Can Local Businesses Use Video to Gain Big Exposure? [Example]

Can Local Businesses Use Video to Gain Big Exposure? [Example]:from Business 2 Community by Nick Robinson
If you’re a local business owner, I am sure you’ve heard that video is the new communications du jour. I am sure you’ve dabbled a bit to see what sticks, but let’s be honest, you’re video most likely sucks. What it comes down to is 3 elements. If you miss the mark on 1 or more of these elements, your efforts are certain to get buried under the sea of content on the web.
What are the 3 elements Nick? Well I thought you’d never ask :)
1. The content educates, entertains, and induces emotion. (all three)
I don’t care how educational your content is. If you sound or move like Ben Stein from “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, viewers will click away to someone that explains the same point but with more feeling.
2. It’s concise, with short cuts to different angles and scenarios
As I’ve read in Steve Stockman’s book “Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck“, the human brain stays interested in short bursts of action, since it is forced to figure out what it’s looking at and what it means. Viewers are more engaged in what they’re watching because they have to do a little work to understand what’s going on.
3. You don’t get it into the right hands
Videos don’t auto-magically go viral. Planned seeding and promotion are done way in advance of the actual launch of a campaign. Local businesses should do the same, and it doesn’t have to cost a bajillion dollars to do so. It’s called old fashioned relationship building, outreach, and sharing via social media (ya know public relations?)
Now that I’ve explained the 3 elements of an interesting and promotional video, let’s take a look at an example: A local California taxidermy business (Thank you to Sociabull for sharing this on our Facebook page):
Ah Chuck Testa, the darling Taxidermy specialist. While his acting skills are a little bland, the entertainment, sort of education, and definitely emotion induced minute really puts a lasting memory on the viewer (well at least me).

This video became so widespread, that Chuck Testa became an internet meme with pictures like this.

And encore videos like this:

So my advice to you is to do a little homework on the following:

• What would your viewers find interesting, funny, entertaining, thought provoking, etc.
• Keep the shots short
• Hit the pavement, and get that video into the right hands

Have you had success with your video marketing efforts. If not, what do you think went wrong. Do you agree with my points?