Video engagement isn’t the future. It’s already here. Maybe it’s the fact that Independent professionals who use video see up to 50% faster growth in revenue versus those that don’t. Or the fact that the use of video increases social shares by up to 1200%. Or perhaps it’s the fact that video has the power to drive organic traffic increases of 157% or more.
How to create an Intro video for your business
For a professional like you – a powerful intro video can make a massive difference to not just your brand image, but also increase sales and inquiries two-folds. In the age of COVID-19 and remote work, you need to master the art of making a great first impression virtually – and nothing spells that out better than a masterfully done intro video.
So, are you a graphic designer working out of your home? A life coach with a makeshift attic office? An independent lawyer taking on cases in cafes? You would definitely agree with me, that your office space no longer makes for your identity.
Here’s why intro videos are vital for our solopreneur community.
Yes, your first impressions matters
Well thanks to the virtually virtual-only work existence, there are fewer opportunities to inject your uniqueness, your essence, your emotion, the parts that make you human and gain people’s trust, to connect with your client in the first go!
After all, how many Keynotes and voicemails genuinely build trust?
An intro video, done right, is the perfect way for you to take control of your narrative and make people trust your offering. It makes you distinctly visible in the herd.
While there are multiple tips we can share with you to shoot it right, the basics remain the same – a compelling 2-minute video in a well-lit room with no disturbance and clean composition grabs attention.
Intro videos are the best way to give the viewers a snapshot of not just your service- but to the more discerning eye they spell out your approach, your level of expertise, your aesthetic and your work ethic.
Bridge the gap
One of the main goals of a Facebook Live session or a YouTube video is to build trust with your audience by putting a face with your name. The idea is that, by watching you on screen, audiences feel like they’ve had a real interaction with you and like they know you personally.
But in order to really make these videos work as a trust-building tool, you have to be authentic. Polished and professional, yes, but not overly rehearsed or performative.
One communication expert put it this way in a recent article for Entrepreneur:
Think about it: Viewers are typically about five inches from their phones, and the presenter is within a foot of the screen on the other end. It’s like having a cup of coffee and a chat—it conveys the same sense of friendship, honesty and trust.
You can read more about authentic communication here, but it comes down to this: Today’s audiences can spot a spin doctor from miles away, but if they feel like they’ve gotten to know the real you, they’re more likely to buy into your message.
So when you’re communicating with audiences on video, be your honest, transparent self, and speak as though you’re talking with them and not at them.
Authenticity for the Win
We all have been drowning in stock footage and deep fakes, aren’t we? Similarly, clients are struggling with freelancers gone AWOL, contracts not honoured and fake credentials.
So, how will a client check the authenticity of the profile?
That’s exactly why a video first communication matters, which helps your client to understand your approach, passion for the key skill area and lets you have right expectations with them.
We understand, creating the feeling that you’re talking with your audience—is especially difficult when you’re talking to a camera, we have been there!! After all, talking to inanimate objects is, by nature, more than a little awkward.
To make it easier to communicate authentically on video, we recommend treating the camera like a person or, even better, putting an actual person behind the camera.
Asking a friend or colleague to sit behind the camera and act as your “dummy” audience—at least until you get more comfortable presenting on video—is a great way to make it easier to be authentic.
Making it Work
Now that you know how important having a face to the business is for your audience, let’s understand the craft that goes behind creating the video you desire. It all starts from scratch – outlining.
Even though authenticity is essential to video communication, and the apparent spontaneity adds to the charm, preparation is still essential. After all, people aren’t interested in hearing you ramble about yourself—they care about what you can do for them.
What that means is that you not only need to prepare your presentation ahead of time, but you need to prepare it with your audience in mind.
But before you hit the record, you need to have a sense for what’s on the mind of your audience. So when you’re preparing what you have to say, consider how to make sure your message resonates.
In general, failure to prepare is likely to lead to an unfocused, rambling, difficult-to-follow video that won’t do you or your audiences any good, and may even hurt your brand and reputation.
Hence we suggest, first write in the tone you and your audience can relate to, try to tell a story that rings an emotional chord and conveys the very best aspects of working with you! You can practice this a few times in advance as well before hitting the record. Just start with a short brief introduction of 5-10 seconds.
But with a little thought before you get in front of the camera, you can feel confident that you’re going in with a game plan, and you’ll be able to guide your audiences along so they can more clearly follow and internalize your message.
You can do this in two ways
- The Simple Way: Start by talking about yourself. Who are you and where does your expertise lie? Many of you must have had the experience of working under someone before you made your breakthrough; talk about that. Don’t hesitate to flaunt yourself.
- The Captivating Way: Evoke your viewers by asking a question or issues they face that you have the answers for. A moving anecdote or shocking statistical data point will grab their attention.
Focus on the objective:
Now, this section will be the core of your video (10-20 seconds) and should be clear. This is where you hit your target audience. Talk about the problem statements they might face and how your presence and your role can make a difference.
Give your business highlights:
It should be a crisp section of 5-10 seconds. Now isn’t the time to be a humble brag – Talk about your experience that shows you are the right choice and can do the job with utmost care and skill. The breath and skill of your skillful experience should be clear and convincing. Do you work with any specific software? Is there something you offer that no one else in your local market does?
Conclusion:
It should sum up your pitch, so it should be short (5-10 seconds) and with this, your viewers should have a fairly clear opinion of you and your work. End it with a crystal clear call to action!
Not only do intro videos create a more personalized and human sales experience, but they make the lead feel like you care, in turn making it much more likely for them to be open to discussing your service offerings with them.
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