Video marketing helps you generate more sales, save time and build better relationships.

The hard part is knowing how to apply it impactfully in your business, rather than merely trying to keep up with everyone else.

But how to get started with video marketing? How can we think about video more strategically?

To get these questions answered, I interviewed video marketing expert, Gerard Tam, who is the founder & director of Gerard Media, whom I recently hired to produce a number of videos for JUST Creative.

In this interview, we take a look at the different types of videos, a break down of a ‘brand story video’, how to use storytelling in your business with an easy-to-follow formula, plus how to maximize your video marketing results.

Enjoy!

The Back Story

Before we jump into the interview with Gerard (Gerry for short), I wanted to give some context to how this interview came about and my experience working with Gerry.

Some time late back in 2021, after realising my video marketing was near non-existent, I decided I wanted to get some videos created. I reached out to some friends here in Sydney and asked for some referrals and Gerry’s name came up (thanks Reagan!).

I looked at his website, booked a call and then got chatting. Gerry’s calendar booking system, automated onboarding emails (with video of course) and stellar discovery session was JUST what I was looking for.

I didn’t know much about producing video but Gerry’s guidance, creativity and friendly-nature made the whole experience fun and enjoyable.

It was only after paying the first deposit that I realized that I had not even looked at any of Gerry’s videos.

That shows the power of a high-end customer experience.

It builds trust.

After some strategy sessions with Gerry, we decided to produce three story-driven videos; a brand story video, a customer story video, and a combined customer testimonial video featuring four of my clients.

Over the course of 3 months we shot and produced three videos at my studio in Sydney. Gerry also brought in a photographer to shoot some new studio photos. See the photos on my about page.

Watch the videos below and read on to see how you can improve your video marketing game by tapping into Gerry’s video marketing expertise.

Enjoy the interview!

Video Clips (GIFs)

Below are a few clips pulled from the videos incase you don’t have time to watch the full videos that are about 2-3 mins in length.

How to Get Started with Video Marketing

Jacob: How can we start to think about video more strategically?

Video marketing can be confusing and intimidating, just because there are so many different ways to go about it.

You see one brand launching a big budget ad campaign, another brand posting user-generated phone content, and you have no clue what’s the best route to take.

The good news is, if you’re already using video, you’re in a pretty good place – you just need a little direction.

An easy way to think about video is to group it into two buckets: (1) “macro” content and (2) “micro” content.

Macro Content

You can think of macro content as your longer-form high impact videos, which are designed to move prospects further down your sales funnel.

These are your Brand Story Videos, Client Testimonials, Process Videos etc., ideally distributed in as many places as possible.

Hiring a production team here will make a big difference on first impressions and shelf life.

Micro Content

Micro content will be your frequent short-form educational videos (mostly for social media), which are designed to bring new people into your world and provide prospects with the bite-sized information they need to take the next logical step. Production quality is a bonus here but not essential, just get going!

What is a Brand Story Video?

Jacob: So we just finished producing a few pieces of macro content for JUST Creative, one of which was a Brand Story Video. For those who have never heard of it, what is a Brand Story Video?

A Brand Story Video is one of the most effective video assets that a small-medium sized business can have.

You’ll hear various names for it such as a “Brand Message Video” or a “Video Business Card”, but at their core they all answer the same questions:

• Who runs the business and who is it for (or not for)?
• Why did you start the business? Why do you love what you do?
• What service do you provide?
• How do you provide it? How are you different from the competition?
• Call-to-action – what are the next steps I should take?

The ultimate goal of this video is take the viewer on a journey of getting to know the people behind the brand, liking their story and services, and trusting that they are the best solution to their problem.

You can watch the brand story video we created for JUST Creative here:

The Power of Video Storytelling

Jacob: Why is a ‘brand story video’ such a powerful video?

In my eyes, most videos you see businesses create achieve one of three goals.

They generate more sales (e.g. client testimonials), they save time (e.g. FAQ videos), or they build better relationships with an audience (e.g. team member profiles).

A Brand Story Video is the only video that I believe successfully achieves all three of these in one go – here’s how.

1. Build Better Relationships

Business is “P2P” (people-to-people) now more than ever. When you show up on camera and share your business’s story, you are humanizing your brand. Your audience will start to feel like they know, like, and trust you, without ever having met you.

2. Save Time

Think of all the repetitive business questions you (or your sales team) have to answer on a weekly basis: “What do you do?”, “What kind of clients do you serve?”, or “How are you different?”. You can easily replace all these conversations with this video.

3. Generate More Sales

When implemented properly, you are building emotional connection, educating buyers, showcasing culture, and overcoming objections, all with this one video. I’d say that’s a pretty powerful sales tool!

Below is the customer story video we produced for JUST Creative.

How to Use Video Storytelling in Business

Jacob: Say someone isn’t in a position to professionally produce their own Brand Story Video. What could that person do right now to start using storytelling in their business effectively?

I feel like for a lot of people, brand storytelling is some obscure, mystical thing. Everyone talks about it, but no one actually knows how or where to start.

I recently discovered this little gem from an awesome marketer called Dennis Yu, which is an easy way to start using storytelling without having to spend time learning frameworks or money on production (and can be done in a 1-minute video on your phone).

The Storytelling Formula:

• “When I was _____”  — Jump straight into a story. A challenge you overcame. A mindset shift you had. It can be anything!
• “I believe that _____” — Tell us the overarching lesson from that story.
• “I am _____” — Wrap it up with who you are and what you do.

Example:

When I was first starting out, I refused to reinvest in my business and tried to save every dollar that I earned. For years I was stuck and couldn’t grow to where I wanted to be. The moment I took the risk to invest in help from other experts in their field, my revenue skyrocketed and I got a lot of my time back.

And because of that, I believe that every business should invest in help from other subject matter experts, whether it’s accounting, sales, or design.

I am Jo Smith and I’m the founder of XYZ Creative, a brand design agency based in NYC.

Below is the customer testimonial compilation video we produced for JUST Creative.

How to Maximize Your Video Results

Jacob: For the folks out there who are already using video, what is one tip you can give them to improve their results immediately?

Be more thoughtful about the first 3-5 seconds. According to research, we have an average attention span of 8 seconds, which is 1 second less than that of a goldfish.

Now add in the non-stop distractions of the internet and social media, and we’re not really left with much to work with.

You could create the best video you’ve ever created, but if you can’t earn the attention of your viewer in those first few seconds, you won’t see the results you are hoping to see.

In the video world, we call this the hook.

Being more thoughtful about your hook doesn’t mean focus exclusively on it and dilute the core message of your video. After all, you want your viewer to stay for the main course.

Being more thoughtful just means asking yourself questions like:

• “Is this opening statement relevant and intriguing to my audience?”,
• “Are these visuals bold enough to grab someone’s attention?”, or
• “What kind of pattern interrupt can I add here?”.

These are things you’ll want to consider to supercharge your video’s engagement, and compete with the millions of things that crowd our screens daily.

Connect with Gerard at his website GerardMedia, on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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• 8 Best Marketing Tactics Guaranteed To Build Brand Trust

Have any further video marketing questions? Let us know in the comments.