Small Business Video: Overcoming Common Roadblocks
Can your Washington DC area company benefit from a small business video? The answer is almost always, yes. No matter your audience, industry, or budget, you can build a visual presence that can help your branding and promotional efforts immensely.
Unfortunately, not all small businesses see it that way and dont considerthe power of small business video. Instead, they tend to shy away from video production, thinking it will either compromise their budget or simply result in an expensive project with no actual impact.
That doesn’t have to be the case. With the right small business video, you can jump start your business and distinguish your brand from your competition. All you have to do is overcome a number of roadblocks that businesses like you tend to face when it comes to video.
Roadblock #1: A Limited Budget
In a surprise to no one, a 2015 survey indicated that a lack of money is the single biggest obstacle that small and medium-sized businesses face when it comes to Washington DC video production. Put simply, the fact that a wide range of studies show the success of video marketing doesn’t matter if you don’t think you can afford it.
Fortunately, much of this roadblock (and the others below) are perception issues. As it turns out, producing a high-quality marketing video is not nearly as expensive as you might think. One of the most successful videos of the Digital Marketing Era, Dollar Shave Club’s viral hit “Our Blades Are F***ing Great,” has been viewed almost 25 million times on YouTube–on a video production budget of $4,500.
The key is saving where you can. Dollar Shave Club’s CEO agreed to participate in the video, saving talent costs. Meanwhile, even introductory camera systems can now shoot high-quality video for a fraction of the price of traditional, expensive equipment.
Roadblock #2: A Lack of ‘Interesting’ Content
For countless industries, the thought of a marketing video induces headaches because the industry simply doesn’t seem very visual. And it’s true, creating a viral video of an office or warehouse may not seem like it makes much sense.
Fortunately, there are no limits to creativity. Dollar Shave Club is a perfect example of a visually uninteresting product made interesting through its delivery. Meanwhile, explainer videos can help get your value proposition across in a fun, animated style.
Roadblock #3: What to Do With It
Even when you break the above roadblocks and make a great video, the followup is another common stumbling stone. How do you make sure that you get the most out of your video by guaranteeing exposure?
This is where the potential versatility of video can come in handy. It can live on your website’s homepage, or become a post on social media. In fact, you can build an entire marketing campaign around it. The key is walking into the video with a plan to make sure that the finished product can give you all of its money’s worth in terms of marketing.
Roadblock #4: A Lack of Production Expertise
Finally, most small businesses shy away from video production because of a simple lack of expertise. And it’s true: shooting and editing video in a way that doesn’t look like it’s taken on a smartphone requires professional expertise. However, you don’t have to let that requirement keep you from taking advantage of this medium.
In fact, all you have to do is find a partner that can help you produce a high-quality, engaging video. Look for local Washington DC video production companies in your area, who can come in and help you both plan and execute a video that is actually worth its investment in time and money.
If you live in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area, we’d love to be that partner for you. Contact us to learn more about our capabilities to help small businesses like you create videos that will make a big impact on your marketing strategy and business growth.
