56 ways to use video to promote your book and/or business

We haven’t paid much attention to video yet – but trust me, we will! Of course we reviewed some of our favorite book trailers, which is one very important way for an author to use video. However, there are many others.

The list below, much of which is borrowed from Media Pro Productions, includes a wide variety of video uses. Some of these may or may not directly apply to you as an author. If your book is an extension of your business, many will apply. However, if you’re the author of a novel, memoir, or other less business-oriented title, you may have to stretch to find applications. The goal isn’t for you to take this list and go out and make each and every video on here. It’s to get you thinking about new ways to use video that may never have occurred to you before.

If you’ve been using video for a while, please share the link for your YouTube channel (or other website feed) below in the comments section. And if you’ve got great ideas that aren’t on this list, please share those, too!

Customer-Oriented Videos  1.   Video testimonials 2.   Video success stories 3.   Video case studies 4.   Man-in-the-street interviews 5.   Prospecting presentations 6.   Follow-up after meeting a new prospect 7.   Thank you for the opportunity 8.   Putting a name with a face after a phone call   Product and Service Promotions 6.   Product presentations 7.   Service demonstrations 8.   Product reviews 9.   Mini documentaries 10. Subject matter expert commentary 11. Product comparisons   Corporate Videos 12. Company overview 13. Executive presentations 14. Staff presentations 15. Virtual facilities or equipment tour 16. Board of Directors updates 17. Ongoing corporate communications   Training and Support Videos 18. Training videos 19. Instructional videos 20. Sales support “expert” videos 21. “Brown-bag” learning 22. Post-sales support videos 23. Maintenance videos   Internal Communications Videos 24. Internal communications 25. Event/conference/trade show communication 26. Employee orientation and “get on board” training 27. Health, safety, and legal issues

Advertising, Marketing, and Promotions  28. Commercials/infomercials 29. Humorous video 30. eMail video 31. Content marketing 32. Landing pages and micro sites   PR Support and Community Relations 33. Video media releases 34. PR support materials 35. Community relations video 36. Public service announcements 37. Cause-related promotions   Event Video 38. Event presentation video 39. Roundtable sessions 40. Expert Q&A sessions 41. Highlights or “red carpet” video   Author Uses 42. Author bios for signings/events 43. Video blogs 44. Book trailers and promotions 45. Contest and giveaway promotions 46. Partnering with other authors 47. Speaking promotions 48. Tie-ins for holidays or special events   Other Uses 49. Recruitment videos 50. In-store videos 51. Company lobby/waiting room videos 52. Mobile videos 53. Market research/focus groups/polls 54. Website FAQ videos 55. Video white papers 56. Video magazines

 Laura

__________________

We welcome and encourage your thoughtful, courteous comments below.

__________________

Need help creating – or updating – your Facebook Fan Page? At nearly 200 pages, this eBook is chock-full of screen shots and details about how to create or improve your Facebook Fan Page. Includes details about adding a MY BOOKS feature to your page. Grow your Fan Page and grow your list of potential readers! Get Using Facebook Fan Pages to Market Your Book and/or Build Your Business today!

Read Full Post »