You know. You think. You assume. So, what's keeping you from adding video to your marketing plan, website, etc.?

It has been my experience when discussing video with a potential client three things are almost always guaranteed:

1. Client knows they want or need video support for website, event, marketing, etc... AND,
   
2. Client thinks they know exactly what they want the video to look like, or who should be in it... BUT,
   
3. Client assumes they can't afford to have the video professionally produced.

I think we can universally agree that you would be hard pressed not to stumble upon some sort of video just about every day.  You see amateur video taken from a cell phone featured in the news.  You hear about some viral video that has launched a new singer or product.  You surf the web and it seems one out of two sites have streaming video - there are billions of sites streaming video right now.  Seriously, you'd have to be living in a cave not to know that video is where it's at in terms of engaging your audience and spreading the word.  If that were not true, why would 27+ million people be paying for digital cable?

When a potential client knows video is needed, so we go to the next step.  Because they have been inundated with so many images on a daily basis.  Clients often have a very strong preconceived notion of what they want their video to look like and why the owner of the company or a favorite customer should be in it.  Let's be really honest here, what were you thinking the last time you saw a 'home grown' commercial featuring an unusual fellow hawking mattresses, cars, etc?  I'm not into corny.  So if you are looking for someone to produce your video while you are dressed as a tire and doing a Salsa, I am probably not the person to call or hire.  However, if you are the kind of person who has in mind a purpose or a plan, but is willing to entertain that we might know a little more about the process, please let's talk.  There may be a hundred reasons why you need to feature a particular person... there might be one really good reason not to.  Good producers work with you to clarify your vision and design an appropriate strategy for getting where you want to be.

The last point - and the biggest assumption made about video - has to do with cost of product.  Yes, I do this for a living.  But I have no reason to inflate numbers to make my point.  Which is this:  There is no better use for your marketing/event/advertising budget than to invest in video production. Unlike a print piece, which runs once and has then outlived its usefulness, video really is forever.  Every frame of video shot is one more piece of inventory that can be re-purposed in a multitude of ways.  If your project is properly produced, you are shooting footage that can be used on a website, in a commercial, in a Powerpoint presentation... the list goes on and on.  With the innumerable options available to use video, it pays for itself very quickly!

To quote David Garland at Smallbiztrends.com:  "The opportunity is there.  The eyeballs are there.  Are you there?"

Visit smallbusinesstrends for a wealth of useful information about running your business.