Each week I look at actual video and/or social media used by small businesses. I look at what works and what doesn’t as well as how I could take a different approach. That way, you can avoid similar mistakes and duplicate what works.

This Week’s Business Video 

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing - 23600 El Toro Road, Suite D303, Lake Forest, CA 92630

The Breakdown

What Works

The video presents the Unique Selling Proposition (USP): The Punctual Plumber. A number of video elements support the USP.

There’s two solid testimonials in this video. The first details some heating work done for a customer. She is pleasant and gives a good account of her problem and how Benjamin Franklin Plumbing (and Heating) solved her issues. The second shows support for a professional real estate agent. This shows Ben Franklin as a good B2B business as well.

What Doesn’t Work

Slow, slow, slow start. My first instinct was to move on after the first :10 seconds. Shaky camera work created an “amateurish” feel to the video. A full :20 seconds to hear anything spoken is way too long. The footage is harshly lit in the daylight, creating hard light and shadows. Also, the shots of the plumber are too far away. This makes it hard to connect at a personal level.

Pacing of the video is WAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYY too slow. Snail-like. Which equals “boring”. 

The plumber looks very uncomfortable, which makes me, as a viewer, uncomfortable. Additionally, the video tries to do “too much”. It’s a commercial, an infomercial, a testimonial. Which translates to…too long.

By :59 seconds, I was done with the video. But I pressed on to see the rest of the 8:10 of video, wondering, “What could they possibly say in that time?” Nearly 10 minutes of video is way too long for the average viewer. Period.

What’s A Different Approach

The strongest element of this video is Monica Gonzales’ testimonial. She has a story to tell. We relate to stories. So I would focus the video on the story: Monica’s problem and how Ben Franklin Plumbing solved her problem.

I’d use more B-footage to show her problem areas and how they were solved. Show the furnace unit, show the registers, etc. Keep things moving and interesting. Additionally, I’d use closeups of Monica as well. Remember, people connect with people. And we connect best with our eyes. So let us see the eyes of those speaking on video.

The main elements of the story and supporting details could be told in about 2:00 minutes. I would not try to do anything more than that. Monica’s testimony is powerful. Let it stand on its own without wasting the viewer’s time.

Final Word

I think the video tried to do too much, which ruins its effectiveness. Focus, focus, focus on ONE message. It will keep your videos short and consumable, as well as give you more options for more videos. 

Truth be told, there are two separate testimonials and a profile video in this footage alone! Remember, small, bite sized chunks are more attractive to your viewers. Keep your portions small!

Remember, these opinions are entirely my own and are just that - opinions.

Your turn. What do you think?

Each week I look at actual video and/or social media used by small businesses. I look at what works and what doesn’t as well as how I could take a different approach. That way, you can avoid similar mistakes and duplicate what works.

This Week’s Business Video 

Nick’s Pizza And Pasta - 2300 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626

The Breakdown

What Works

Food! Lots and lots of food! This is a restaurant after all. They do a pretty good job of showing different kinds of food. From the pizza to the pasta, seeing the food prepped in the kitchen and presented finished on the plate got my mouth watering.

The exterior shot of Nick’s gives potential customers a visual cue for finding the restaurant. It’s on a corner, next to Supercuts. Saves time looking for the restaurant next to Walgreens.

The interior shots show Nick’s as a busy, popular place. IF all those people like, maybe I will too. This could lead a customer to Yelp in search of a rating or reviews. 

What Doesn’t Work

Cheesy zoom outs, and I don’t mean the pizza. One zoom, maybe, but three in a row to open? Zooming out is meant to reveal something new. So if it doesn’t reveal something new, don’t do it.

Only one shot of the interior, from one angle. While we see the restaurant, we don’t get a feel for the space and it’s ambiance. Same with the one exterior shot the restaurant, too far away.  I think they really dropped the ball with showing the actual restaurant. 

Lastly, the music is seems incongruent with the message. A bit dark and brooding, which doesn’t help create an inviting atmosphere.

What’s A Different Approach

I like starting with the exterior shot, but one shot isn’t enough context. I would use a number of different angles to create a better context for the restaurant while providing a few more visual cues for customers. A standard “beauty shot” is good for the final shot, but use the opening to create context and provide visual cues.

People like a restaurant for it’s ambiance and atmosphere as well as the food. Is this a family restaurant or a quiet place for lovers to tryst? Thus, I would use numerous shots of the interior, showing what it’s like to sit in the restaurant. I would highlight the booths, the tables, the decorations, the help staff, the bar, and, most importantly, happy, smiling customers.

In the kitchen was a great idea. I’d improve it with more closeup shots of the food prep and use different angles. I’d also use a studio lighting setup for the food tp make look as good as possible. If you’re going to show the food, make it look yummy.

I like the logo and information on top of the interior, so I’d use that too.

Final Word

Keep in mind that video is a language. So keep it simple. Zooms can get distracting and cheesy if you use them too much. You can create interest by using more shots from different angles. This helps create energy and movement in your video.

Remember, these opinions are entirely my own and are just that - opinions. Your turn. What do you think?

Shooting video for an event can be downright scary for small business owners. If you want  to capture an event for your marketing strategies or just as an archive for your business, here’s a few tips to make your job easier.

1. Tell the story - this is probably the toughest one but also, the most important. Story is all about point of view. Your story will drive the kind of things you look for and the shots you record. So, how do you know your story BEFORE the event has even taken place? That’s easy. To know your story, you have to …
2. Know your intent - It’s important to know WHY you’re shooting video of your event. If you want to use this video as a marketing piece on your website, you’ll look for different things. I know I’m repeating point one, but this is REALLY important. Knowing your intent and story will determine everything. So take some time with this BEFORE the event.
3. Shoot short clips - When you see something, record it for five seconds or so. Unless something major is unfolding, like your marketing manager proposing to his girlfriend, focus on creating short shots. This will make editing so much easier later on.
4. Let the camera do the work - If your camera has auto exposure features, use them. This is especially true if you’re in lowlight conditions. If you have to adjust the exposure settings as you walk around, you’re likely to miss something. Make it easy on yourself.
5. Engage people - it’s OK to talk with people while you record. People usually smile when they see a camera. If they pose, thinking it’s a picture, let them know you’re shooting video. They often laugh and do some sort of action, which is fun to edit with later.
6. Set the setting - get shots that help establish where and when the event took place. If you’re Christmas party, get various shots of the decorations, the table settings, the food, etcetera. This will help to visually show the viewer where and when the event took place.
7. Steady the camera for a steady shot - if you can, mount the camera on a mono pod. This lets you take steady shots without lugging around a big tripod. It also helps keep your arm from going numb holding up the camera for a couple of hours.

Remember to keeps things simple. If you keep theses tips in mind, your event footage will go a long way for your.

Do you have any suggestions for shooting better event video? Let us know in the comments.