Developing a video that closes the deal is an art. In the rest of this article, I am going to give you some steps in using marketing strategies to leverage your use of video.

Use the F.A.B. formula (Feature, Advantage, and Benefit)

Let’s start with the features, every product or service we promote has features. A feature is a fact about the product.

For example if we were promoting a Flip HD video camera, a feature would be “HD Video”.

You may have heard that features do not sell products, but benefits do. And that is correct.

To find the benefits of a feature, you simply say “so what?”

Feature         VS        Benefits
“HD Video”  “so what?”   “Capture clearer images of your friends and love ones”

You can find any benefits in this fashion, but what about the advantages.

The advantages of a feature is when you compare it to something else. Or I like to call the advantage the “Real Reason to believe”. What makes the Flip HD Video Cameras different them other HD Video cameras? It’s fits in the palm of your hand.

Now, lets put it together, it would read like this:
“In this video I’m going to show you why, the Flip HD Video Camera will revolutionize the way you capture your personal videos. The Flip HD Video Camera puts the power of a professional broadcast quality camera in the palm of your hands.  The Flip HD Video Camera might be the only camera you will need, to capture those once in lifetime events of your love ones - this year. This camera makes it simple and easy to capture true 720p HD video.”

You see how the features, advantages & benefits come together?

Now ever story needs a beginning, a middle and an end, our videos use the same structure.

The beginning would be a few slides talking about the biggest benefits of the product. You only have less then 30 seconds to get their attention, so you got to hookem quick. Use the F.A.B. formula above to really make this pop.

The next step is to create the middle. I like to state the biggest obstacle or problem this product solves.
Then I have a few slides that state each feature in writing. On the slide write the feature but in the audio of the video talk about the advantage & the benefit. Also in the graphics on the slide show the outcome of what will be, if they use this product. Pick the top three features and that should be good enough.

The end of the video should focus on… “Why this will help them?”. Tell  a story of a person who does not have this product. Then tell them how much better of their life will be after they have this product. Then tell them how to get it.

Here are a few more tips. On screen movement is very important, every time a graphic moves or type is introduced on the screen, it re-captures the viewers attention. So the more movement you show on screen the more attention your video will get.

Secondly, do not talk like a sales person, but just an average person. Pretend you are having a conversation with your best friend.

Thirdly, add background music elements. This sets the tone and emotion of what is on the screen.

In summary, I hope you take this information and turn it into videos that help you sell more products and services. Take it one step at a time and you will do well.

Tags: affiliate video, how to create an online video, video marketing

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 9th, 2010 at 9:37 pm and is filed under Free Advertising Techniques, Marketing Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.