The Story of Press Media Communications: Part 1

This is not one of those stories of an entrepreneur who came  up with their multi-million-dollar idea over a couple beers with friends.  I have always had more than a dollar to my name and I have yet to create a corporate empire.  I am still working on earning my feel good moment.  

   

My story was forged through more than a decade of paying my dues, and that Ah HA moment, hit me like slap in the face!  Although it may not be exciting, my story is unique and it is what separates Press Media Communications from everyone else. 

Little did I know every cold call I made, door I knocked on, rejection or sale I got put me one step closer to my true calling.  I can also tell you the thought of forming a marketing company never crossed my mind at 2:00 am while on assignment about snow in the middle of January.   

But it was this combination, a unique mix of sales and news experience which formed the cornerstone of Press MC.  

Now to the Ah Ha moment. It was just like every other day. I was standing in the Kitchen talking with my wife when she showed me a stack of quotes.   The quotes were for a web video she wanted to produce for her company.  

  

Here comes the slap in the face, these quotes were for, $11,000!  No wonder only big corporations could afford video marketing.  There it was, right in front of my face!  90% percent of companies were priced out of the most exciting concept to hit the marketing world since the internet; video marketing!   

I intentionally left the best part out.  When you think news story you think reporter and camera man, right?  Well I did it both. Were called one-man band reporters

I not only presented on-air, but I also shot and edited all of my video. I figured out how to leveling the playing field!  Now every company regardless of size or budget can have high quality, expertly produced video marketing.   All it took was someone who could do it all.  

That’s the story of Press Media Communications.  It took ten years to build and one slap in the face to start.  

"Your business is your story, don't let just anyone tell it," 

John LaBerge 

Principal, Press Media Communications.  

Make your Corporate Video's Stick!

I am going to let you in on a little secret, are you ready?  Most corporate videos are pretty horrible!  Actually come to think of it that’s not a secret at all it’s a FACT! 

The good news is your next video does not have to be boring.   There are ways to actually make your corporate videos STICK with your audience.  I KNOW it’s a lot easier said than done, I get it!  

What I am about to do is give you a crash course in what it takes to create a successful video.   Before I tackle any project either as a former news reporter or now a video marketer I try to follow three simple rules.

First find the story! 

Stories are how we remember our lives and how we are remembered.  So why should how we remember a company or product be any different?  In my opinion the best teachers, politicians and yes sales people have one thing in common, their GREAT story tellers!   

Your company has a story it’s there you just have to find it and make it relatable to your audience, which brings me to my next point.

Create a “WOW” moment! 

This is where I like to use the late great Billy Mays as an example because when it comes to creating that “WOW” moment, there was no one better.   “Hi! Billy Mays here!”  That’s right the infomercial guy!  Love him or hate him Billy was the master at creating “WOW” moments. 

Sure, most corporate videos won’t have a “WOW” moment like Billy created with the “Super Powered Epoxy” known as Mighty Putty that had the power to pull an 80 thousand pound truck!  

But your business is in business for a reason!  What is it that YOU provide your customers that has them coming back?  What can you give your customers to make their businesses more successful?  What makes you different than your competition?  The answer to these questions is one of many areas where you can find your “WOW” moment!    

Keep it short! 

Great! You identified your “WOW” and now you’re ready to tell a great story, the hard parts over! Or is it?  

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, this next part requires a skill set most just don’t possess.    How do we take this great story with an incredible “WOW” moment and present it in 1:45 or less?  

The best advice I can give you is keep it simple!  Don’t explain every fact and keep your interview answers short.   The goal of video is to create a powerful emotional/connection with your audience.  Two videos of one and a half minutes will make a greater impact than one three minute video.    A vast majority of online video watchers don’t even click on anything over two minutes or if they do most do not watch till the end.  

Video marketing is not easy. If it was everyone would be doing it.  However, if done right video can become your greatest sales tool.  

This is only a small part of what it takes to make a great video, but it should be enough to get you started. 

John LaBerge

Principal, Press Media Communications

Why are you NOT using stories in your marketing!

 

Think back to your college days.  Do you remember your favorite lecture?  The answer is probably no but then again maybe.  To this day there is one lecture from college I remember; in fact it’s the only lecture I remember, and it wasn’t a lecture at all; it was a story.  

I won’t go into much detail because frankly it’s not appropriate for this blog.  However I can tell you the story was about how a fellow student got her boyfriend to quit smoking.

I use this example because this professor whose name I can’t recall got his message across in a way that still sticks with me today.  It stuck because he told a GREAT story! 

Stories are how we remember our lives and how we are remembered.  So why should how we remember a company or product be any different?  In my opinion the best teachers, politicians and yes sales people have one thing in common, their GREAT story tellers!  

Again, why are you not using stories in your marketing! (Rhetorical hence no ?)   

Billy Mays…..remember him? 

“Hi! Billy Mays here, with……!” 

I bet if you couldn’t place his name that short little sentence he used to start every one of his infomercials jarred your memory.   

Whether or not you thought Billy Mays was annoying, Billy was a master story teller.   He did what we all should be doing as marketers; he created “WOW” moments.  

These “WOW” moments came when that “Super Powered Epoxy” known as Mighty Putty had the power to pull an 80 thousand pound truck, or when OXI Clean instantly removed a wine stain from a white carpet. 

My challenge to you is find your companies “WOW” moment!

Do you think Billy would have been able to create his “WOW” moments with text on a website or brochure?  NO! Billy showed every one of us exactly what his products could do through video!  “I’ll believe it when I see it!” Well Billy showed the world and millions continue to buy his products years after his death.  

The good thing is “WOW” moments come in all forms.  Millions of Americans watch shows on how products are made, could this be where we find your “WOW” moment?  Or how about and inspiring story from a happy customer or challenge your business has overcome…don’t forget everyone loves an underdog.  

Your “WOW” moment is out there we just have to find it.  

John LaBerge- Founder Press Media Communications

If you have not figured out the message my professor was trying convey...email me I won't bust your chops too much.

Want results? Keep your corporate video short!

I can’t stress this enough! And although keeping a video under two minutes seems easy to do, in reality it’s one of the hardest parts of telling a story, especially a corporate story.  

60%! Once your video hits the 2 minute mark more than half your audience has tuned out!

Wistia, an online video hosting site (Competitor of YouTube) says videos under 30 seconds have close to a 90% completion rate.   75% of online viewers will watch a video all the way to the end if it’s less than 2 minutes.

Here are some tips I have learned as a news reporter.  

(1)    Don’t burry the lead:  People’s attention span is low! Give the viewer a reason to watch within the first few seconds.   If you don’t you can kiss that potential customer goodbye! See ya!

(2)    Cut the corporate talk:  “Leverage” “optimize” “utilization” this is business talk and has no place in your videos! I repeat it has NO PLACE in your videos!  Police are the best at "corporate talk";  however in the news world we call it “cop talk”.  “Citizen”, “alleged”, “victim” all examples of “cop talk”.  This descriptive-but-vague-impersonal language has the power to kill any story! 

(3)    Video is emotional:  remember video can build an emotional connection with an audience.  When I use the term emotional I don’t mean some sort of sappy love story.    I mean it’s real.  A video testimonial builds trust where words can’t.   Use video to humanize your company or product!

It took years of practice to develop the skills to take a complex issue and turn it into a compelling story in under 1:30 seconds.  The most important piece of advice I can give you is keep it simple!  Know your audience and before you start, know what you want your audience to take away from the story.  

John LaBerge, Founder Press Media Communications

Quality, frequency and the do it yourself video marketing trap

In my last blog I talked about the importance of focusing on frequency not production when it comes to video marketing.  

Today I want to expand on this just a little and also clarify some misconceptions.  

Frequency does not mean cheap.   Video marketing pieces should be professional quality.  Remember these videos represent your brand.   An unprofessional, grainy low quality video not only looks amateurish but makes your organization and your brand look amateurish as well.  The same is true with sound.  Viewers don’t notice “good” sound; however they become distracted when there is “bad” sound (off-mic, echo, crackling).  Bad sound happens when an interview is not properly mic’d up, this is most common when someone uses the microphone on their camera.   Camera microphones are there to capture nats (natural sound: birds chirping, a car engine, applause are all examples of nats).  

 ***High quality sound is just as important as high quality video.***

The great thing about today’s digital world is; it does not take a crew to produce great video.  Meaning video marketing does not have to break your budget! 

***Warning*** Don’t fall for the do it yourself trap! 

You may notice companies that offer to edit videos you shoot on your IPhone or camcorder.    The examples they use to sell their services look fantastic!  Don’t be fooled these are professionally crafted videos.   The video’s maybe shot on an IPhone, but what they don’t tell you is these videos are shot in a controlled environment with perfect lighting and sound.   Sometimes they use 3 or 4 IPhones to shoot one video.   

The do it yourself option maybe your most economical choice, but then again we go back to quality control when it comes to your brand.  

John LaBerge, Founder Press Media Communications.  

Focus on frequency not production when it comes video marketing.

It does not matter if you’re a cupcake shop or a Fortune 100 company, it's essential your brand engages with clients.   Customers who engage with your product are your number one advocates; they tell their friends about you and are the backbone of your business.   This is not new, you know this!   

What I am about to tell is something you will not hear from any other video production company.  Are you ready? Here it is:  Your video is not going viral! Let me say that again, you’re not the next “Chocolate Rain”!  

Face the facts: most branded videos on YouTube get less than 1000 hits.  

The biggest mistake I see, are companies who view video like a capital expenditure, not the living constantly evolving marketing tool it’s designed to be. 

My advice: constantly update your website and customers with fresh video.  Tell them what’s new about you, your product offerings or your achievements, heck even specials!  

Bombard the web with video, more videos; mean more hits on Google.   Like the milk in your fridge video has a shelf life.   I don’t want to see the same video every time I go to your site and neither do your customers.  

Sorry for the rant but then again what are blogs for?    

If your curious this is why I started Press Media Communications.  $5,000, $11,000, $20,000 for a web video? Are you nuts? I am not going to my boss as a marketer saying look each hit cost us a 1,000 bucks.    

I produced major broadcast quality news features solo.  My work has been seen by thousands across the country.   Eli Lilly wanted to feature one of my stories for a national campaign. I spent less than three hours shooting, writing, editing and tracking that story! 

The face of video marketing is going to change in Indianapolis.  High quality web videos are not just for the big guys anymore!  

John LaBerge, Founder Press Media Communications.  

The Power of Video Marketing and YouTube for your business.

Why is Video Marketing and YouTube essential for Indiana businesses?

 

This is a question I get asked often and the answer is simple, and extremely complicated all at the same time.     

Here is what I tell my customers:  Google is in the process of taking over the world, at least when it comes to advertising.  They are the worlds most used search engine and control whether or not your company actually exists online. 

Google owns YouTube the second largest search engine in the world.   6 billion hours of video are watched on YouTube every month.  The point I am trying to make is they are huge! And you need to be a part of it!

So how has YouTube become such a monster? Sure videos are popular and I could go on forever on why they are essential for growing your business, but for the sake of this post I am going to keep it very simple: SEO. 

Google controls the playing field.  The brains behind Google are mixing YouTube media in their search results.   Many studies show video can optimize search engine performance by more than 5,000 percent.

The goal is to get seen.  Google forces YouTube optimization through their algorithms.   Often a search result for you company will pull a Youtube video about your product or competitors before your actual home page.   Reason enough to take advantage of YouTube and video marketing.  

I hope you found this post helpful.   If I had all the answers behind SEO I would be a billionaire.  SEO is a constantly changing ‘science’, video will help you stay ahead of the curve and get your company seen online.  

Thanks

John LaBerge, Founder Press Media Communications.