Let’s be honest; the words ‘corporate video’ are hardly likely to ignite sparks of excitement amongst your customers and prospects. And who can blame them? The majority of corporate videos are ridden with platitudes and clichés, while devoid of useful information.

Yet, with the right content and a few basic (non budget-busting) tools, corporate video can help crystallise relationships with existing customers and employees and even attract new ones. Here are some useful tips to help your business get started with video or perhaps apply to your next project:

How to make corporate videos that people want to watch

1.  Decide what information to share

The key with all video content marketing is to deliver something that helps your end user. Let’s say that your prospects want to know the benefits of a product or service to help them make a purchase decision. Customer testimonials translate nicely into video – or for your more complex products, video is again the ideal tool to deliver information in a simple, engaging way via instructional videos, or simple step-by-steps guides.

2. Tell the company story

It can be a challenge to deliver a compelling narrative, particularly when functions from legal to PR disagree over what corporate messages can and can’t be shared. As such, this is often easier in smaller companies where different departments overlap and communicate more easily. As with any communications strategy, it’s important to decide upon the messaging you want to communicate via video. Draw up clear guidelines on what overarching messages each video needs to convey before drilling down to more specific content ideas.

3. Create a plan for your video

With your corporate messaging in place, it’s time to start thinking more creatively about your video. First, you’ll need to decide on a suitable content idea. Generating original ideas can be tough, so here’s a useful resource of format suggestions to browse. Before shooting anything though, devise a coherent plan to streamline the production process. Will you be using actors, customers or employees? Will you use a script, or ask your ‘actors’ to ad-lib around general guidelines? Bear in mind that short and simple is often best (say 5 minutes maximum), so avoid lengthy scripts or complex scenes.

4. Maintain production values – it needn’t cost the earth

Smaller businesses are often intimidated by slickly produced videos from brands with big budgets behind them, such as this example from Toyota. Ok, so the majority of SMEs can’t match these production values, yet they can still use quality control to produce the best content possible. For instance, simple white backdrops are best for showcasing products. Or if you’re filming within the office, shoot some sample footage to assess the space, and remove any elements that look untidy or distracting.

5. Get a second opinion

It can be hard to achieve true objectivity when closely involved in a creative project. So, here’s where some brutal honesty can prove invaluable. Get a second opinion on your video concept, preferably before shooting, from a reliable critical eye. This could be a trusted co-worker, industry expert or friend. Reconsider your video plan in light of this opinion, being mindful of how your target audience will perceive the end result, as well as its broader impact on your brand.

With these tips in mind, you’re well equipped to start the process of developing corporate video. Remember, glitzy graphics are not going to sell your company;  it is the people in front of the camera and the tale they tell that will be remembered.

Photo: Bill Rice