5-1/2 Questions to Ask Before Making a Video The Pagano Video Method Part 4

5-1/2 Questions to Ask Before Making a Video:

The Pagano Method: Part 4 - Audience

Welcome back! 

In our previous articles, we've looked at the first three questions in my method to producing a great promo video.  As a result, we've built a back story for our product, learned about it, and decided what we want the video to accomplish. 

Now it's time to learn about the audience. 

Question 4:  Who are you talking to?

Question 4:  Who are you talking to?

Your video won't be effective if it doesn't make a connection with viewers.  If it's a sales video, it won't be effective unless it addresses their needs.  To connect with viewers and address their needs, you've got to know your audience -- not just who they are, but what they care about. 

There's no set formula to figuring out this stuff.  Although there is plenty of audience research available, determining who your audience is and what they care about takes thought and insight. 

Let's do the easy stuff first.  As a business person, you should be keeping data on your customers.  So you probably already know lots about your customers' demographics:  Their age, gender, occupation, income, and so on.  Demographic information forms the base layer to your video approach by supplying key facts about your audience.  If the product to be featured in your video is an expensive luxury car, then a video that appeals to high school students won't do you any good.   Your video needs to appeal to people with high incomes.  That's basic marketing. 

Then there's psychographics -- the attitudes and beliefs of your target market.  What do they believe in?  Do they believe in showing off their success?  Are they more modest?  Do they care about the environmental impact their purchases make?  Or do they just want to have fun?

Let's say the expensive luxury car that's the star of our video turns out to be the biggest car on the road, a giant SUV.  From the list above, which group(s) do you think will be interested in it, and which would not?  I'd say the guys who want to show off their success would be interested in the 2013 Guzzler, and possibly also those who just want to have fun.  Given the car's gas consuming nature, the Greens aren't going to like it very much. 

Many of the videos I produce involve heavily regulated industries.  They may be my client, or my client may provide services to these industries.  At the moment, I'm working on such a video, and I've been thinking a lot about the people who work in this industry.  What are their concerns?  How did they get into the business?  And how do they feel about recent calls for even more stringent regulations? 

Well, I think these people are proud of their work.  They're responsible.  I suspect they're quite nervous, maybe even scared that increasing regulation might drive them out of business.  

So the video I'll make for my client will appeal to the audience's attitudes.  We'll respect their pride, and acknowledge their responsible behavior.  We'll relate to their love for the product, and even try to allay their fears.

In the end, we'll produce a video that speaks directly to the needs of the audience.  We've taken the time to learn who they are and what they care about.  That's step four to creating a successful video. 

Next, we'll talk about The Pitch as we explore the fourth question of the Pagano Video Method.  See you then!

Best,

Fred Pagano

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Brown Cow Studios of Boston helps businesses of all types

tell their unique stories.  What's your story?  Let us tell the world.

Call us at (617) 230-4019 or visit http://www.BrownCowStudios.com.

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Copyright 2013 Fred Pagano & Brown Cow Studios of Boston.  All rights reserved.  This copyrighted article may be redistributed provided all text, credits, and this copyright notice are intact.  Please let us know you've linked to us.

5-1/2 Questions to Ask Before Making a Video: The Pagano Video Method, Part 3: Intent

The Pagano Video Method - Part 3:  Intent

In this edition of BullShots!, our multi-part series on the five questions to ask when you want to make a great video continues.  These are the questions I ask my clients to consider whenever we talk about videos.  I call it the Pagano Video Method.

So far, we've asked two important questions:  1) Who are you? and 2) What's your product or service?  The answers help to give the video a back story or history.  The back story probably won't make it into the video, but does provide useful background information that influences the message, flavor, and feel of a video.  

Today, we move beyond the back story and talk about intent.

Question 3:  What do you want to do?

"Well, I want to make a video!"

Of course, but to what end?  In other words, what's the intent of the video?  What purpose will the video serve? 

Here's a quick quiz:  Of the three possible answers below, which one(s) refer to intent?

1. I want the video to show my skill as a dentist.
2. I want it to show my beautiful new office.
3. I want people to understand why I'm the best at what I do. 
4. I want a wedding video.
5. I want a video for my kids to send with their college applications.
6. I want a video to put on my web page.

If you answered both one and three, you're right on.  The other responses don't speak to intention.  Response two refers to what should be on the video.  Four tells us what sort of video the client wants, but says nothing about its purpose. 

Response five gets a bit closer, but it's still off the mark because it doesn't speak about the intent of the video -- it refers to the reason for making a video, but not its actual purpose.  Number six is way off the mark.  A video of a dog barking would suffice, but it wouldn't make sense on a dentist's home page. 

But number one, "I want the video to show my skill as a dentist" and number three, "I want people to understand why I'm the best at what I do" both discuss the video's intent.  That's important, because it guides us to the story of the video. 

For example, the video showing one's skill as a dentist might have content showing the dentist filling cavities or examining x-rays.  It might show him or her in a classroom learning the latest techniques, or might not even have the dentist in it at all -- it could be testimonials from patients.  Each of these approaches fills the intent of the video, to show the dentist's skill.

To achieve the intent of number three, showing why the subject is the best at his or her profession, might show the client's trophy case full of professional achievement awards, or perhaps actually being presented with one.  It could show clips from newspaper reviews or thank you letters.  Perhaps it shows the client tackling a difficult problem, like designing the world's longest suspension bridge.  While each of the stories is different, the intent is the same. 

So before committing to an investment of hundreds or even thousands of dollars for that video for your web site, ask yourself:  What do I want to do?

Next time in BullShots! we talk about your competition.  See you then!

-Fred

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Learn more about my method.  Call me anytime at +1 (617) 230-4019,

or drop me an email:  Fred@BrownCowStudios.com

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For more useful information, be sure to visit the Brown Cow Studios website:  www.BrownCowStudios.com

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Copyright 2013 Fred Pagano & Brown Cow Studios of Boston.  All rights reserved.  

This copyrighted article may be redistributed provided all text, links, credits, and this copyright notice are intact. 

 Please let us know you've linked to us.