Manufacturing Product Videos: How Many Do You Need? | Episode 80

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS | More

We all know video is getting to be one of the biggest and baddest assets in any marketing repertoire. Our 2019 marketing report uncovered that 75% of manufacturers plan to use video in some capacity this year.

So for manufacturers planning to promote their new creations through video, how many videos does one product need? Best practice, at the bare minimum, is to have at least seven.

• Teaser Video[s]
• Explainer Video[s]
• Three Testimonials
• Demo[s]
• Tutorial[s], Webinar[s], and Beyond

SEVEN!? WHY SEVEN?

So many B2B companies – and not just manufacturers – want to save money by somehow producing “one video to rule them all.” They want it to be a teaser, but also a demonstration, as well as a tutorial, while also entertaining new prospects and educating experienced clients.

If that sounds just about impossible, that’s because it is. And even if it was possible, it still wouldn’t be advisable.

You need to specialize, not generalize.

Depending on what your product is, even seven videos may not be enough.

For example, you might manufacture a cog or machinery part that can be applied in multiple verticals. It could go to aerospace, or power generation, or healthcare, or automotive. If that’s the case, guess what? You’d better have a different version of your product video for each of those industries.

Is that more work? Yes. But it will also garner more returns; because trying to be all things to all people just never works.

Got that? Good. Now, let’s assume you only service one single, very tiny industrial niche. Which product videos should you have?

1. TOP OF FUNNEL

This is where you want to begin by generating interest. Top-of-funnel videos are what you want to push on social media, in email campaigns, or anywhere else to generate leads.

Start with a teaser no more than 30-60 seconds long. Keep it simple: what problem does your audience have? How does this product provide a solution?

Question. Answer. Boom. Done.

It’s important to remember: a teaser video is just that. A teaser. Not everyone who sees this video is going to end up being a buyer. Many of them won’t have much of an attention span…yet.

This is not the time or place to get into the weeds with feature functions or pricing for your product.

Ever tried to get a dog or cat to swallow a pill from the vet? You almost always have to wrap it in cheese or peanut butter or bacon, right? Well, you have oodles of product information for your audience. But they may not want to swallow all of it just yet.

This is what we often call the “bacon-wrapped” video. You’re only giving your audience a taste…but it should make them want to return for more.

Everyone talks about how important first impressions are. Well, this video will be your first impression for many people, so make it good. Your video quality should be at its best here.

2. MIDDLE OF FUNNEL

Now, having heard that initial pitch, some prospects are going to become leads. At this point, you’ve earned a bit more of their attention and can get into a little more detail about your product.

Your original teaser said, “This product can solve X problem!” Now’s the time to unpack how it does that, in slightly longer 2-3 minute explainer videos.

Again, don’t jump the gun and dump everything on your viewers. But, you can provide more information for leads looking to self-qualify.

Educate your audience on what sort of people would likely use this product. Instruct them about its particular uses or unique features. They should be able to know by the end whether this might be the solution they’re looking for.

Next, you should have at least three customer testimonials ready.

Your previous videos were all about facts– now it’s time to tell some meaningful stories.

Your leads will feel more of a connection with your clients because they know they’re not getting paid to praise your product. If these people say your creation is good…that’s because it is.

Ideally, you should shoot the testimonials on-location wherever your customers work (and use your product). The more of their day-to-day life you can portray, the better.

Even if you can’t get a production team out to your buyers or vice versa, you need to collect these stories. Record them on a remote Zoom meeting if you have to!

The lower quality of the video will be accepted as long as the content itself is superb, because the information is why your leads have returned here. Engaging stories are really what make you (and your product) shine.

3. BOTTOM OF FUNNEL

Once your lead gets through your initial explainer videos and testimonials, they’re already pretty sure whether or not your product is right for them. If they like what they see, then they move on to the last stage of the funnel.

At this point, your leads are just making final checks before determining whether or not to buy. This is the time to unleash the firehose of information you’ve wanted to share for so long.

Now you can provide the real long-form content that’s ten minutes long or beyond. Demonstrations; product-walk-throughs; web presentations; tutorials; you name it.

Maybe they’re a returning customer who has already bought many of your previous creations. Or they might be a first-timer who really wants to do their homework first. Whomever they may be, they’re here to self-educate. You should help them to do just that.

These videos can be a bit lower on the budget totem-pole, because your viewers are here mainly for information.

Show the various applications of your product and demonstrate them, perhaps even in real time. If you give a lot of presentations in person, try recording some and turning them into webinars. Turn your traditionally-analog user manual into a video format, and walk a fresh buyer through all the steps of how to use their new purchase.

THE ULTIMATE GOAL: 30 MINUTES OF CONTENT

Here’s the deal. Your customers are looking for solutions to their problems. And more of them are using video to self-educate than ever before. Video offers them a path of least resistance in reaching a solution to their pains.

Back in 2014, ThinkWithGoogle.com discovered that nearly half of all B2B buyers watch a minimum of 30 minutes of video before making a purchase. That was five years ago.

If a person discovered their problem today and wanted to solve it with a product purchase in less than an hour, could they find all the information they need on your website without breaking a sweat?

Having 30 minutes of video content ready could make that insta-buy scenario a plausible reality.

The internet provides your potential customers with a wide, wide menu of information and solutions to choose from. If you don’t have the product videos to educate them…well, somebody else will.

 

 

Thanks for reading. Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to get every new episode, blog article, and content offer sent directly to your inbox. You can also subscribe wherever you download podcasts so you can listen on the go!

If there’s a particular topic that you’d like for us to talk about, or if you have a particular a challenge that you’d like us to take a crack at, send us an email. We’d be happy to answer them for you – and if your topic gets picked for a future episode, you’ll win a free IndustrialSage t-shirt!

 

Sponsored by Optimum Productions