By Greg Ball, President of Ball Media Innovations
When you think of business videos, you probably think of:
- Product shots
- A voice-over narrating information about new products
- New services
- New features available on existing products
Historically, they were “workhorse videos,” quietly doing their job and helping to increase interest and hopefully, sales. But what if those business videos had far more impact, using storytelling to connect with your audience? Rather than simply providing viewers with a list of facts and features, the results would be startling!
This is because when you engage viewers through storytelling, you increase brand recall, and better recall increases awareness and puts products and services in a more favorable light.
That’s not an opinion – it’s a fact. The more a person remembers you and your product or service, the more likely they are to purchase what you’re offering. According to Forbes when it comes to product business videos, 64% of customers are more likely to purchase a product online after viewing a video about it.
A Closer Look at Business Video Storytelling
What is video storytelling? Storytelling has been used as far back as humans have been communicating with one another. Video simply adds another dimension to the experience. Instead of inundating the viewer with facts, stats, and testimonials, you can use storytelling to make your brand exciting, memorable and real. Telling a story often brings out an emotional response, which is exactly what you would hope to achieve.
A standard marketing video often shows the product, has a voice-over narrating what the viewer is watching, and places facts and figures on-screen. Or it simply shows a lot of visuals with a type that is hard to follow.
Here’s an example of a video like that. Notice that the video didn’t do its job promoting the brand, and didn’t use storytelling in any way. In fact, it could be considered boring since there’s no real emotional or psychological connection being made with the viewer:
PLEASE NOTE: THIS VIDEO WAS NOT PRODUCED BY BALL MEDIA. IT’S JUST AN EXAMPLE.
A business video that includes storytelling, on the other hand, can showcase the product or service, but wraps a story around it – a story that captures the viewer’s attention.
How do you use storytelling to add impact to your business videos?
Here are some of the ideas for types of stories that we use to talk about our clients’ products or services, that we find effective:
1. Talk about how your brand makes the world a better place
Is there a good story to be told about how your product or service helps solve problems or makes the world a better place? Tell your story! Keep it authentic and sincere. Here’s an example of a video we created for FORTS Medical Field Hospital System. It tells the story of why it was created and the problems it solves.
2. Share how your product or service helps companies and/or people thrive.
If there’s a story to be told about how your product or service can be used to help other companies or individual customers thrive, and tell your story. Just keep it sincere, simple, and believable. Here’s an example of a video we created for PeopleDoc Software:
3. For true authenticity, let others tell your story.
Testimonials can build trust, and potential customers like to hear from their peers. Just look at the success of sites like Yelp and Amazon. Visit here for more tips on how to use video testimonials for the success of your business videos.
More on Why Video Storytelling Works for Businesses…
In addition to increasing brand recall, storytelling also helps bring in sales by building customer loyalty.
How do you do this? By engaging your viewer! Remember, video is a visual medium, so putting up charts and lists of features or numbers on a screen does nothing to engage your audience on an emotional level. You may not even keep their attention long enough to get them the facts. You want a video that grabs the viewer’s attention and keeps it. You may also want to add some “eye candy,” using animation; exciting visuals, special effects, and other visual tools that grab the viewer and never let them tune you out.
If you decide to use text on screen, use it in innovative, thoughtful, and unexpected ways that bring your viewers in and conveys information that they’re looking for. Just don’t overload your viewers with so much information that they can’t retain any of it! And always remember to keep information wrapped around the story you want to tell because you’ll come across as trustworthy and honest.
Telling Your Story
What story do you want to tell? That’s the big question, and it’s one you have to answer before you do anything else.
The story you tell is what will help you connect with your viewer. In addition, your story will help give your brand identity and personality, while the visuals will do the “heavy lifting” in terms of relaying key information.
When it comes to storytelling, everything starts with a concept. Here are some questions to get you thinking:
- Do you want to tell your personal story or one about how the company started?
- Do you have a unique backstory that viewers would like to hear?
- Do you want to create a character that parallels your customers’ target demographics?
- How about pointing out the pain points your customers face?
Whichever approach you use, always follow up with a resolution that shows your product or service solving the problem.
The other key is to be authentic. The more you reveal, the more you’re able to touch the heart and soul of your audience, the more they will connect with you. Viewers will see through contrived, disingenuous stories, and lose interest.
So when telling your story, be sure that it’s emotionally powerful and relates to the audience you’re targeting. That’s the only way you’ll get results.
Marketing Your Brand Using Storytelling Business Videos
Every part of storytelling in your video should be wrapped around your brand. While you want exciting visuals to engage your viewers, you want to achieve specific actions and results from the people watching your video. This is a marketing video, after all, and while you want exciting stories, you’re not creating a video solely to entertain people; you’re creating the video to get specific results.
It’s not an easy process! But the good news is that you don’t have to do all of this on your own. Business videos are a collaborative process, and there are qualified pros available to help you every step of the way.
In upcoming articles, I’ll share more on how you can use storytelling to add impact to your business videos. For example, if you’re a business owner, a good place to start is to think about how your personal story helped you start your business. Or think about how your own story makes you unique in your field. That’s where genuine storytelling concepts come from.
Do you have a video project you need help with? Contact us!
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help use storytelling to add impact to your business videos, give us a call. We’ll be happy to show you samples and provide you with a cost estimate. Happily, there’s no obligation at all!
Contact us to get started.
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(866) 570-8612 (Toll Free)
About the Author & His Company: Greg Ball, is President of Ball Media Innovations, Inc. Prior to starting the company, he ran the Burger King World Headquarters video operation. Greg founded Ball Media as a Miami video production company in 2002. He eventually expanded services to also become an Orlando video production company. Greg directs shows in both locations, as well as nationally, with crews throughout the country.
Ball Media Innovations specializes in producing videos for businesses as well as the medical community. This includes web videos, marketing and training videos, social media videos, convention, conference, and trade show videos.
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