The Internet marketing landscape has changed significantly with the introduction of new technologies that allow businesses to access streaming video via cable or broadband. That's good news for those professionals who want to differentiate themselves online. Widespread broadband Internet access offers a platform to present the owner behind the business in a way that one-dimensional websites could never offer.
In the early days of the Internet, many businesses didn't even have email or a website. Now, if you don't have these basic tools to promote your firm, you're probably not in business at all. When Google acquired YouTube in '06, the Internet playing field changed dramatically so that many businesses are now seeing the necessity of using video to promote themselves and their business online.
Establishing a connection of trust is the foundation for getting pre-sold prospects and personalized videos can act as a connector to introduce you to your prospects. Similar to a face to face in office consultation, once your prospect gets a sense of who you are and how you can help them, your job of selling them on you becomes a whole lot easier. They either like you or they don't and if they don't, you just saved yourself and them valuable in office time. If they do like you, then the chances of them calling or emailing you just increased.
Gone are the days when the owner of a company could hide behind a website. People want to know who they are doing business with and video gives prospective clients a sense of who you are. Since most websites say and look pretty much the same, once your prospect finds you, sees you and hears you, selling yourself becomes much less of an issue, allowing you to focus more on what you do best...providing a quality service.
Information is the driving force behind the Internet so using your knowledge as the building block for your firm's video marketing will go a long way in developing a level of trust with your prospects, and because search engines like relevant content, your educational videos do double duty by getting web prospects to find you online as well.
Take a look at a few tips for using video to get pre-sold prospects from your website:
1. Present your knowledge and capture attention
a. Engage your web prospects by showcasing expertise
2. Use streaming testimonials to add credibility
a. Text testimonials are ok but try to get at least 3 audio or video testimonials.
3. Convey personality
a. Your individual personality will either attract prospects or not. This is why video really helps in saving time and getting pre-sold prospects.
4. Build trust offering valuable insight or tips
a. Your personality coupled with your expertise will solidify the beginnings of a client relationship
5. Don't use gimmicks
a. It's very easy to try and sell and even worse, razzle dazzle to try and impress. Internet users are savvy and will be turned off by these tactics.
