Lights, Camera, Action! - Putting Your Business on Video (Part I)

This requires upfront planning, thinking about the most important parts of your message, and all that you need to show and say. You want to show why someone should do business with you. Videos are a place to strut your stuff—highlight your strengths and show off the depth of your team and its expertise.

Plan the shoot—Beyond the message, your video needs to be visually interesting. Use different backgrounds, multiple rooms and settings, and different camera angles. Avoid the talking head in front of the camera format as much as you can. Think in advance about what you want the video to look like. This planning is tightly tied to the story you want to tell. Consider bringing in a customer or two who can provide a "celebrity endorsement" about how your company delivers for them.

Make it look natural—This means no scripts for anyone. Unless you have a crew of folks with broadcast or theatrical training, no one will be able to memorize and deliver the lines of a script and have it not look stiff and rehearsed. Have them know what they need to say—a set of bullet points works well—but they should deliver it ad lib, much as they might when a prospective customer is on site for a shop tour. And don't limit people to being formal in front of the camera. I recently did a shoot where the head of the company happened to be great on camera for his planned pieces. But his best stuff came in a 25-minute session just chatting in his office. The camera was running the whole time, and it will make a great segment in the final video.

But wait! There's more! Come back in a couple of days for the rest of the story, including b-roll, lights, audio and post-production.