Build Your Brand On A Budget

by Ellie Scarborough, founder of MediaBombshell.com

So, you’re just starting out with your business and you don’t have much money to spend on marketing your brand. Have you thought of using video on your site, in your blog & on social media? It gives you a chance to show your personality, connect with your potential clients & loyal fans in a whole new way! Plus, you can do it yourself for almost nothing.

Did you know that, according to Forbes, nearly 60-percent of the business people said they would watch video before reading text on the same Web page? And, three quarters (75-percent) watch work-related video on business Web sites at least once a week? Bottom line: If you’re not using online video, you’re missing out on a HUGE opportunity.

Over 2 BILLION videos are viewed on YouTube everyday! How much is 2 billion? Combine the audience numbers of all three major broadcast networks. Now double it! Most of these videos are not professionally shot with perfection. They’re raw, authentic and really appealing because of it.

All you need is a video camera and a mission. The camera on your computer will work just fine for a lot of these videos, but you can also buy a cheap handheld video camera to play with for practice. To get you started, here are three types of videos I believe are vital for every brand.

1. Intro: Share the story behind your brand.

Why did you start it? What are your core beliefs? Where does the passion come from? What’s the biggest triumph you’ve had so far? Why did you love what you do? Keep the videos short enough so people will actually want to watch the entire thing. You want them to learn something, feel something and finish wanting to know more. I try to keep all of my videos under three minutes, and I typically advise my clients to do the same.

On a budget: shooting this with your computer camera if perfectly acceptable for starting out. Just make sure your face has flattering light on it and the background looks decent. If you have any budget to use on hiring a video team to shoot and edit, use that money on your intro video. It sets the tone for your site, so you want it to be as professional as possible.

2. Blog: Share advice/insights/tips.

Clients or readers ask questions? Answer them through video.  Have expertise that sets you apart from your competition? This is your chance to share bits and pieces of it in a unique way.

Give them a taste of what you’re like to work with and how you share your knowledge. Show them what you’re made of, but don’t give all of your secrets away. Be helpful, be genuine and be succinct. Just like an introductory video, you want this to leave them hunger for more… ready to sign up for your services or buy your products.

You don’t have to sell in the videos. In fact, I prefer to have a call out for a product or service just below the video or beside it instead of actually doing a hard sale on camera. Make this an opportunity for them to get to know you, and let them decide what they want to do next.

Here’s an example of one of the advice videos I put together on my computer for my first website, Pink Kisses.

3. Testimonials: Share Your Client’s Successes.

Let your clients speak for you. Have them share why they love working with you, how your business was able to help them and what results they were able to achieve because of you.

Most people looking to hire a company love seeing what other clients have to say. These testimonial videos are just as vital as your intro and advice videos. Make sure you have as much variety as possible in the clients you choose to highlight and in the sound you choose to use from each of them. The goal is to show how awesome your business is across the widest range possible.

On a budget: Ask four or five of your clients to shoot videos on their computers for you, then pick the three strongest ones. Put them on your homepage, your services or products page or your about page.

Ellie Scarborough is founder and principal of MediaBombshell.com. After reporting on NBC for 7 years and founding a popular online business, she developed a unique process for building bombshell brands quickly. Now she works exclusively with visionary bloggers, business owners & spokespersons who are serious about positively impacting the planet with their passion + moxie + services, and who are ready to harness the power of video and media to do it.