The following post has been reedited from the original written on January 2011.   I thought it important to re-establish  the connection for new people to this blog to two business areas we have a passion for.  Customer Experiences and Video Storytelling.  Thanks for stopping by.  We’ll get to the Why’s of Video,  but first though it’s only January 13th, I hope your New Year is off to a positive start.    It’s so easy to get lost in all the negative business news and let disappointments and negative energy rule our thinking.  We’ve just got to keep pushing.   I guarantee your day will be better, if you’re forging ahead by sharing a laugh, a smile or positive thinking with someone.  Let’s be optimistic !

Ok back to the topic of this post. On-Line Video & The Experience Economy.

As we begin the New Year, let me ask you a question.

WHAT MAKES YOUR WEBSITE DIFFERENT & MORE COMPELLING THAN YOUR COMPETITION?

 

Ok, time to hit the play button on this REEL which focusses on an area of business that continues to  explode, On-Line Video, a tool that can help make your website distinctive.

The big picture of  WHY USE VIDEO comes down to one word.

EXPERIENCES

Let’s look at the features and benefits of on-line video from through the lens of experiences, something most video production companies and web companies don’t address or emphasize enough.

Why EXPERIENCES?

Today, consumers value experiences more than ever.  The experiences you stage creates distinction & differentiation for you and new value for both your business and your customers.  Experiences go much deeper than technology and physical attributes. (Product,Price,Place, Promotion)  Let me also note , that this applies as well, to companies with business to business offerings.

First, a quick  top-line definition of a business experience from my friends, Joe Pine & Jim Gilmore, authors of an Internationally recognized book on experiences. The Experience Economy – Work is Theatre & Every Business a Stage.”

“An experience occurs in a business when a company engages customers connecting with them  in a personal and memorable way.”

 

If one really takes a minute to think about this definition coined by Pine & Gilmore in 1999, you’ll should see the very reason driving the explosion of Social Media as we enter 2011.

 

I believe that all companies, small or large, regardless of industry would serve themselves well by considering another Pine & Gilmore thought.  “The Experience is the Marketing.” In other words the best way to generate demand for your goods and services is to have your customers experience that offering in a place (physical or virtual) so engaging that they can’t help but pay attention and then pay up.

 

Secondly,  a sneak peak  at the stages of any experience as defined by the Doblin Group, an internationally recognized leader in innovation, from Chicago.

…  just wanted to provoke some new thinking and introduce a new framework to explore the business case for on-line video.  I’ll focus on the main 3 stages of experiences,  Attracting/During & Extending.
 

ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS (Pre-Experience)

On-Line Video by its very nature is effective in capturing attention & mind share of customers, in a world of information and marketing overload.

• Getting someone’s attention is the very first step to attracting people to your business on-line.
• Video can help build a foundation of trust & credibility.

 

On-line video provides SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Benefits

• Did you know that YouTube is the number two search engine behind Google? The SEO benefit applies directly to THE ATTRACTING STAGE of an experience.

DURING STAGE-(The Main Experience)

 

On-line Video can help make your website more Engaging & Memorable-A Better Experience.

• Video can help bring your website to life creating a place that customers want to experience over and over.  Static text and photos only websites are a dime a dozen and undifferentiated.
• Video can create stickiness to your site getting people to spend more time with you.  More Time = More Sales
• Adding new video content to your site is a great way to keep it fresh, giving customers a reason for a revisits.

 On-Line Video like no other marketing tool available, has the power to evoke Emotions from your Customers

• Emotions directly account for at least 50% of all buying decisions. The motivation to chose one brand or company over another, when choices are endless is sparked by emotion.
• Specific emotions drive value during each experience stage that attract new customers,  produce loyal customers and produce customers who will recommend your business.

On-Line Video has the power to give your company a Face, a Personality.

• It has the power to humanize your brand, demonstrate your uniqueness in a world of sameness.
• People buy from people they know, like & trust.

 

On-Line Video is a natural  fit with  digital STORYTELLING

•  Per above, emotions  impact buying decisions.  Stories connect with customers on emotional level.
• Great stories spark action, transmit values, foster collaboration, communicate who you are, & help lead people.

 EXTENDING STAGE (The Post Experience)

 Video is an excellent  piece of marketing collateral,  that people can  share with friends or colleagues.  

• Viral word of mouth marketing is still the most effective from both a cost and results standpoint.

Video is an excellent  tool to use as a piece of memorabilia for people to re-live their experience and remember you.

•  Video can be used after the main experience to demonstrate to customers that they’re more than just a transaction.

 ON-Line Video engagement is  measurable.  Here are a few areas.

• Number of views
• Time spent by each viewer
• Customized set of criteria relative to time (days,months, specific ranges of dates ) videos are viewed
• Specific drop off points for each on-line video
• Unique viewers and where they came from

 

To conclude,

Thanks for stopping by.  I hope you find the content I provide meaningful and relevant to your business.  We continue to explore and think about new ways to provide more value in our communications with you.  If you are already considering On-Line Video drop me an e-mail or call and I will send you a summary of current packages available.

 

As always, feel free to give me a call should you want to start a conversation on marketing including on-line video or your customer experience. 518-587-6340  bill@storymavericks.com

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