It’s Time to Add Video to Your Marketing Strategy — Here’s Why

2019 is here, and if you haven’t made any resolutions to help advance your company’s marketing in the new year, here’s your first one — start using video.

If you’ve yet to harness the power of video to help you generate more business and sell more homes, here are five eye opening statistics to help get you motivated.

As of 2018:

  • 87% of online marketers use video content.
  • 51% of marketing professionals worldwide name video as the type of content with the best ROI.
  • * Marketers who use video grow revenue 49% faster than non-video users.
  • * 64% of consumers make a purchase after watching branded social videos (via tubularinsights).
  • * 59% of executives agree that if both text and video are available on the same topic, they are more likely to choose video.

Have I got your attention? I thought so. Now, I understand that if you’ve yet to dive into video, you may have reservations or even feel a little intimidated by the thought of taking the leap. But regardless of the size of your company and marketing budget, with the right planning and strategy, you can create videos that will make a positive impact on your business.

The first step is to make sure you create videos that will appeal to your clients, and that requires creating something called a Customer Avatar. While it may sound like I’m asking you to create a  video game character or 3D action movie, a Customer Avatar is actually a detailed story that describes your average client. For an excellent example and a step-by-step process to help you create one, click on the link above. In addition to helping you create effective videos, taking the time to create a Customer Avatar will help you improve all aspects of your marketing, from the content you create to where and how you deliver it.

Next, you need to decide which type of video you should create first, and to do that, you need to take a look at your marketing funnel. In case you’re unfamiliar with the term, it describes the relationship you have with your customers from start (the awareness stage) to finish (the closing stage) and beyond (the loyalty and advocacy stages).

Marketing gurus understand that to be successful and generate growth, it’s not enough to simply close a sale. You have to create satisfied clients who will go forth and sing your praises from the rooftops to help you generate — that’s right — more clients. Taking a hard look at your marketing funnel and figuring out which stages your company can improve upon can help you decide where to focus your video efforts first and which type of video you should start with.

For example, if you need to attract more first time clients, a short animated explainer video might be a good place to start. If you’re attracting plenty of interested customers but are struggling with conversions, a demo video might be a good first option. If you’re having trouble closing sales, then a testimonial video is a great way to go.

(Actually, testimonial videos are always a good way to go! Not only can creating videos starring your happy clients bragging about their beautiful new homes and the stellar customer service they received help with closing deals, they’re a great way to build loyalty and create advocates as well!)

Analyzing your marketing funnel will also help you decide where to share your videos. YouTube? Facebook? Twitter? Snapchat? Instagram? Email? Your knowing which stage of your marketing funnel needs the most attention will help you decide.

So, you’ve done all your homework, and now it’s time to decide how to create your first video. Given the fact that every single one of us carries a device capable of shooting ultra high-definition video in our pockets on a daily basis makes that a whole lot easier, but someone has to take that raw footage and craft it into a captivating video — one that tells an intriguing story that will sell your company to potential homeowners. Ever heard of the Squatty Potty? If so, then you’ve probably seen this hilarious video that helped make it a bathroom must-have. Think a boring video would have accomplished the same feat? Uh uh.

So, questions have to be asked and decisions have to be made. Do you have an internal marketing department? Do you have a creative, tech-savvy staff member or two who can create a captivating storyboard and shoot and edit a solid video? If so, leverage their talents and put ‘em to work! From iMovie to inexpensive apps in the Apple App, Google Play and Chrome Web Stores, there is an abundance of intuitive, easy-to-use video editing software available at your fingertips.

On the other hand, if you don’t have the staff or know-how but you do have the budget, investing in a professionally produced video is probably your best option. After all, we all know you have to spend money to make money, and the numbers don’t lie: In 2019, you can’t afford not to use video.

Interested in joining our nationwide network of premiere independent home builders and enjoying all the benefits a CBUSA membership has to offer? Contact us today! And to keep up with our latest updates, join our group on LinkedIn.

About The Author

Alyssa