Why should I pay for a profile video?
I want a business profile video, but why should I pay a professional videographer when I could just do it myself?
A lot of businesses and freelancers are thinking this way at the moment, particularly as video is now a powerful marketing and communication tool for your clients. More people are engaging with video every day, and by 2019 around 80% of the world's internet traffic will be video related.
It's true, you only need a smartphone nowadays to make videos, and I'm always encouraging people to jump on board and take advantage of the benefits video offers for your business. I have also seen many people do a cracking job with their own videos, and I support and wholly encourage them.
Why bother using a professional then? Well, here are 5 reasons.
1. Technical experience.
It may look easy but the videographer has the experience to make the production process as efficient as possible and the result to look professional.
Do you have all the necessary software to film and edit your video? There are many details that can be overlooked without experience such as the framing of shots, sound and lighting. Can you edit video to tell a story and engage the viewer? Can you add titles, graphics and so on?
Do you have the creative knowledge to make it look great? The brilliant thing about video is that it can go out there on the web and your business can compete in the same marketplace as huge brands – so you want it to be the best it can be.
2. First impressions.
You want to make the best first impression to generate leads, gain new clients and sell your brand and services. A slick, engaging and professional video will do this. The main profile video you have on your website or share on social media will get more attention if it looks professional.
A general rule is that a professional-looking video is used to profile you and your business and attract new clients. Do-it-yourself videos are then great for maintaining a relationship with your clients, updating them with news, offers, promotions and even live video chats.
3. Objectivity.
Can you be objective about yourself and your business? Are you 100% sure about what impression you'd like to give, the style of video you need, what audience you'd like to target and so on? Working with someone else with this experience can help: they can tailor the style and content for your audience and give advice on how to present yourself. Sometimes when you are involved in something so deep it is hard to take a step back, and an extra pair of eyes can help!
4. Encouragement.
Many businesses have tried to make a video and given up for various reasons – perhaps there were technical problems:
It is far too dark
I couldn't hear my voice properly
I found it too difficult to edit
I didn't know what format to save it in
It's just taking too long and I've had enough!
One of the main reasons people give up is just not having the confidence to get in front of the camera and put yourself out there. It's easy to be self-critical in this age of social media where everything can be tweaked and edited:
This isn't interesting enough
I don't sound professional
I look too awkward
I hate my voice
I look like a mess!
These are usually irrational fears and views, but only human – you want to make the right impression. Sometimes it is a good idea for a professional to give you that push, and help and encourage you. Jump in and trust your videographer! Once you've made that decision, then let them take the lead and go with the flow.
5. Time management.
You can teach yourself to do many things nowadays with the internet and YouTube guides: fix your car, design your own website, plumb in the kitchen sink, but, let's face it – can you actually be bothered?
Videos can be very time consuming, particularly with a lack of experience. Even once you've decided what you are doing and have completed your filming, you then have to edit the footage, which can be the longest and hardest part of the process. Do you really want to be banging your head against the wall when things aren't working out? Time is precious, particularly when you work for yourself, so by outsourcing your video project you can concentrate on the day-to-day running of your business.
There are plenty of independent videographers that work with smaller businesses and freelancers, so you'll find that you don't need to pay a big production company thousands in order to achieve a successful profile video.
If you'd like to chat about creating a profile video for your business, please get in touch!
Here are three of the many profile videos I've created for small businesses. Check out my site for more: www.karencann.co.uk
