Ho, Ho, Vide-O!

On the run-up to Christmas, how can you best make use of video to boost your business or charity, get a big slice of that festive footfall and spread some festive cheer?

There's a lot of online competition before Christmas. Video can help enormously, and here are a few ideas to get your business noticed...

A festive greeting

Wish your clients, partners and supporters a happy Christmas or festive season. This can be as simple as saying those words to camera, or perhaps something more adventurous such as filming your staff dancing around the office Christmas tree!

A Christmas countdown or advent calendar

Fuel anticipation by using short videos to countdown to Christmas. You could use them to highlight facts about your business or charity, or introduce staff, your products or services, or just be silly! For example, a Christmas related joke every day.

Review what you've achieved this year

A short video to showcase all of your accomplishments. Maybe you've started a new service or launched a new product. Did you host an event or attend any fabulous ones? Which staff members shined this year? How many people have you helped? How well have you performed? You could add some personal reflections too to build on that sense of connection and encourage online engagement.

A thank you

Show your clients how appreciative you are for their custom over the last year. This will add to your connection with them, improve the customer relationship and simply show you are a lovely business!

Showcase your products or services

Eighty per cent of customers have said they have been influenced by something they've seen online before making a purchase.

Do you own a shop? Video allows the viewer to step into your shop and see all the wonderful things inside – so open your door and let them in! You may also have a shop that’s a bit tucked away and not on the main high street. Give them a reason to visit by showing off your fabulous products.

Demonstrate what your products do! A photo can't do this. Do you own a toy shop and sell fantastic remote controlled cars? Show them in action!

Do you make the gifts you sell? Jewellery, paintings, Christmas cards, cakes, ceramics, clothes? Show yourself at work, showcase your skills and your production process. Customers love to see the creativity and passion you put into your work, and it proves that your products are handmade and not mass manufactured.

Unboxing videos are great too, as they highlight the sense of anticipation around Christmas and exchanging gifts.

Do you provide a service? Again, show off your business or charity and guide the viewer through the process, and maybe offer a tour around your premises. (Showing off your Christmas decorations!) You could end with a customer testimonial, which is one of the most powerful video marketing tools.

A video before Christmas can also highlight any promotions or discount items you have – another reason to attract smart shoppers.

Please avoid the hard sell though, as it will turn people off!

Giving Show how your business is giving back this Christmas. Perhaps you are donating to or assisting a local charity? Take some footage. Customers will appreciate hearing about your generosity as it shows you're thoughtful and you care.

If you are a charity, maybe focus on how generous your volunteers have been with their time over the last year and how much you appreciate them! It's also the perfect time to highlight your services and how you're helping people this festive season.

Are you being green this Christmas? Show how you're helping the environment with your production process, packaging, e-marketing, travel and so on...

Festive fun! Embrace your silly side by getting into the Christmas spirit! Here are a few ideas...

Carols or classic Christmas songs in seasonal costumes (avoid playing the original versions for copyright reasons)
Demonstrate some festive craft-making or baking skills – include the disasters!
Pulling crackers and reading the jokes
Office party games
Timelapse of decorating the office Christmas tree
Christmas jumper competition

Don't be afraid – making videos can be fun! A smartphone is all you need, and there are some basic free apps that can help too – check them out in this article. Jump on board and see how video can benefit your business this Christmas! www.karencann.co.uk