1. Use the video equipment and resources you already have:

There is a common misconception that in order to create videos, business must invest thousands of dollars for high end video cameras and equipment. What most businesses don't know is that right now on their desks they already have the tools to capture quality video - their smart phones. Most smart phones these days shot high quality video in High Definition and 4K, which is plenty enough to capture high quality video.

2. Follow basic filmmaking techniques:

We know that you are not Steven Spielberg however there are some basic rules that you should know when taking video that will ensure you get the best product out of it. For example, make sure the subject is always in focus, make sure there is enough light, capture quality sound and compose your shots in landscape mode (horizontal).

3. Capture good sound:

While in most videos you can get away with sub par video quality and lighting, if the video sounds awful it will be awful. Awful sound is is the biggest tell that the video has been made on the cheap. There are a few smart phone microphones on the market these day, my tip is to invest in one.

4. Create a culture of capturing stories within your business:

The great thing about using the resources that you have, is that you and your staff can capture video moments as they happen in your business on a day to day basis. Creating a culture of capturing stories starts at the top, if the CEO of the organisation has a habit of sharing videos internally, staff will follow suit. It is also important that you build the infrastructure needed in order to facilitate this content creation. Popular ways to store video files can be cloud solutions such as dropbox, Microsoft One Drive or Google Drive.

5. Create a library of your video assets:

By creating an online library of your business's video assets will mean that this can be continually utilised for future video marketing material. If down the line you bring in an external video production crew to create high end videos, your business will already have a tonne of video that can be utilised that is both authentic and cuts down on costs associated with production companies collecting overlay footage.

6. Learn basic editing techniques:

Editing is the language of video content. There are many free online Youtube tutorials on how to do basic video editing. My number 1 tips for editing videos is that less is more. If your video is short and sweet and gets the message across, it will be way more effective and garner a lot more engagement. For software, both Microsoft and Apple have their free offerings of Movie Maker or iMovie, both these programs are easy for beginners to start with iMovie is also a great app to use if you want to edit straight on your smart phone. For more advanced editing programs with a bit more features, Final Cut X for Apple and Adobe Premiere Pro Creative Cloud are great tools.

7. Use online platforms and social media to share your videos:

The great thing about the internet today is the amount of online platforms that businesses can use to share their videos. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram can all be set up for free and used effectively for video content marketing.  

8. Harness your email lists:

Electronic Direct Mail or EDM is still #1 when it comes to the most effective marketing channels that converts to sales or more donations. The reason is that when someone is part of your EDM database they have already shown an interest in what you do as a business or a not for profit. Why not make your EDM campaigns more engaging by periodically adding a short and sweet piece of video content.

9. Tell stories that align with your brand and key messages:

This is the most important point that needs to be made. Any piece of video content that is produced needs to align with your brand and your brand’s key messages. What this means practically, is that the video content needs to speak to your brand personality, for example you may be a youth organisation, and your brand personality may be fun and engaging, that means your videos need to be this as well. If one of the key messages of your organisation is that you are a trusted partner in the community, your story needs to show this. While this may be commonsense there are countless examples of brands going off road.