When we stop to think about it, engaging stories not only have a significant impact in our personal lives but also in our professional lives. Powerful stories can make a difference in our families, communities and, yes, in our businesses. Sadly, many organizations forget the importance of good storytelling and then wonder why their messages aren’t being heard or remembered.

Writer Matthew Snyder puts it this way: “One of the biggest mistakes organizations make is they don’t actively engage is the art of telling stories. The trend has become facts, statistics, and incessant boasting.” Snyder goes on to ask, “What’s going to motivate you – numbers or narratives? Statistics don’t go viral. Stories do.”

Strong companies and brands are built around good stories. It’s vital that our stories engage and connect with the customer. Communicating who we are, where we’ve come from and where we’re going using a compelling story can transform how customers see you and can motivate them to take action. So, what’s your story? Are you telling it?

When it comes to good storytelling, LIGHTGROUP shines. Instead of using just words on a page or website, we’ll help you tell your story using today’s many innovative media options. Although the message is visually communicated through a camera lens – what will hold the viewer’s attention is your story. Seeing and hearing your story makes a big impact. Want to harness the power of story for your company? Give us a call or shoot us an email. LIGHTGROUP would welcome the opportunity to serve you.

Kevin Skattum is CEO at LIGHTGROUP

incorporating video is an essential step in preparing yourself for the future of marketing.
 
 73% of online retailers use video on product pages, which means that if you’re a retailer and you don’t have video on your site, you are officially in the minority, according to eMarketer. Other sectors of business are beginning to follow suit. A recent survey by Industrial Marketing Today  found that 50% of B2B manufacturers use YouTube as a channel to connect with their customers. Even service companies such as Charles Schwab are starting  to include videos on their websites.

Video can be used in various ways, which explains why more companies are using video to achieve business objectives. It is clearly beneficial for online retailers to demonstrate a product to their consumers. But what about answering potential questions about your company through video on a FAQ page? This way, you can efficiently inform your customer with a personal touch. Dell credits video with reducing service call volumes by  5%, and Virgin Mobile expects video to reduce call volumes by 14% in 2011(The Australian, December 2010).

Promotional videos can be placed on a landing page to endorse new products and services. Background video on a Web site can make the page feel interactive and exciting. The list of possibilities goes on. Companies are using video on more platforms as well. YouTube is a common channel that companies use, and it is the second most popular web site with 790 million unique monthly visitors, per ReelSEO. Other social media tools, such as Facebook and Twitter, integrate video into their systems and make it easier than ever for users to share videos with each other.

The use of video in emails is gaining in popularity and has been shown to increase click-through rates by over 96%, in an Implix survey.  Newsletters or other subscriber-based system could benefit from video, too. Video is even extending beyond the computer, to mobile phone apps or at on-site locations. Imagine going to a restaurant, using your phone to scan a QR code next to a menu item, and watching a clip on what the dish looks like and how it is made. This is just one example on how video can be employed inthe hospitality industry.

Increasing consumption of video makes it clear that consumers prefer to take information in as video over other forms of content. That’s true no matter what business you may be in. Companies that respond by deploying video more broadly will be speaking in their customers’ preferred language.
 
By: Craig Wax, MediaPost Publications, November 15, 2011

Looking for a fresh way to connect with and engage your customers in 2012? How about considering On Demand Video Webinars? They are an effective way to provide a richer audience experience, produce better qualified leads and eliminate recurring sales and marketing costs.

At one time or another you may have “signed up” to attend a webinar presentation – you know, the “go to a specific website at a designated time” kind of webinar. That’s one type of webinar, but did you know that advances in video platform technologies now make On Demand Video Webinars a popular alternative?

Unlike traditional webinars, On Demand Webinars can be viewed anytime, giving your audience convenient 24/7 access to your message. Your customers will experience your story in a way that’s presented picture perfect every time. And because On Demand Video Webinars are professionally produced to visually connect with audiences, you’ll increase overall engagement, build greater affinity for your company and brand and directly benefit from viewer metrics that are easily integrated into CRM’s and other customer tracking tools.

Lastly, On Demand Video Webinars don’t conform to outdated styling or standards that limit visibility to a specific web host platform. Your program can be embedded on multiple independent locations including your company website, channel partner sites or even as in-banner ads. You can literally transform your message from a narrowcast into a broadcast. Moreover, customers can share your message with others in numerous ways – including social media channels.

Want to learn more? Take a few minutes to experience our On Demand Video Webinar feature that integrates these concepts and more into an interactive platform demonstration:

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John Evans is VP of Business Development at LIGHTGROUP

For many companies, the difference between a sale being won or lost is in the demonstration of their product and it’s capabilities. Buyers today are navigating the web in search of solutions. This is precisely why your website should feature video highlighting your products and clearly demonstrating their value to your audience.

A quality video from LIGHTGROUP can not only demonstrate your product’s capabilities, it can become the catalyst that actually drives demand and result in better qualified leads for your sales pipeline.

Take a look at this example of a product profile. You’ll see we’ve incorporated multiple ‘voices’ in order to tell the story of WorldHeart’s remarkable medical innovation. It’s a device that can save, extend and enhance the lives of patients suffering from late-stage heart failure.

This video was originally produced for Frontier Airline’s ‘Wild Blue Yonder’ in-flight series. For this demonstration, we’ve incorporated a video platform technology which allows audiences to ‘ask questions’, link to additional ‘resources’, ‘share’ the program with others; as well as other interactions that deepen audience engagement and produce both qualitative and quantitative metrics.

In the end, isn’t it results that matter most?