YouTubing for dollars

Digital, on-line video has become a virtual necessity in today’s online marketing world.

You want top search engine rankings? Better have video.

You want people to open your emails? More will, if they contain video.

You want more visitors to your Facebook and other social media venues? How ‘bout more likes and more shares and more comments? Video will help you get those things.

So why are so many Marine Dealers so timid about utilizing video in their marketing efforts?

If you want to hold on to that worn out old excuse, “I don’t know how,” you’d better stop reading now. Because you’re about to find out exactly how to use other people’s videos, create your own – almost FREE – and not only get all the benefits already named, but increase sales and profits in the process.

Here are the 2 big rubs against doing video…

  1. It’s too expensive.
  2. You gotta be creative.

Let’s address both of these concerns. Go to YouTube.com and type “boat maintenance” in the search bar. Watch a half dozen of these videos and it should dispel any notion that you have to be particularly creative or have deep pockets to post something like these.

Bear in mind, most of these aren’t very good and many have critical flaws you’ll want to avoid, but they were made with very little money, very little by way of script and very little by way of talent or skill.

You can do better – much better – spending no more money at all.

Here are the step-by-steps of getting started…

First, if you haven’t already, sign up for a YouTube channel. It’s FREE. Just go to YouTube and walk through the steps.

You’ll want to name the channel something that will attract the right viewers. It’s great to have viewers from all over the country, but realistically, how many of them are going to buy from you? Better to use the name of your channel to target the kind of buyers you’re looking for.

BobsMarine tells them who you are, but doesn’t promise any benefit.

LandofLakesBoatingTips targets Minnesota boaters and promises them something they’d be interested in.

Now, how are you going to populate your channel with content?

Ultimately, of course, you’ll want and need your own videos on your channel. But you don’t need to wait to become Stephen Spielberg to get content.

Begin by going back to those boating maintenance videos you looked up earlier. “Like” a few of the ones you think are most relevant to your audience. Add some to a “playlist” or your “favorites.” This is NOT technically YOUR content, but when people visit your channel, they’ll be able to see these videos that you’ve recommended. And it costs you NOTHING to do this.

There is some downside, of course. Each time people come to your channel, then click to watch any of these videos, they’ll be taken away from your channel, to the channel of the person or company that posted the video in the first place. So don’t make competitors’ videos available on your channel, but do take these steps and invite prospects, customers and friends to watch.

Next you’ll want to create some videos of your own. Here are some things that people like…

  1. Funny. Not just chuckle-worthy, but gut-busting hilarious!
  2. Emotional. If you get the tear or the tickle, people will keep coming back to your channel.
  3. Dream fulfillment/escape reality. Show them exotic places and exciting, “I’d like to do that; I’d like to go there,” kind of stuff.
  4. Demonstrations. How-to videos can be big view-catchers.

The easiest to start with, of course, are the demonstrations. You can tell this for yourself by looking at the boat maintenance videos already referred to. Set up in or by the boat or the trailer or wherever, and shoot away.

Don’t worry that there are 45 other videos on YouTube about how to change your boat’s oil, or how to launch a boat or safety tips for trailering or whatever. There is always room for more, particularly with your unique spin, or targeted specifically to your geography or market or audience boat types.

Read Part 2 for production tips and more.

 

Jim Ackerman and Paul Furse are Salt Lake City-based Marketing Consultants and Coaches, Jim is a nationally renowned Marketing Speaker, and is President of Ascend Marketing, Inc. Subscribe to both of his YouTube channels at www.youtube.com/GoodBadandUglyAds and www.youtube.com/marketingspeakerjima, where you’ll get his 30-Second Marketer Tip of the Day videos. Send for their FREE report on YOUTUBING FOR DOLLARS at mail@ascendmarketing.com, subject line VIDEO.

 

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