Video marketing can be a very powerful tool in your business utility belt.  It can help you create credibility and establish your company as a desirable brand.

I’d like to tell you that video marketing is really easy.

I’d also like Keebler elves to give me a big bag of money, some fudge, and a shoe shine.

The reality is that you need to develop a smart plan to be an impactful video marketer.  It can become very easy- if you learn how to do it right, and you practice the correct methods.  Let me give you the single most important piece of advice I have to help you begin.

 Know Your Audience.

• It’s up to you to figure out what your target customer likes to see.  Then, it’s your responsibility to incorporate the messaging you want into their video presentation.

This is the oldest advice in show business, and it applies double to you because you have a brand to protect.  You need to build loyalty over time, not just get butts into a seat for a 7pm showing. 

Let’s  go back to 1932 for a famous case study of what not to do:

The Marx Brothers- one of the most famous vaudeville acts of all time, decided to ignore their audience’s sensabilites one fateful evening in the tiny town of Fredonia.  This real Western NY berg, which pretty much consisted of a handful of dairy farms and a convent, was host to one of their performances in their famous 1891 Opera House.  The brothers wanted to test out some of their newest material on the small audience- of nuns.  The jokes that night were so outrageously profane, that the Marx Brothers were literally run out of town by an angry mob of nuns and farmer’s wives at pitchfork point!

Now, it turns out that this story has never been historically verified by anyone who was actually there.  That’s not really the point.  It’s still a great story, and it still illustrates my most valid assertion.

Please.  For the love of Pete and everything that’s holy- know your audience.  If your product is going to be used by young males that live in urban areas, then make your video relatable to them. If you’re not up to the task of relating to your core market, then you should consider letting someone else be the spokesperson for your brand.

Alternatively, there are several program formats that you can use that won’t require anybody to be on camera.  The more you know- right.

I will talk more about the other big concepts in later posts you can use to capture a loyal viewership.

Just remember to always be honest, and always respect the people you’re trying to sell to.  Don’t try to make a fast buck if it means selling them out.  It’s not worth it because your brand will suffer in the long run.

So what you should do right now is to write down 10 things you know about your target customer or target audience.  Keep this list handy every day and refers to it every time you try to reach out to them.

I want to get to know my audience, so If you have any questions, let me know.  You can even tell me what your Keebler Elves would leave for you if you could ask them for anything.