The reasons are ego, ego and more ego.

Unless you’re Sir Alan Sugar or Peaches Geldof, nobody cares about what you think about your own business or even yourself. If Mr Any Businessman sits down in front of a camera and tells the world that his company is the greatest niche services provider since the fruition of capitalism, chances are, the only one who’s going to be impressed by it will be him. Chances are, the camera operator will call Dignitas.

To ram the point down your throat, let us ask you which of the following statements makes you want to buy a car:

The car is produced by hardworking, well educated graduates in a factory named after a great leader.
The CEO can speak Mandarin and is of course “very proud of the company’s connections in Asia”.
The car won’t break down on the M25 and you can fill the tank up for less than £100.

If you chose statement 3, we can work together and you’re conscious.

Touch me, I’m wearing Versace

Far too many corporate videos serve as a medium for directors to tell people all about themselves and the company. Some go even further and so. Gone are the days when anybody actually believed anything they were told. We live in a world of cynicism, freedom of expression and unhealthy social media habits which time and time again inevitably come together as the ridicule of anyone who thinks their words should be heard despite having done nothing to back up their position.

Let’s get people back on the straight and narrow, multimedia communication is about engaging with your audience. The attitude should never be “we’re great, get your wallet out” and instead should be “hi, this product solves the problem you have, shall we talk?” You’re trying to build relationships with customers, not mug them.

Ask Your Customers Out on a Date

Don’t actually do this, it’s far from being a productivity booster. A video should be talking to people in same way as you would when you’re talking to somebody in a bar. Have you ever walked over to somebody you liked the look of and came out with the line “hey, I earn 80k a year, and you should get your coat”? Hopefully not. The point is that you would talk to a person first and build a rapport which then leads to trust and genuine interest. That’s how relationships start in the real world, so why do things differently when talking to your video audience.

Don’t answer questions people aren’t asking

Q. Can this device that you’re trying to sell me enhance my business?

A. Our company has seen unprecedented growth in recent years and strives to provide excellent customer service.

Sound strange? It’s common.

When people take a photograph, they aren’t just collecting light through an aperture to be stored on a flash card, they are saving a memory. How many Apple commercials have you seen showing the inner workings of the latest Macbook ? None – they alway sell the experience and benefits.

To Sum It All Up

Have a think about why you’re creating a video for your business. You don’t need to fret about production methods or the creativity as there are companies like us to do that for you. But think about WHAT you need to say and WHY you need to say it – and everything will work out just fine.