As retail marketers, we are always trying to come up with new ideas of how we can better reach out to prospect customers. The last few decades have brought with them a wealth of visual technologies. It is no wonder America is such a visual society. Just think about your own style of surfing the internet. Do you often find yourself browsing through YouTube for what you want? Well, here’s the deal: over six billion hours of video are watched by more than one billion individuals in a single month on YouTube alone. The number of users and videos are at a rapid 50% annual increase. That means the amount of people watching YouTube doubles each year (see the YouTube statistics page).

Well that’s all fine and good, but what does YouTube have to do with catalogers and our marketing practices? Simple, it’s time to think about using video to promote your company. If the YouTube stats alone are not enough to convince you, consider the following:

Social Networking Sites: Very few people reading this blog could honestly say they never watch videos posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or whichever networking site is most preferred. Using your video on social networking sites, such as YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest, could drive viewers to your site. If you catch their attention with a product video, for example, they will likely visit your site after. Who knows, they might even make a purchase.

  1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):  Earlier we posted a blog titled SEO: I Have a Catalog so Why Bother? There are many ways that a video can help drive traffic to your site. First, your videos will create more title tags and content for google to latch on to. This is the case not only with your own website, but with YouTube as well. So if a prospect searches your title tags, your video will come up in both places. Either way should result in viewers being directed to your site.
  2. Direct E-mail Campaigning:  Besides the obvious of providing a face to face value contact with your prospects, direct e-mail video marketing creates an atmosphere in which the prospect is more times likely than not to give your e-mail more attention, more time, and more consideration. They are more likely to remember your name and forward the information along to coworkers. Product demos, tutorials, corporate presentations, or even customer reviews or testimonials are all messages that can be conveyed through a video. This actually brings us to the next point.
  3. Branding:   A video is a great way to show your prospects what your company is all about. What message do you want to convey? Your history, your company image, your culture, your way of doing business. What is your pride? How will your prospects benefit by being a part of that? There’s no better way to show your prospects your brand than with real living breathing employees making an example. After all, some things we just need to see for ourselves.
  4. Product Growth:  It’s no secret. Companies have been doing it for years. Just turn on your t.v. set and watch a commercial. Product growth will blossom under the conditions of two elements. First, education to our consumers about our products; and, second, consumers feeling that they are in need of this product as a result. Videos are a great way to educate your viewers and convince them that they need it. It’s easy to draw parallels to oneself through video. Sometimes we don’t even realize we do it. Video is great in this respect; it is a sure fire way to reach out to your consumer on a more personal level.

These are just a few ways that video can help your company freshen up its image and boost sales. There are many more reasons why your company should use video. But, hey, don’t take my word for it. The proof is in the pudding. Give it a try!

As retail marketers, we are always trying to come up with new ideas of how we can better reach out to prospect customers. The last few decades have brought with them a wealth of visual technologies. It is no wonder America is such a visual society. Just think about your own style of surfing the internet. Do you often find yourself browsing through YouTube for what you want? Well here’s the deal: over six billion hours of video are watched by more than one billion individuals in a single month on YouTube alone. The number of users and videos are at a rapid 50% annual increase. That means the amount of people watching YouTube doubles each year (see http://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html).

Well that’s all fine and good, but what does YouTube have to do with catalogers and our marketing practices? Simple, it’s time to think about using video to promote your company. If the YouTube stats alone are not enough to convince you, consider the following:

  1. Social Networking Sites: Very few people reading this blog could honestly say they never watch videos posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or whichever networking site is most preferred. Using your video on social networking sites, such as YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest, could drive viewers to your site. If you catch their attention with a product video, for example, they will likely visit your site after. Who knows, they might even make a purchase.
  2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Earlier we posted a blog titled SEO: I Have a Catalog so Why Bother? There are many ways that a video can help drive traffic to your site. First, your videos will create more title tags and content for google to latch on to. This is the case not only with your own website, but with YouTube as well. So if a prospect searches your title tags, your video will come up in both places. Either way should result in viewers being directed to your site.
  3. Direct E-mail Campaigning: Besides the obvious of providing a face to face value contact with your prospects, direct e-mail video marketing creates an atmosphere in which the prospect is more times likely than not to give your e-mail more attention, more time, and more consideration. They are more likely to remember your name and forward the information along to coworkers. Product demos, tutorials, corporate presentations, or even customer reviews or testimonials are all messages that can be conveyed through a video. This actually brings us to the next point.
  4. Branding: A video is a great way to show your prospects what your company is all about. What message do you want to convey? Your history, your company image, your culture, your way of doing business. What is your pride? How will your prospects benefit by being a part of that? There’s no better way to show your prospects your brand than with real living breathing employees making an example. After all, some things we just need to see for ourselves.
  5. Product Growth: It’s no secret. Companies have been doing it for years. Just turn on your t.v. set and watch a commercial. Product growth will blossom under the conditions of two elements. First, education to our consumers about our products; and, second, consumers feeling that they are in need of this product as a result. Videos are a great way to educate your viewers and convince them that they need it. It’s easy to draw parallels to oneself through video. Sometimes we don’t even realize we do it. Video is great in this respect; it is a sure fire way to reach out to your consumer on a more personal level.

These are just a few ways that video can help your company freshen up its image and boost sales. There are many more reasons why your company should use video. But, hey, don’t take my word for it. The proof is in the pudding. Give it a try!

– See more at: http://www.sheridan.com/blog/five-solid-reasons-why-you-should-use-video#sthash.OTz0ofRY.dpufAs retail marketers, we are always trying to come up with new ideas of how we can better reach out to prospect customers. The last few decades have brought with them a wealth of visual technologies. It is no wonder America is such a visual society. Just think about your own style of surfing the internet. Do you often find yourself browsing through YouTube for what you want? Well here’s the deal: over six billion hours of video are watched by more than one billion individuals in a single month on YouTube alone. The number of users and videos are at a rapid 50% annual increase. That means the amount of people watching YouTube doubles each year (see http://www.youtube.com/yt/press/statistics.html).

 

Well that’s all fine and good, but what does YouTube have to do with catalogers and our marketing practices? Simple, it’s time to think about using video to promote your company. If the YouTube stats alone are not enough to convince you, consider the following:

 

Social Networking Sites: Very few people reading this blog could honestly say they never watch videos posted on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or whichever networking site is most preferred. Using your video on social networking sites, such as YouTube, Facebook, and Pinterest, could drive viewers to your site. If you catch their attention with a product video, for example, they will likely visit your site after. Who knows, they might even make a purchase.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Earlier we posted a blog titled SEO: I Have a Catalog so Why Bother? There are many ways that a video can help drive traffic to your site. First, your videos will create more title tags and content for google to latch on to. This is the case not only with your own website, but with YouTube as well. So if a prospect searches your title tags, your video will come up in both places. Either way should result in viewers being directed to your site.

Direct E-mail Campaigning: Besides the obvious of providing a face to face value contact with your prospects, direct e-mail video marketing creates an atmosphere in which the prospect is more times likely than not to give your e-mail more attention, more time, and more consideration. They are more likely to remember your name and forward the information along to coworkers. Product demos, tutorials, corporate presentations, or even customer reviews or testimonials are all messages that can be conveyed through a video. This actually brings us to the next point.

Branding: A video is a great way to show your prospects what your company is all about. What message do you want to convey? Your history, your company image, your culture, your way of doing business. What is your pride? How will your prospects benefit by being a part of that? There’s no better way to show your prospects your brand than with real living breathing employees making an example. After all, some things we just need to see for ourselves.

Product Growth: It’s no secret. Companies have been doing it for years. Just turn on your t.v. set and watch a commercial. Product growth will blossom under the conditions of two elements. First, education to our consumers about our products; and, second, consumers feeling that they are in need of this product as a result. Videos are a great way to educate your viewers and convince them that they need it. It’s easy to draw parallels to oneself through video. Sometimes we don’t even realize we do it. Video is great in this respect; it is a sure fire way to reach out to your consumer on a more personal level.

 

These are just a few ways that video can help your company freshen up its image and boost sales. There are many more reasons why your company should use video. But, hey, don’t take my word for it. The proof is in the pudding. Give it a try!

– See more at: http://www.sheridan.com/blog/five-solid-reasons-why-you-should-use-video#sthash.OTz0ofRY.dpuf