Create a Plan to Make an Effective Business Video

If you have never made a video before or even if you have but were not satisfied with the result it may be because there was not enough time devoted to the planning phase. Have a look at this video to get a bit more of an understanding of the ins and outs of pre-production.

Video Transcript
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In the overview video you saw the big picture of the three stages to getting started with creating videos to boost your business. And here you'll discover more detail about the importance of creating a comprehensive plan, pre-production for your video. Stay tuned and watch this video.

The first thing to consider is what business result do you want from your video? Do you want to build your following by getting likes, views and subscriptions or do you want your viewers to take action like contact you, click a link or buy from you? Maybe want to inform or educate your audience. Once you've decided on your business goal, next you choose how to structure your message.
 
Now some people are excellent communicators and can be very effective at speaking off the cuff but for most people, the message will be clearer and more effective when it's scripted. Online viewers tend to switch off if presenter rambles, doesn't get to the point or repeat themselves. A script helps you stay on track. Even if you choose to go unscripted, creating a short list of key points might be something you'd consider.
 
Now that you have your script or plan, the next step is to decide what to show: who, where, what and possibly how; for example to demonstrate your product or process. After this you decide what to shoot by analyzing the script because you want to enough appropriate shots that shows the script. After all it is show and tell. If you go for presenter style like I am here what other shots called b-roll support the message.
 
If it's an interview what percentage of time is going to focus on the interviewee, interviewer or do you want more of a story. To help visualize how the video will look a storyboard can be really useful because it visualizes and abbreviates the shot-list.
 
The storyboard doesn't need to be elaborate, stick figures are fine and the purpose is to show, camera moves, framing of shots, shot sizes for example close-up, medium or long shot. It's kind of like a comic strip of the project. So the script is like the blueprint for your business goal. Then there's also the sound element.
 
How do you want your video to sound? Audio is a really important factor in whether viewers will watch your video no matter how interesting the subject. This is why using a mic is so important but more on that next time.
 
You've probably noticed music in movies often signals what's coming, spooky music gets you going to feeling a bit scared or playful music will make you smile. What kind of music will create the type of emotion you want to elicit from your audience?
 
I don't know if you've noticed some supermarkets use music, slow music causes you to spend more time browsing because you move more slowly and of course then you're probably spend more that way too. Similarly sound effects play a huge part in selling your visuals, just think about a radio play and the impact sound effects have there.
 
So these are the key elements in creating the plan of your video. Set your business goal for your video, script it, create a shot list, make a storyboard and decide on your style of music or FX. When you use these steps you'll create an effective video plan.
 
Thanks for watching. Next time we'll be looking at shooting the video.
 
I'm Julie Silfverberg with SuccessVideos show and tell for grown-up business. 

Overview Video #1