Simon Marmot, founder of digital marketing agency Marmot Inc, outlines seven steps for developing video marketing content to help a business grow its client list.

1. Map out a clear strategy

Video content should be part of an overall marketing strategy that ties in with overarching business goals, knowing who your target audience is, plus elements such as blogs, email campaigns and social media plans. Marmot says the key is to have clarity on the direction of content and when, where and how it can be used.

Your strategy should include regular posts. Consider putting together a quarterly ‘content calendar’ and delivering to predetermined deadlines to build a rapport with your audience and enhance the likelihood of generating leads.

Content might be related to education, branding, case studies, testimonials and success stories – the list goes on.

2. Choose a media platform

Media platforms are myriad but the main players for business are YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. To choose the right one (or combination of platforms), ask yourself where your clients are most likely to look for content in their daily work and life. For example, if you are targeting pre-retirees, Instagram might not be your best option. If you’re targeting Millennials, however, Instagram may very well be perfect – depending on your product/service.

All the above social platforms have differing levels of advertising offerings and associated costs. Get in touch with them to find out what your budget can stretch to. It’s still possible to post your content on social media platforms for free, however paid advertising can help your video get in front of more people, contributing to greater lead generation.

 3. Show your human side

Overly serious videos of financial or complex business concepts will invariably turn people off, according to Marmot. Get real people to tell real stories in an authentic way, whether it is case studies of satisfied clients, market analyses, or stock trends.

“Smart companies, when they create a marketing or branding strategy, want to be as human as possible and as fun as possible,” Marmot says.

4. Fill your ‘three buckets’

When creating video content, Marmot suggests a structured process that involves filling three metaphorical buckets. The first bucket contains video material that ‘entertains and inspires’ recipients. People are overloaded with information and naturally want to push dull advertising messages away, Marmot explains. So ensure your video is interesting and not too much of a sales pitch.

The second bucket should ‘educate and add value’. Financial advisers, for instance, could send out weekly market wrap-ups, investment tips or news on international trends.

Finally, the third bucket can contain sales information about a business, such as testimonials, case studies, product advice or details about possible discounts.

The Financial Planning Association have a couple of good examples of videos here and here.

5. Think about ‘gating’ your video

There are smart ways to increase leads, including using gated video content which has been added to your website or landing page. Gated content allows you to hold off giving viewers access to a video until they give you their contact details, for example a name and email address.

But before you consider gating content you need to think about who will view the video, always keeping your audience in mind. If they are not familiar with you or your business, you will likely need to first earn their trust or develop a relationship before they are willing to part with their details.

6. Manage your budget wisely

While some videos require high-end production values and a big budget, others do not.

Marmot says a tech-savvy employee or a relatively cheap videographer can often shoot excellent video material for case studies and launch events that, once edited, can be used to tell stories about the business. “It’s about being smart and working out what marketing piece deserves and requires high-end production.”

At the same time, all material should be a satisfactory resolution, audio and editing quality, otherwise it could devalue your business brand.

7. Include a call to action

Adding a call to action (also known as a CTA) is crucial to capturing new leads as it provides the audience with a clear and immediate way to connect with a business. Examples of CTAs include, ‘Click here for more information’ or ‘Want to know more? Get in touch today’. Unless your video is converted into revenue or leads, then traffic and views may be wasted.