5 tips for video marketing

Video marketing is a necessity for doing business in 2019 and essential to your marketing plan and growth strategy. More than 80% of businesses use it to advertise, and clients prefer to learn about new products with video. What’s more, they’re more likely to share a video with their friends than other forms of marketing[i]. Done properly, video marketing can bring in leads and keep your practice growing.

Companies that use video marketing grow revenue 49% faster year-over-year than those that don’t[ii], but only 10% of advisors are leveraging video in their growth plans. 

5 quick tips to get started:

  1. Set a goal. Think about what you want to achieve with a video and set a budget for production. This will look a bit different for everyone, depending on your business model and growth goals. Some advisors will focus on cold prospecting. Others might want to amplify their professional referrals[iii].

    2. Hire a reputable video marketing company and a script writer. This team will work closely with you at every stage of production. They’ll provide recommendations to make sure the video is an excellent fit for your business. It will save you time and guarantee great results.

  2. Tailor your message. Consider what differentiates you from other advisors, and whom you want to reach. What values will best resonate with your audience? Watch videos that other advisors have produced and take notes about why you like them.
  3. Ask for feedback. Ask colleagues, partners and even clients what matters most to them. This can help guide your script to make sure the video will resonate with viewers.
  4. Plan for production. Block off a day for the shoot and make sure to spend time rehearsing before the production day. Before filming, ask your video team for a call sheet – a schedule of shots and locations – so filming is productive.
  5. Edit, review and publish. After filming, your video team will give you an edit of the video to review. Take time to think about what you like about the video, what you don’t and what you think might change. This is a time to give your video team feedback and request changes if necessary.

Keep it brief: Shorter videos drive better engagement, and more than half of all videos online are less than two minutes long.[iv]

When your video is finished, there’s a lot you can do to get it out there.

  • Share it.

    Post the video on your website’s home page and social media accounts including LinkedIn. There are also many video-sharing platforms, which are free and easy to use. YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, as well as Facebook and Twitter are all great resources.

  • Email it.

    An email newsletter is another great way to promote your video. Look for a provider that can link to the video platform of your choice, such as YouTube. Mailchimp is an easy-to-use and budget-friendly choice, and has built-in features to make emails compliant with privacy laws like CASL. Some email newsletter tools will also work with a customer relationship management (CRM) tool, such as Salesforce. This makes it easy to track your video’s performance.

  • Measure the results.

    When you track the video performance, consider things such as open rate (for your newsletter), view count and interaction. The play rate (the percentage of visitors to your page who clicked ‘play’ and started watching) and whether the viewer forwarded your video are also important metrics to pay attention to.

  • Follow-up on leads.

    Your newsletter metrics are linked to clients on your contact list. You can see who watched your video and for how long. If a viewer took the time to watch the entire video – or to share it – they may be open to a follow-up.

As you work to attract clients, video is a must for your 2019 growth plan. You can tell a personal story that will resonate. Sharing your values, beliefs and stories — the why of your business — offers the audience a way to connect with you on a deeper level.

Leading advisors use our best practices to grow their business. Contact the Strategic Business Development team or your Sun Life relationship manager for insights and advice about how to incorporate video into your practice.