3 Steps to Make Your Corporate Video Jump Off the Screen!

I've seen them. You've seen them.

Boring, unemotional videos from companies.

You roll your eyes, look at the clock and check yourself out.

If branding is about creating emotional experiences and connections between you and your audience, it's no wonder boring corporate videos haven't been an integral part of the branding conversation.

But now it's your turn. You've been charged to produce a video for your company. Perhaps you need to tell your product story or service story.

But you have a small problem: you're not a filmmaker and you don't know anyone who is. You're also not sure what ingredients are needed to go into a memorable film. What do you do?

Discover a hero who overcomes a problem that changes the world.

Here are three simple and easy things you can incorporate into your video to make your brand story jump off the screen and into your customer's hearts.

1. DISCOVER A HERO.

Every corporate video needs a "face" or a "hero" to provide a point of view. Without a hero, your audience is easily confused. Your hero should be someone your viewers can identify with; someone they can quickly feel connected to.

In "Elements of Persuasion," Richard Maxwell and Robert Dickman share the role of the hero as one who "grounds" the audience.

Where do you discover your heroes? Right under your nose!

Say for example, Human Resources needs a film. If the goal of your video story is to attract and retain top talent, then discover three or four employees whose personal story reflects those stories of potential candidates whom you want to attract to your company. Those three or four personal stories are actually holograms; tiny slivers of the larger talent pool you are seeking.

2. SHOW ME A DRAGON!

The single biggest issue facing your corporate video is the lack of emotions. How do you generate an emotional response from an employee, or hero, in your film?

Easy. Find a dragon. Ask, "What's at stake?" Every hero needs a dragon or an obstacle to overcome. Without it, your viewers will secretly be wishing for it. Besides, they probably won't talk about it because the story is "sugar-coated."

Following our HR example, let's say one of your heroes:

• Discovers a medical condition limiting their career opportunities.

• Discovers the future business of a large client is at stake.

• Discovers they are overwhelmed with their new job; perhaps it wasn't the right job.

• Discovers their project funding is being severely cut.

While each "dragon" takes a different shape and form, your hero creates an emotional response for your audience in each situation. That is exactly what you audience is hungry for!

3. REVEAL A TRANSFORMATION.

Whether the dragon has been successfully defeated or not, does not matter. What matters is that your audience gains a deeper appreciation of your hero. They now understand the hero's journey. The audience has a sense of empathy they did not have a few minutes earlier. Their world has been changed.

And that, in the end, is what telling your video story is all about.

There you have it. Three simple steps to make your corporate video story jump off the screen:

1. Discover a hero who is comfortable telling their story.
2. Show the hero's struggle.
3. Reveal a new world.

Jumping off the screen isn't THAT hard :-)

---Tom

3 Steps to Make Your Corporate Video Jump Off the Screen

Broken Corporate Videos: Bridging the Gap

How did the enormous potential of corporate videos get reduced to a commodity?

What happened to the magic of a corporate video strengthening a community and triggering conversations?

Unfortunately, far too many companies handle their video as a commodity. Just listen to the corporate language-it says it all:

• "Can you make a video?"

• "We need a DVD."

• "Our sales force needs a video."

It doesn't have to be that way.

I explain why in my two-part conversation with Conversation Agent, Valeria Maltoni.

You can download our conversation, "*Ask(?)Away: Take Your Brand from Commodity to Community*" in an elegantly designed PDF and have the conversation in one handy place.

Better yet, share and spread the PDF with those who could benefit from our exchange.

A purposefully designed corporate video can stimulate conversations and get people to act.

I hope the "Ask(?)Away: Take Your Brand from Commodity to Community" conversation is a step in the right direction towards filling the gap between broken corporate videos and creating opportunities for videos that are personal, meaningful, dynamic and soulful.

Thank you, Valeria, for acknowledging the critical role videos play in corporate communications and for pushing the conversation into new arenas.

The Ask(?)Away exchange was a breath of fresh air. Clearly, there's plenty of room for fresh voices to extend the discussion even further.

---Tom

Commodity to Community with Corporate Videos

Ask (?) Away: Part 2 of My Conversation Agent Interview

Part 2 of my Ask(?)Away conversation with Valeria Maltoni at Conversation Agent is now up.

Dive in. Get wet. Leave a comment. Feel free to Ask(?)Away on questions you might have about the interview.

The payoff? Valeria includes your comments along with the entire interview when she produces a beautifully designed, free PDF e-book for you to download. Cool.

Go ahead. Ignite the conversation. Ask(?)Away!

---Tom

Ask Away Part 2

"Hey! Don't Freak Out!" Demystifying Epilepsy

Moments like this are, indeed, rare.

4 Remarkable Heroes + 4 Authentic Stories + 2 Films + 4 Awards =

A Chance to Change the World!

It hasn't happened until now.

I'm talking about what it means to have epilepsy. I mean r-e-a-l-l-y talking about epilepsy. And to r-e-a-l-l-y talk about how judging others with medical conditions stinks. Judging those with epilepsy only continues to perpetuate the myths that prevents us from connecting ourselves to one another. The Epilepsy Foundation and KGC Direct is out to change that...and to change the world, with these two videos.

The videos I just finished producing are rolling out to most public junior high and high schools throughout America.

Three Telly Awards and an Ad Club of Connecticut Award later...the films are done. But the conversations are not.

The conversations are just beginning. Hopefully, these conversations are starting to demystify and correct the myths, the stereotypes and judgements people have towards those with epilepsy.

My deepest desire is to see these stories help the world become a better and kinder place. It has been a blessing to be able to capture this footage and to act as a "bridge" for those with epilepsy and without epilepsy.

"Out of the Shadows"

This short documentary is designed to show the real-life experiences of a diverse group of four teens dealing with epilepsy and the misperceptions of their peers. Their deepest desire is tell the world that they, by and large, can do the things that you can do. RSS readers click through.

"Take Charge of the Facts"

A hip, graphic-packed, fast-paced film covering the basics of epilepsy, the different types of seizures and first aid.

---Tom

Dont Freak Out