Promote Yourself With Video and Viral Marketing
Video marketing is an important method to promote yourself and your business. I am testing new low-cost marketing methods and then I pass on this information to my readers.
I just produced my first video clip and it was quite a learning experience for this low-tech person. Yet, if we are in business we need to learn how to create a video to promote our business.
As you will see from the tips below telling friends and colleagues what you have is one of the best low-cost marketing methods to promote yourself and your products.
Video marketing is a great way to get your name out there. Web searchers are focusing more on video than anything else. Every Internet surfing entrepreneur dreams of being on the first page of a Google web search.
Do you have a book to promote? An e-book to sell? A product or service that the world is waiting for? One of the fastest ways to promote your product is with a short 1-3 minute video on the video-sharing site YouTube, your web site, and other social media sites.
Creating a video is cheaper than you think. Recently I created my first video with the help of friends and family. I didn’t know the first thing about creating a video but I know that it is one of the latest ways to get your name out there easily and inexpensively.
Here are some of the first steps to do to create your video:
1. Identify the talents of your circle of friends and ask for help.
Some of your friends probably own video cameras. Ask them for help. Exchange services. Others may know web development and the many other services you need. It is always good to get help from people you know or referrals from your friends.
2. Shoot your first video on a topic you know.
I did a one hour video on low-cost marketing tips. This is an educational product to inform and help my clients. This is a video that you can sell to your prospects as it gives them valuable information that will help them move ahead in their business. Or you can offer it as a free item to promote your services and other products.
3. Shoot some humorous, attention-getting ‘outtakes’ at the same time
In addition to shooting your one-hour educational video create a couple of humorous, attention-getting outtakes. We did a couple of outtakes-1-3 minute clips that were totally out of character for me and funny. The outtakes are the clips you put on the social media sites. Those are the videos that can grab your prospects attention and they will remember you if they are funny or unusual.
4. Start watching popular videos on YouTube and other sites.
To get some ideas on what type of outtakes you should do begin watching the “Top 10″ most popular videos on various social media sites. Learn what works and what people are watching.
5. Produce your video.
Now that you have ideas for your own video prepare a script so that you know what you want to cover for your hour long program. For the outtakes be open and do things spontaneously so that they will be fun to do and funny for the audience. Remember they are just a short clip of 1-3 minutes. It’s time to get those circle of friends to help you produce your video.
6. Market your video with Viral Marketing
Once you have created your video and your outtakes it’s time to upload the video to various video sharing sites such as YouTube, Yahoo Video, Google Video, plus social media sites like Facebook, MySpace, Squidoo, and many others places on the Internet. Again get your circle of friends with knowledge of Viral Marketing (marketing to social media outlets to increase brand awareness and motivate people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily with regards to video clips.).
7. Spread the word.
Once you have your video and outtakes ready it’s time to let your circle of friends know. Word of mouth is still the most important way to publicize your products and services and the most inexpensive. Let people know where your videos are located on the Internet.
Now, don’t you think video marketing is a fantastic way to promote your business? It’s a great way to stay in front of prospective clients. And it is far more fun to send them to an attention-getting, humorous video clip, than handing them a business card or brochure. Plus, they will remember you.
© 2008 Joan Clout-Kruse