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If YouÔÇÖre a Nonprofit, HereÔÇÖs How We Fit In

Face of young adult from Best Foot Forward

Nonprofits Are Essential To Our Communities. If You’re a Nonprofit, Here’s How We Fit In.

Every nonprofit has a story. Nonprofits usually fill a very serious need in our community; and one of the biggest challenges nonprofits face is the need for money. Money that helps the nonprofits satisfy the need and pay its employees. When we talk to Executive Directors of nonprofits, they share with us their frustration of telling the story effectively and efficiently so as to bring in as much money as needed to fill the gap. This is not an easy task.

Imagine if you could tell the story without having to sound like itÔÇÖs been told a hundred times. What if the story could be told using the faces of those who benefited by the nonprofit? Wouldn’t that be the best way to tell the story? It wouldÔǪIn fact, a video can do exactly that.

The person(s) who benefited from the nonprofit would be the best person to tell the story. ItÔÇÖs a first person account of the difference the nonprofit made in their life. Without the nonprofit, where would they be? By having them tell your story, a possible donor can see the how their donation will help make a difference. Powerful stuff.

But, Plum Productions doesn’t just do the video; we help you reduce the cost of the video by working with your corporate sponsors. We all know companies that want to help their community, but they also want the community to know how much they impact their surrounding area. One way to work together is to let Plum Productions work with your Corporate Sponsor(s) to off-set the cost of your video.

A powerful, emotional video can bring in donations beyond expectations. We fit in because we want to tell the story. The story of how you, the nonprofit, helps our community. Below is a sample of just one of our nonprofits we’ve highlighted. Take a look…and try not to cry.

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Office Tours – Showcase Your Space!

empty office

Looking For a Video Idea?

If you work in a field where customers come to your office, you probably keep it looking pretty spiffy.┬á The level of comfort your clients have in your space is likely important to them, and in turn, you. Virtual Office Tours have become really popular on websites for this exact reason.┬á A potential client can have a look around the office before they schedule an appointment.┬á If you run a hotel, medical facility, or even a spa, virtual tours are a really valuable selling tool.┬á Today, most virtual tours are created with still photos and software that ÔÇ£seamsÔÇØ the shots together giving a 3D effect.┬á ItÔÇÖs a great tool, but we at Plum Productions think itÔÇÖs a missed opportunity.

A Video Tour Can Do Everything a Virtual┬áTour Does – With a Much┬áGreater Marketing Impact.

  • Firstly, theyÔÇÖre narrated.┬á The viewer can actually hear information about the space theyÔÇÖre seeing.
  • Second, in the narration, they can also hear about different services that are provided in the different spaces.┬á ItÔÇÖs a marketing video and video tour in one.
  • Lastly, if you feature someone prominent from the office, it also becomes a ÔÇ£Meet the DoctorÔÇØ or ÔÇ£Meet the StaffÔÇØ video.

Recently, we created a Video Tour for a local medical office. The video was hosted by the doctor, so patients got a look at his beautiful office, and an idea of who would be providing their treatment.┬á YouÔÇÖve have to take┬áa look:

Every business looks for ways to save money, and combining an Office Tour, Marketing video and Meet the Staff video is a great deal. Happy Video Marketing! Jenn

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Why Your Trade Show Booth Needs a Video

trade show booth

Trade shows are tough, arenÔÇÖt they?┬á So many vendors, so much noise; it can be hard to make your booth stand out.┬á In fact, we at Plum Productions just exhibited at our first trade show, and we learned a big lesson weÔÇÖd like to share: video draws visitors to your trade show booth.┬á ItÔÇÖs true!┬á An eye-catching video makes it near impossible for someone to walk by without noticing you.┬á For the best impact, set up a flat screen TV, hook it into your laptop and place it on the table in front of your boothÔÇönot behind you.┬á In a pinch, you can play your video right off your laptop if you donÔÇÖt have an extra TV handy.┬á Ours was so effective that we gained several new clients, one of them being a custom video forÔÇöyou guessed itÔÇöan upcoming trade show! As great as trade shows are, you might approach a video for your booth differently than a video on your website.

  • First, chances are the room youÔÇÖre in will be loud.┬á Narration on your video might get lost.┬á YouÔÇÖll want to make sure your video includes ÔÇ£punch wordsÔÇØ or short phrases about your business.┬á Remember, a trade show video isnÔÇÖt going to get into the nitty gritty about your services. It just needs to get people to stop and talk to you.
  • Second, go for flash.┬á Bright colors and quick edits grab attention.
  • Lastly, keep it short.┬á Remember, it only takes a few seconds for someone to pass your booth.┬á Keep your video concentrated to the exact information you want a passerby to see.

You can check out the video we created for our new client and see a real life example of an effective trade show video.

Good Luck! If you need any help, let us know!

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I Can Make Your Video For $5

studio setup for shoot

Video for Just $5

WAAAY COOOL!! You mean I can have a 2 minute video created by you, edited and everything for only $5? Awesome! Where can I sign up? So many times it’s the hook that gets us in the door. Unfortunately, a poor experience afterward can make us bitter and unhappy. We believe everyone should have video on their website or YouTube; but, we don’t believe it should look like your brother’s 9 year-old created it with their iPhone. We don’t have a problem with someone wanting to do it themselves; after all, that’s why we created MyVideo101.com, but we also believe it should portray the level of professionalism that the business and it’s owners portray in real life.

Getting stuff for cheap is rewarding…that’s why some people are addicted to shopping;kid frustrated by mistake but cheap isn’t always better. Imagine you found a deal…no a steal…for a brand new iPad while searching online. You found one for $20. Would you buy it? Some would say yes…the risk is low (after all, $20 doesn’t get you far these days). Others would say, “It’s┬átoo good to be true, it must be a scam.” While there might be circumstances that warrant the low price (estate sale, estate auction, etc.) many times the buyer gets what they pay for resulting in that bitter and unhappy feeling.

We also don’t believe in the mantra, “High price means better quality.” We think those who charge extra for a product or service just because they’re a little better isn’t right either. But it must be in reason. That’s why when someone asks us how much it costs to make a 30 second video, it’s tough to answer. Things we must consider before we can even remotely tell you what the price is: ┬áWhere is the shoot? How many people will be in the testimonial portion? Will there be paid actors/actresses? Will there be narration? …and many, many more question. Each item may add some cost, but the cost will often time result in a much higher quality product.

So, the next time you hear someone say they’re having their cousin create their website video, ask the following question:

  1. “Will the quality of the video reflect the level of professionalism your business requires?”
  2. “How long has he/she been creating videos?” Just out of college, see question 1.
  3. “How long will it take to have the completed video?”

If you or someone you know is looking for a high quality video for a reasonable professional price, let us know! Questions? Ask us in the form below.

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How Do I Create An Event Video?

image of trade show

Event Videos: Not Just For This Year Anymore!

Here’s a question we get frequently: ┬á”We have an event coming up and would like you to record the event so we can use the video┬áto promote next year’s event.” ┬áTo that, we respond, “Yes! But why wait!?!”

When we get this question, we often suggest that they don’t have to wait until next year to get that promotional video. Once we know a little about the event, we can create a video that piques interest. For example, if the event was targeting business owners that want to know how to use technology to help them in their businesses, how would you help them understand that before the event? You’d use a video like this:

The first 0:34 seconds is the promotional video followed by the actual event. In this case,  there were three messages that were important in this video: Where you should market your business (mobile), where you must list your business, and what are the helpful mobile apps helpful in business?  The top three reasons you must attend the event.

Marketing an event is important. It takes flyers, postcards, social media, and word-of-mouth…Add video to the mix to help people explain the upcoming event more clearly. When the video is added to the mix in social media (or through QR Codes on printed materials) you give people the method to share what the event is without losing the quality of the message. It’s like that old telephone game… you tell me, I tell someone else, they tell someone, and before long…the message isn’t the same. Video prevents this by maintaining the message and providing the platform needed to share quickly, efficiently, and effectively.

If you have an upcoming event and need a promotional video, let us know. We can certainly help you fill the event with interested people!

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What Can TV Teach Us About the New Video Revolution?

old time television

TV went through a revolution some years ago. Remember when cable first began? Remember when people were asking, ÔÇ£Why do we need a channel just for weather?ÔÇØ or ÔÇ£Why do we need a channel with 24 hour news?ÔÇØ 20 years later, we know we canÔÇÖt live without the 24 hour news cycle (well most of us). Given this, what can we learn from history when it comes to video? Here are a few things we can pull from the history playbook.

TV History ÔÇô A Big Lesson

In Video, Content is King!

Throughout history of television, there has never been a shortage of ideas. Television went from sitcoms to reality TV and back to sitcoms. Television has gone through drastic changes, only to come back to where it began. Not surprising. People like stories. People like to watch reality and sitcoms. TheyÔÇÖre very similar in nature.

What does that mean for you? Since content is king, youll need to focus on how to create content. Think of Google as the masses (the millions of TV viewers)constantly looking for something new, better, and entertaining. Your goal should be to continue to come up with new material to share. Whether its a marketing video, an informational/testimonial video, demonstration video, a training video, or just a recording of an in depth discussion about a topic relevant to a specific niche, new information (content) is king.

Your Action Item: Take approximately 30 minutes to play on YouTube. First, develop a list of keywords to search. See what you find. Watch 5 videos, but only for 30 seconds each. Write down notes about what you learned from each video. Next, search through the most popular videos and channels. Do the same thing, watch for 30 to 60 seconds. What did you learn/experience? Keys to pay attention to are the format each used, the techniques they used (sales), the techniques they used (production), the length of each video, etc. Use this information to come up with new approaches to video and to content.

Got an idea for a great video? Let us know. Want help coming up with one? Let us know.

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Does Video Provide an ROI?

image from demo video

Did you know that Digital Video is a very powerful tool in business? Ever notice the games on your iPad or iPhone? Many of them are now using video to advertise to you. Why is that? Because it works.

Product Videos

Video about a product is usually ÔÇÿto the point.ÔÇÖ In fact, the most effective videos that are about a product are under 2 minutes. These videos typically contain information that will help a prospective buyer make buying decisions. They include the benefits clearly and support all other material a possible buyer might encounter. Do you want to improve a possible buyer’s chances of buying? The location┬áof the┬ávideo within the website is┬ámore effective if placed near the purchase or buy now button. Once someone has watched the video, he or she should feel confident in making the purchase. If so, you donÔÇÖt want them looking far for the button to purchase (or phone number, if this is your call to action).

How do you know if Video works?

Good researchers know that calculating cause and effect takes data. Pure data. If youÔÇÖre going to do a video, youÔÇÖll want to know, did it work? One way to determine this is to do some testing before posting the video on your website and after posting the video to your website. Here are a couple of steps to consider: Pre-Test. Measure current data. How long do potential customers stay on a page? Typically people stay on a home page for just enough time to determine ÔÇô Is this who I was looking for? Can they do what I need them to do? Do they provide the level of professionalism IÔÇÖm looking for? Can you do the job? Can I trust you? More time on your site may equate to level of comfort and may lead to more sales. But how will you know unless you measure it before and after? Here are some stats that support having online video:

  • 188.2 Million People in the US watched 52.4 Billion Online Content Videos in December 2013. (Source: http://www.invodo.com/resources/statistics/)
  • Professionally produced video optimized for eCommerce outperforms user-generated video (UGC video) by 30%, delivering a 24.7% lift as compared with an 18.7% lift for the UGC video. (Source: http://www.invodo.com/resources/statistics/)
  • 93% of marketers used video for online marketing in 2013. (Source: http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Barriers-Tumble-Video-Marketing-Adoption-Grows/1010374)
  • Mobile is important too! 72.1 million US Smartphone users watched video on their devices at least monthly in 2013. This is expected to rise to 86.8 million, more than a quarter of the US population, in 2014. (Source: http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Long-Form-Video-Content-Rivals-Short-Even-on-Smartphones/1010492)
  • 51.9% of Marketing Professionals worldwide cite video as the type of content with the best ROI. (Source: http://www.emarketer.com/Article/Which-Content-Marketing-Tactics-Best-ROI/1009706)

While we may be biased, the stats are now screaming out, ÔÇ£Use Video!!ÔÇØ If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here, or contact us directly.

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Should I Create an "About Us" Video?

Still from testimonial video about Elite Payment Processing

How Does Video Help Your Website?

When we created our website, we contemplated about creating an About Us video or to just have an About Us page. We opted for the text version because we believed it helped our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) because words are easily understood by Google. Since the creation of our website, we’ve learned how important video is to SEO. Not only that, we’ve discovered that an About Us video can help sell products.

Imagine you are looking for a photographer for your event. During your search you find three photographers that you think can do the job. You click on the About Us page for each and find that two of the three pages are┬átext based. When you watch the one with the video, you not only learn about the photographer, you also learn she has a great sense of humor. You think, this is perfect for the event we’re putting together.

Here’s an example of one that could be used as an About Us; however, doesn’t exactly follow the full format of creating an emotional connection first.

Video speaks to the emotions of the buyer, while text speaks to the logic. When you present to emotions, you will connect with the buyer. When the buyer connects with the personality within the video, you have a greater likelihood of acquiring the sale.

Key Points to a Successful About Us Video

  • Be Unique. Your company has a story, a culture, and a personality. This should come through in the video you post. If you’re an accounting firm, you will most likely want to present a professional, straight forward message. If you’re an advertising agency with flair, you’ll want to present a professional, creative video.
  • Earn Trust. Use a testimonial or two in your About Us video. Think about it. Potential customers are looking for someone, they’ve elected to do more research about you, why not give them supporting material in the form of a testimonial.
  • Keep the Video┬áShort. Try to keep the video to somewhere between 3 and 5 minutes, but make┬áthe first minute the most┬áemotionally connective.
  • Make It Personable. This may sound logical, but many people want to push a sales pitch; instead, make it about the benefits of using your company and the values you hold. Connect with the potential client.

If we can help, let us know! Watch for our About Us video, coming soon!

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Interesting Stats About Video & Online Marketing

ipad with analytics used during meeting

CMO.com┬áproduced a list of interesting advertising stats from various sources on the internet. It shows us that most people are ok with video advertising on the web, but, as you’ll see, there are some formats that work better than others. Here’s some of the list:

  • Want to engage your customers (or potential customers)? 44%┬áof US email marketers report increased engagement rates in messages containing video.
  • One fourth of viewing times of streaming video on tablets is spent with contact more than 60 minutes long.
  • Each minute, the equivalent of 100 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube!
  • Time of advertising videos:
    • 13% are less than 15 seconds
    • 36% are longer than 30 seconds
    • 72% of in-stream online videos ads are watched to their completion
    • 79% of in-stream online videos ads are watched to their midpoints
  • 27 Times. That’s the multiple of consumers that are likely to click through online video (versus a banner ad).
  • Digital video advertising (US) will reach at least $5.4 Billion by 2016 (while in 2011, it was $2 Billion)
  • 65% of online business-to-consumer marketers use YouTube, compared to 61% for business-to-business.

Here’s what some of these stats mean to you. Remember how pop-ups were the best way to advertise? Every website used them…and they were very successful. Now, they’re just annoying. Not to say that video will be annoying, because it probably won’t unless it is used improperly, we believe we are on the largest increase in the use of video for digital marketing. We believe that every branding and advertising campaign should include a component of video. Whether online or on television, it is where potential customers can best understand you.

We like to say that if a picture is worth 1,000 words, a video is worth 1.8 million words. Don’t know why that math works, check out how we came to that number at our previous post about a Video is Worth 1.8 Million Words.

There are more stats at the original article, but we wanted to share with you the highlights that you most likely will want to know.

Source: Abramovich, G. (2013). 15 Mind-Blowing Stats About Online Video Advertising. CMO.com. Retrieved from: http://www.cmo.com/articles/2013/8/27/video_15_mind_blowing.html on May 1, 2014. 
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If a Picture Is Worth 1000 Words…Video is Worth 1,800,000!

image of person holding sign that says a picture is worth a thousand words

We’ve had people ask, how in the world do you get 1.8 million words from a video? So, let us show you (I know, the picture says 1 million, but it’s actually 1.8 million).

If we all agree that a picture is worth 1,000 words… And we shoot video at 30 frames per second (fps) That gives us 1000 x 30 = 30,000 words every second!

And we shoot the video to a length of 60 seconds…

30,000 words / second * 60 seconds =

1.8 million words!

Why is this important? If you are thinking about resetting your website or changing the way it looks, a video is a great way to add a stronger message or call to action. Nothing says “Here’s what we do,” “Here’s what are customers say,” and “Here are the results,” better than video!

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