Be a Star!

So you've decided you want to include video on you website. Fantastic! Before you pull out your camera and start shooting videos though, you'll want to keep a few things in mind. A great video be a huge boost to your business, but a poor one may actually hurt you. Consider hiring a videographer to get a more professional look. Odds, are you can find a local college student who will do great work for you at a fantastic price. Make sure you check out your videographer's previous work before hiring him for the job.

Once you have someone to shoot the videos, you'll want to spend some time coming up with a good script. What makes your business unique? Why do customers choose you over your customers? What specials do you have running? These are just a few of the questions you should answer in your script. Get input from other people in your business to make sure you have all the important points covered.

Once your ready to begin shooting pick someone photogenic to represent the company. Ideally you want the person who is most involved with bringing on new customers to be the star of this video. When talking look directly into the camera and lift your chin slightly. Take a minute to think of your ideal customer, and not just a vague representation. Pick an actual client you have great report with. Now speak from the heart directly to them. This will allow you to be sincere and connect with other customers ready to do business with you.

Today I'm going to share one of the most effective tools you can use while building your website. Are you ready? It's video! Very few websites are taking advantage of the power of video. And of the handful of sites that do have video, very few use it well. Video allows you to-

• Instantly connect with your prospects. In any transaction it is crucial for both parties to establish and build report. Now, you can do that on autopilot 24/7. A video of you talking about your business will let site visitors get to know and trust you, even if they are surfing the web in their pajamas at 2:30 in the morning.
• Establish yourself as an expert. Who are we used to seeing on TV? Actors, newscasters, and experts. By appearing in a video people will naturally put you in the same category as these professionals, and everyone wants to hire an expert!
• Show off your products and services. Take site visitors on a tour of your facility or let them see how you manufacture a product. They'll be more likely to purchase whatever it is you're selling.
• Share testimonials from other satisfied customers. Social proof is very persuasive. Kick it up a notch by posting short video clips of people raving about your business rather than just posting quotes.
• Keep visitors on your site longer. The more time people spend on your site the more likely Google is to give you favorable rankings. Also, the more likely that visitor is to become a customer.

Stay tuned for more information on how to most effectively use video on your website in coming weeks.

Internet Lessons from the Model T

We love choices! When Henry Ford first developed the modern assembly line and started pumping out Model T's he completely took over the automobile industry. No one could compete with the price and quality Henry Ford was offering, but his domination of the auto market didn't last forever. What was caused the downfall of the Model T? Everyone was driving the exact same car! Ford even quipped, "The Model T comes in any color you'd like, as long as it's black." Eventually other car companies stared offering more choices in color, style, features, etc. and the Model T faded from glory as consumers were given more options to pick their dream car.

Similarly, you want to give your customers options, especially when it comes to providing ways for them to contact you. Some customers may prefer to give you a call after checking out your website, while others would rather send you an email, yet a select group may just want to head right to your store. Don't miss out on interested customers just because you've failed to make it convenient for them to contact you on their terms. Include your phone number, driving directions, and a lead form on your site. A lead form may be one of my favorite ways for a customer to contact me. It's non-threatening and instantly gathers key information from a prospect. Watch for next week's post too and I'll show you how to grow a list of customers using a lead form that can become one of your greatest assets!