Since we opened up the vzaar video player to allow embedding on multiple website platforms we have seen a really interesting variety of video types emerge from our user base. I thought it might be worth highlighting a five examples that may inspire future video production or shifts in how you utilise video to drive sales, awareness and customer interaction.
1. The Product Demonstration Video
The classic video type that is starting to usurp normal jpeg pictures. Given our eBay roots, we’ve seen lots of businesses shoot videos that focus on describing the item for sale in detail. A seller describing the item’s size, specifications, colour and possible blemishes and the item in working condition (think cars, bikes and industrial equipment!) are obviously the norm but thanks to video the type of product shot on video has now evolved. Whereas before selling a house or rental space might have taken anything between 10-20 pictures, with video its possible to demonstrate every angle, every nook and cranny with a hand held video.
2. The Cross Sell Video
So you’re selling a golf club. Its a lovely Ping and you’re expecting the buyer to shell out £200 for the item. You know he’s going to play golf, you know its only a matter of days before he’s out there on the fairway so why not pitch (pardon the pun!) to him the types of items that every golfer requires? Matching Ping umbrella or glove perhaps? A bag load of tees? Some merchants have therefore run a video for a product then cut in at the end the sheer range of items that they also sell so that the buyer is left tempted by other additional items in or around the point of checkout.
3. The Talking Head Video
The type of video that we are seeing a lot more of recently as people become more and more comfortable with the art of talking to the camera and selling and marketing their service. We’ve had preachers upload their Sunday sermons, lawyers do a piece to camera about their service and upload that to their website and Life Coaches. If you are comfortable with talking to your customers and explaining aspects of your service in detail then this might be the type for you?
4. The Business Profile Video
So you want to impress upon your customer that you are a reputable, trusted seller to do business with. How can you do that without resorting to phoning up each potential customer? Why not take the route that some of our users have and produce your own Business Profile video. Put your team in front of the camera - there is nothing like seeing the person you are buying from for driving trust - or show how professional your premises are so that the buyer is left confident in your ability to deliver the item as described. Some vzaar videos have seen the MD or CEO appear to add that extra air of credibility.
5. The Customer Support Video
Why expect a potential buyer to go through reams of text concerning terms of trade and returns when you can do this in a simple video? We’ve had customers actively seek to reduce the number of questions they get into the customer support queues by tackling with video frequently asked questions such as “How do you pack and ship parcels?” or “How do I return items to you?” It also helps to defuse what could be an awkward customer-seller moment if your customer support representative appear in person in a video to add a friendly disposition to the transaction.
Alternatively, if you are selling an online service try using screencasts to demo your product as this user does.
