Growing up, you may have heard the phrase “never stop learning,” which is such a powerful statement. The phrase goes for everyone in the world. Without knowledge, it may be hard to go through life and you certainly won’t achieve all that you would like!
First of all, if you are an Internet marketer, you have the power to learn new things by doing a simple search. There are sources out there which are not the most reliable, but still, you can learn something from it.
If you read a blog or an article online, think about it objectively. See if there is anything on that blog or in the article that you may never have used in with your own marketing. How can you start to implement it in your own business?
If the information is good, you will find out more about it and if it is bad, then the article you are reading may not be worth it.
Marketing tips are all over the place. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box. For instance, you will walk around and notice that advertising is all around you.
From the time you wake up, get your morning coffee and eat your breakfast, to the time you go to sleep for the night, there are hundreds upon hundreds of types of advertising you saw in one day.
Did you ever go to the city and see a sign for something like a museum or theatre and wonder what it will be like to go there? Well, thinking about that, is that not a way to market your brand?
Of course if you go to a big city and you are only an Internet marker, you may not be able to get a big sign placed on the street that says something like “this way to such and such brand,” but you get the idea.
So if you are an Internet marketer, there are tons of other things you can do to market your brand online instead.
Word of mouth is a common and cost-effective way. This is where you need to be creative. You may think that just asking your customers to tell people they know about you is enough.
Most of the time if they are laughing or really enjoy themselves when they are doing business with you, they will tell their friends. They do this because people love to share things that are funny or memorable. If it is not done in a way that people will enjoy, they may forget about it themselves.
Simply making a video for YouTube talking about your brand is not the most effective way to go about it. Actually the most creative ways I have seen effective advertising is when you don’t even realize they are advertisements.
You can put a funny video of your or someone using a product that you sell. Talk a little about the product then use it in the video. What you don’t realize is people will see it and may go out and purchase the product. Don’t forget to let them know that you have a link to the product so if they buy through your link, you’ll make some money!
They want to use the product the same way that made them laugh in the video. One other way you can be creative with this is by going to an event of some sort and demonstrate your product. The more ways people can see how to use the product, the better chance you have at making some great sales.
With your friends, you can pretty much ask them directly if they have any ideas for you. With clients you won’t be able to be so direct.
After you have some idea of what you want to do for a funny or entertaining ad, talk a little about it online to your customers. Have people vote on two different ideas by asking “would you want to see this product used this way, or that way.”
Of course replace the “this” and “that” with the actual thing you will be doing. That way, you asked for their idea without really asking at all.
When you have an answer from your clients, the next thing to do is to make the video. Of course if you are camera shy, get someone who isn’t to do it.
Instead of a video, however, you may be able to write a song. Don’t sing the song yourself if you aren’t the best at singing unless you can be funny about it.
So I hope this article helped to expand your marketing knowledge just a little bit 😊. It is crucial to do this as you need to survive out there in the business world.
People will remember funny or entertaining methods of advertising instead of simply telling them about it. Do your research too and don’t just take the advice as you read it; make sure it is legit and that more than one person says it works.
And if you want to learn more about how businesses use branding then check out this great course called B.R.A.N.D. here. Or check the featured resource below for a free Brilliant Branding report.
You can take an awful lot of those “how to market online” courses and sometimes still not learn the truly ground-breaking stuff.
I’m talking about the seemingly unimportant things that turn out to be so important, it’s like a scene in one of those adventure movies:
The hero fights through obstacle after obstacle to get to this secret cave that hasn’t been entered in a century.
He pries open the heavy door, sweeps away several inches of cobwebs, and by the light of his torch he sees something shiny. He picks it up… it’s a gold coin! Nice, but not that earth-shattering, right? It’s just one coin…
Taking a set forward, he sees a small chest. Opening it, he sees a couple hundred gold coins. Yeah! This is pretty cool.
But then he catches just a glimmer of something deeper in the cave. Opening the door wider to let light in, he sees more gold. And priceless statues. And gemstones. And… the treasures go back as far as the eye can see.
Holy cow. That one gold coin turned out to be the beginning of more wealth than the GPA of most countries.
And they might almost appear trivial. But I promise you, if you follow this advice, your online income can become almost limitless.
And by the way, some people have paid literally thousands of dollars to discover what I’m about to show you:
You’ve heard the term irresistible offer before, but what does it mean?
First, it’s an offer that’s better than anything your competition has.
Second, it’s so good that’s it’s truly hard to pass up.
For example, if I were to sell you a brand new car for $1,000, that’s an irresistible offer.
You can dress a pig up in a lovely, low-cut evening gown, or even a tiny bikini and high heels. But it’s still a pig.
(Not trying to pick on pigs here, btw – I think they’re kinda cute and definitely smart.)
You can have weak marketing and a great offer and make it work.
But great marketing will never compensate for a weak offer.
If you don’t have the right offer, then it doesn’t matter how great the copy is, what the headline is, who is promoting it and so forth.
If you want to make sales, you’ve got to have an absolutely superior, irresistible offer that the prospect simply cannot turn down.
And you’ve got to back the offer up with a product that delivers, too. I’ve seen offers that blew me away, but once I got into the product, I realized it was 80% hype and 20% substance.
As you might have guessed, I asked for a refund – as did close to 50% of their purchasers.
So make them an offer they cannot refuse, and then deliver on every promise you make.
Do this and you cannot help but make a fortune.
Just having a bigger promise or using a hyped headline isn’t going to work anymore.
If you’re going to be seen and heard by your prospects, you’ve got to cut right through all the shouting online and present something brand new.
Think of it this way: A regular marketing idea is doing what’s already been done, expect maybe it’s 10% bigger or 10% better.
That used to work, but these days it just blends with everything else.
Take cars for example. A regular marketing idea is to make a car 10% more gas efficient, or 10% sleeker/bigger/smaller/curvier/boxier etc.
If you think about it, most of the cars today just sort of blend. They look a lot alike, work a lot alike… it’s always been like that.
Then there’s Tesla. Put a Tesla side by side with any other car, and you’ll notice a difference. Talk about how a Tesla runs, and it’s revolutionary.
Don’t let your idea be the latest model of Ford or Chevy.
Make it a Tesla.
Give your prospects a feeling of discovery, of something completely new that gives them an AHA! Moment.
Offer them hope that this is finally THE solution they have been searching for.
It’s powerful, indeed.
I know you keep hearing about free traffic. But free traffic isn’t free; it costs you time and work. And more time. And more work.
If you want to make serious money, then you’ve got to learn some math and be willing to invest some money to make that money.
Buying new customers is how you grow big and fast.
Think of customer acquisition as an investment.
You’re investing in the acquisition of assets — customers.
And to do this wisely… like the best marketers in the world… you need to know some numbers.
For example, one of the absolute most valuable marketing numbers for you to understand and use is the Maximum Allowable Acquisition Cost (MAAC).
MAAC tells you the most you can pay to get a new customer.
And to know your MAAC, you also need to know the lifetime value of your customer. Which in the beginning is hard, so do this instead – know the 3 month value of your customers.
How much do they spend with you in 3 months? Whatever that number is, you need to spend less than that to get a new customer.
Most entrepreneurs and marketers don’t know their MAAC or their customers’ lifetime value.
Of if they do know the numbers, they don’t use them to determine their traffic generation budgets.
But if you want to earn six or seven figures a year, you’ve got to know and USE this stuff.
Very few average entrepreneurs and marketers understand this, but now you do.
So, did I just hand you three gold coins?
Or a vast and unending treasure trove?
That’s up to you and what you do with this information.
Businesses need video marketing in their arsenal and key to this is developing a strong video marketing strategy.
This idea isn’t new but what has significantly changed over the past couple of years is how important video has become on every platform and channel. It’s no longer just one piece of your overall plan. Video needs to play a central role in your outreach and campaign efforts.
Let’s be honest; video is here, and it’s here to stay. Facebook itself has predicted that the platform will be all video in less than five years. And while it’s still important to maintain a focus on optimizing your content for Google, you’re seriously missing out if you’re not considering how to get found on the world’s second largest search engine — YouTube.
Video has been an important part of digital marketing for a number of years now, but it’s amazing how much it has changed and evolved over the last 2-3 years. From basic animations and “talking-head” videos to new live streaming and social media formats, there are so many ways to embrace video within your digital marketing strategy.
So, what does video marketing look like in 2018 and beyond? And what is the best way to approach your video marketing strategy in 2018 and beyond?
Take a look at these stats:
It is obvious from these stats that video marketing is here to stay so the next question you should be asking is:
Now that you know how important video is to the sales process, let’s look at how you can incorporate video into your marketing strategy for the foreseeable future.
Here are some of the best ways of using video and the best types to use to maximize effectiveness.
Live video rightly deserves to be at the top of this list as it continues to grow in popularity, and we believe this new trend is here to stay. For brands, live videos offer the following advantages:
Video formats are always changing, affecting all aspects of design and production. While videos used to be all done in landscape mode, the advances in phone and tablet technology have changed the way we think. More brands are creating vertical videos from the start and the focus is definitely shifting to “mobile-first” or “mobile-friendly.” However, the more popular solution at the moment is square videos. This format occupies 78% more space in the Facebook News section, leading to more engagement.
But with the emergence of Instagram Stories and Instagram TV (IGTV), there is an increasing requirement to start producing more vertical videos.
Basically, mobile is growing and you need to think “mobile” when producing any type of video content, especially for the social media networks.
Product and services videos can be a powerful tool, but videos are flexible enough to have many other uses, such as e-learning. Such training can be used to monetize your videos and help you transmit information to customers or prospects in a clear, visual way.
Many information products used to be simple pdf type reports or eBooks, but video training is becoming increasingly popular as most people prefer to watch rather than read.
These can be simple PowerPoint/Keynote presentation style videos, talking head videos or screen capture videos.
You can even use videos for in-house training for employees or integrate training and marketing by offering up a valuable video to users who submit their contact information. There are countless uses for video limited only by your imagination.
Using paid media can be a big jump for solo entrepreneurs and small business with a limited budget.
But the rewards can be huge.
Done correctly, paid and sponsored videos can be highly profitable on social platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. You can even partner with YouTubers and other influencers to boost your content.
To maximize ROI, carefully measure your results and make edits when necessary. Tracking and testing is critical to your success with paid media, so get tracking in place BEFORE you start paying for advertising.
360-degree videos are becoming increasingly popular as a way to show destinations, experiences and products in an interesting way. On top of that, case studies conducted by Magnifyre and Google suggest that people engage more with 360-degree videos.
Many modern mobile devices allow you to capture 360-degree videos so give them a shot.
Showcase how your product works — whether that’s taking viewers on a tour of your software and its particular uses or unboxing and putting a physical product to the test.
This works great with affiliate products. You can show your viewers inside the product, outline and show the pros and cons and then make your recommendations so they can make an informed decision.
This is great for building trust IF you are honestly reviewing products with the buyer in mind and not just out for the commission; always put your prospects first.
Brand videos are typically distributed as a part of a larger advertising campaign, showcasing the company’s high-level vision, mission, or products and services.
The goal of brand videos is to build awareness around your company and attract your target audience.
Combining this with paid advertising to increase awareness about you and what you have to offer is a cheap way to increase your exposure.
Getting internal experts or thought leaders in your industry to do short interviews on camera is a great way to build trust and authority with your target audience.
Find the influencers in your industry or those with a different point of view and get these discussions in front of your audience.
It can feel a bit intimidating to approach these people, but what is the worst that can happen? They say “No!” But what if they said “Yes?!”
How-to videos can be used to teach your audience something new or build the foundational knowledge they’ll need to better understand your business and solutions.
This type of content is great for building trust and positioning you as an expert in your niche and is a very popular type of video to create.
This type of video is used to help your audience better understand why they need your product or service.
Many explainer videos focus on a fictional journey of the company’s core buyer persona who is struggling with a problem. This person overcomes the issue by adopting or buying the business’s solution.
This is why these types work well in VSL’s (Video Sales Letters).
Animated videos can be a great format for hard-to-grasp concepts that need strong visuals or an intangible service or product.
They are also different to many other types of video so will tend to stand out.
Many explainer videos used as VSL’s are animated or doodled in this way for this very reason although as they have become more popular, their efficacy as a sales tool depreciates.
Your prospects want to know that your product will solve their specific problem, and one of the best ways to showcase this and build trust is by creating case study videos that feature your happy and loyal customers.
These are your best advocates. Get them on-camera describing their challenges and how your company helped them meet their goals.
Social proof is increasingly important so using these types of testimonials goes a long way.
In the same way you use other types of content (such as email campaigns) to move your audience along the buyer’s journey from awareness, to consideration, to decision, you can also do this with video.
Facebook and other platforms now allow you to build custom audiences based on behaviors, allowing you to also retarget based on the same.
This way you can target people who have watched a certain amount of your video to create highly targeted audiences that you can advertise to.
As far as structuring your videos is concerned, you need to think about the overall objective.
Are you just using it to increase brand awareness, or are you hoping to monetize it by reviewing/promoting either your own or affiliate products?
You also need to decide on what type of video you are going to create. Will it be a presentation style video? In that case you can use PowerPoint, Keynote or Google Slides.
Animated videos can be done quickly using tools like Explaindio
Doodle videos can be done quickly using tools like Doodly
If you want to create really cool-looking Buzzfeed style videos, the best options are Content Samurai and Rocketium.
They are both good and although Rocketium has more customization options, I prefer Content Samurai as it is really quick to create great looking videos in minutes.
All videos should have an introduction, followed by a call-to-action.
Then you transition into the main part of the video where you are sharing the information you have promised.
Make this good content that people would be willing to pay for!
You can have calls-to-action during this part of the video if you want, but certainly when you transition into the end of your video, you definitely want another call-to-action followed by your outro; don’t overcomplicate it.
It isn’t difficult to structure a good quality video and the more you do it, the better you’ll get!
Once you have the video created, you will need to edit it, and this is where Camtasia come in. This tool is fantastic; you can add intros, outros, lower thirds, alpha animations, text boxes, quizzes and so much more, but you will need to learn how to use it effectively and you can do that here
If you do want to sex up your videos by adding logo stingers, intros/outros, lower thirds and overlays, I highly recommend checking out Viddyoze as it is an amazing application.
OK, so now you have gone through all this and decided to create your amazing video. Now you need to decide on a strategy to market it.
Now that you know what video creation and marketing looks like in 2018, here’s how you can begin to develop your strategy.
Here are 4 steps that you can use to build out a video marketing strategy for your business.
To make sure your videos connect with your customers, you need to be sure that you’re targeting the right message to the right audience.
To do so, you’ll need to take the time to find these consumer insights before creating your video.
While text can be easily rewritten, videos take a lot more resources to be re-done. It’s best to try and get them right the first time.
Make sure that your messages match your brand voice in every instance.
This is a step that many new marketers skip over, but it is incredibly important that you know who you are going to be talking to, so DON’T skip it!
Next, you’ll need to create measurable goals and KPIs for your video campaign. Without goals, you can’t calculate ROI and prove that your videos are working.
To learn what works well for your audience, perform some A/B tests, then determine what “good” looks like for your brand.
Constantly monitor your stats and keep testing and tweaking to ensure that your videos are optimized as much as they can be.
There are many platforms where you can “host” your video, including Facebook, Snapchat, LinkedIn, YouTube, e-publications, etc.
You’ll need to research where your audience spends time and which platform is the best fit for the tone of your message; this is tightly linked to step 1!
Some content platforms are better for short-term campaign videos, while others are better for live videos. Still others (like YouTube) are best for longer videos that you want to have some staying power.
Make sure that your video is easily recognizable with visual-striking branding, then tell a story that matches your goals and your brand.
Having attractive thumbnails and enticing headlines are a key factor in whether someone will click on your video if/when they find it.
You can choose to create your video in-house or work with an external agency to build them for you if you have the budget.
You will be able to create in-house videos quicker and it is easier to edit them later if required, while external videos ensure your content looks professional and appeals to your audience. In-house videos are typically more cost-effective, though they do take a fair amount of time.
Now, if you want to learn all about video marketing, including setting up your YouTube channel correctly, optimizing your video/thumbnail etc. and all about using video ads then you really need to take a look at Video Marketing Insider (VMI) as it is an incredibly deep course and you will become a better marketer for it.
There are also a number of software’s included which are exclusive to members which can make your video marketing efforts easier and more effective.
But hopefully reading this has encouraged you to get started, and by using tools such as PowerPoint/Keynote/Google Slides, Content Samurai and Rocketium, you don’t need to appear on camera at all so that hurdle is easily overcome.
Video is here to stay, so grab your piece of the action today and see your marketing efforts become even more successful by leveraging the power of video.
As I said in my last post, you simply MUST be using video in your marketing because if you’re not using video yet, you’re losing customers, clients and revenue.
So how can you use more video in your business? And how can you make those videos perform as well as possible in getting your viewers to take action?
By the way, if you want to learn ALL about video marketing, you really need to look at Video Marketing Insider. It is the best course I have ever found encompassing all things related to video marketing, and the creator really supports his stuff and has already added more to the training as well as some exclusive software. Check it out here: warr.us/VMI
Here are five more tips to get you started in the right direction:
Here are a few tips for doing just that:
If you can, host your video to your own domain first, before uploading it to sharing sites. This has the potential to get people to link back to your own domain, which will also help your overall SEO efforts.
Enable embedding on your video to increase the likelihood of receiving inbound links.
Add your videos to your sitemap to give Google information about your video. This gives Google useful metadata that can improve Google’s ability to include your video in search results. Here’s a handy page to tell you how https://developers.google.com/webmasters/videosearch/sitemaps
Use tags for the relevant keywords. Write full descriptions and add a unique title.
Some of the best videos you’ll ever make, that your prospects and clients will love, are videos that teach your viewers something useful.
Whether it’s to get a result they want, show them how to best use your product, or provide useful tips, people enjoy short ‘how to’ videos that teach them what they want to know, when they want to know it.
Which of course means you need to be found when they are looking. To do that, go back to #6 and make sure your video shows up in the appropriate SEO searches.
Social proof is best done by your customers on your behalf. For example, you can ask customers to film themselves talking about how they use and love your product.
Case studies are an excellent way to showcase your product while teaching your audience how to achieve the result they desire.
Your customer might talk about their buying decision, what might have stopped them from buying, and why they went ahead and got the product.
Next they might talk about their results of using the product, what specific features they like, and the biggest benefits of using the product.
Whatever kind of video you’re making, don’t forget to add a call to action at the end. It might be to visit your website, go to a landing page to grab a free report, check out a sales page or whatever.
Just remember that your videos should be 90-95% great content and just 5-10% sales.
Video is incredibly powerful so any page that uses video well should convert better.
Naturally you’ll want to test this out, but odds are you’ll see a nice bump in your conversions on your landing page if you add a short video.
The video should quickly introduce yourself and let them know what they’re getting when they subscribe. Make it friendly and fun for the viewer and try to inject a little humor.
Most of all, give one very clear and immediate benefit of subscribing to your list and grabbing your free offer.
I know a marketer who never sells a thing on his videos. All he does is provide helpful tips, tell silly stories about his industry and act as a helpful friend to his viewers.
And his sales are through the roof. Why? Because people love him and trust him.
So, there are 5 more “secrets” to make your video marketing more profitable. Now you have 10 of these secrets to boost your video marketing efforts, so go out and get video marketing.
And don’t forget to check out Video Marketing Insider:
When I thought about writing this article, I started to compile a bunch of stats to show you how popular video marketing is becoming. And then I realized – the last thing you need are more stats about how video is taking over the internet.
So how can you use more video in your business?
And how can you make those videos perform as well as possible in getting your viewers to take action?
By the way, if you want to learn ALL about video marketing, you really need to look at Video Marketing Insider. It is the best course I have ever found encompassing all things related to video marketing, and the creator really supports his stuff and has already added more to the training as well as some exclusive software. Check it out here: warr.us/VMI
And if you want to learn how to use the power of Camtasia to really make your videos pop then take a look at this video here (don’t worry, it is free! 🙂
Here are five tips to get you started in the right direction:
Anyone can slap up a sales video and put it on YouTube. “Buy my product!” But will it get views? Not likely.
Instead, tell stories and deliver value. Let’s say you’re selling a course on how to do marketing for chiropractic offices. It’s tempting to tell the viewer why your course rocks, why it’s exactly what they need, and how it’s only available for a limited time. But what if you make a series of short videos, with each video providing one powerful marketing tip just for chiropractors?
I guarantee those videos will be watched and shared among the chiropractic community. You’ll establish massive credibility. And of course, you can politely refer them to your website at the end of each video.
These videos won’t sell your course for you. But what they will do is make it far easier to get the sale.
Think of it as romancing the client…
First you take them out on a date or two or three…
And THEN you close the sale.
Your success rate will be much higher than if you try to close the sale while the two of you are still strangers.
One stat says that 20% of viewers will click away from a video within the first 10 seconds. Now you’ve got to ask yourself – why would they do that? They came to watch something, yet they leave almost immediately.
There could be a few reasons:
Think about movies back in the 50’s, 60’s and even 70’s – they all had long boring intros filled with lots of credits and no action.
When it comes to writing fiction, teachers often tell their students to lop off the first page or two, because they’re usually full of long, boring intro stuff to set up the first scene. But when you lop that off and start with the action, BOOM – the reader is captivated.
Videos are the same way. Start with the good stuff and let it just get better from there.
Your video might be to inform and instruct, but that doesn’t mean you have to sound like a boring, stuffy college professor.
Find ways to inject fun and humor into your presentations. This doesn’t mean to inject knock-knock jokes that have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Instead, find the humor in what you’re teaching or talking about. It’s always there, you just need to look for it.
Now I know that when you get in front of a camera if you’re like most people you get nervous. And when you get nervous, you might not be able to find the humor in anything, except perhaps your own nervousness.
Three things I can tell you – if you practice beforehand in front of a friend, you’ll be surprised at the funny things that come to mind. Go ahead and try your humor on your friend and listen to their feedback. They’ll tell you which one’s parts and which to leave out.
Second, when you’re filming, continue to think of the camera as your friend. You’re just having a friendly conversation, regardless of whether it’s you on camera or you’re using slides.
Third, have fun. If you’re having fun, then the viewer will likely have fun as well.
No one really likes someone who is perfect, or even someone who comes across as perfect. That’s why it’s okay to make mistakes on camera.
If you are nervous or if you do something wrong, just acknowledge it and move on. For example, you drop something you were showing the viewer. Laugh, pick it up, make a joke about your nerves or your butterfingers or whatever, and move on.
It’s a funny thing when we admit to the audience that we’re human and we can laugh at our own foibles – the audience begins to like us more, and they root for us, too. I even know people who purposely make a mistake or do something clumsy, just so they can get the audience on their side.
It’s a truly effective technique when done right.
As an extension of the last point, use yourself as an example of what not to do. Let’s say you’re teaching dating tips. You want to tell the viewers what not to do.
Instead of saying, “You should never, ever do this or that because it just annoys the other person,” say this:
“I was once on a date and I made the dumbest mistake possible. What happened was…”
And then go on to tell a story about yourself doing something stupid or wrong or whatever. Notice that now instead of lecturing the viewer, you are sharing a valuable story about how you goofed up.
This does a couple of things…
It teaches the viewer in a way they will remember, because people remember stories much better than lessons. And it’s yet another opportunity to show just how human you are and make the audience like you even more.
So, there are 5 secrets to make your video marketing more profitable. I will do a follow-up with 5 more “secrets” so until then, go out and get video marketing.
And don’t forget to check out Video Marketing Insider:
