away feeling good about your company… not confused.

–Tony Gnau

VIDEO: Southwest Airlines and Meals On Wheels